The Uplift War (1987)
By David Brin

In the beginning, an alien race known as the Progenitors genetically engineered species into sentience. In turn these species follow this process of "Uplift" to bring new species into the universe. No species in the Five Galaxies has ever reached for the stars without the guidance of a patron - except mankind. After the Terran vessel Streaker uncovers the secret of the Progenitors, it has been on the run ever since, guarding its discovery from armadas of galactic races. In The Uplift War, a hostile alien race seeks to destroy the Earth colony of Garth for Streaker's secret, thus begins an epic war that will decide the fate of the Five Galaxies.

Available in the General Collection, Georgia Tech Library