The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, based at Los Angeles, has developed rapidly since its foundation in 1969. The Resource and Research Center, established in 1975, has from its beginning aimed to achieve and to promote services of the highest quality. The Center comprises specialised units and a central core; the specialised units include two subject divisions (Textiles, Interior Design) which house appropriate collections (such as fabric swatches and trade literature), a Costume Library (a collection of over 2,000 garments and accessories), and the International Fashion Video Library which will be the subject of a separate article in a future issue of the Art Libraries Journal. A comprehensive user education programme is complemented by outreach activities and special events; the Center also lends itself to the role of promoting the FIDM in the community and strengthening its ties with industry.