University Libraries includes the main Ablah Library, the Thurlow Lieurance Memorial Music Library, and the Special Collections and University Archives Unit. These libraries connect students, faculty and staff to the information, technology and other resources essential to teaching, learning and research at WSU.

University Libraries supports the academic success of WSU's faculty and students through collections, services and facilities. Facilities include individual focus rooms, group study rooms and a 24-hour study room, and the Digital Scholars Commons. Laptops, podcasting equipment, digital cameras and other technologies are available for checkout. The Libraries Tech Hub supports collaborative technologies such as audio and visual recording, 3D printing and virtual reality.

Librarians teach research methods across the disciplines through workshops, online tutorials and research guides. Reference assistance is available in person or via chat, phone, email or video conferencing software.

University Libraries offers a wealth of print and electronic resources that can be located through the Libraries’ online catalog. Library collections include more than two million books and research journals, federal and state documents, music recordings and scores, and other materials. The digital collections provide access to a variety of information resources such as full-text research databases, e-books, e-journals, and streaming audio and video files. SOAR, the University’s institutional repository, provides access to faculty research and institutional documents. In addition to its own collections, University Libraries is able to borrow materials from a worldwide network of other libraries. Ablah Library has been a Federal Documents Depository Library for over 120 years and is an official United States Patent and Trademark Resource Center, the only such center in Kansas.

University Libraries’ Special Collections and University Archives acquires, arranges, preserves and makes available an extensive array of distinguished materials, including rare books, historical Kansas maps, photographs, and other images, oral histories, university historical records, and an ever-expanding manuscript collection. Noteworthy among our treasures are the papers of the influential abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, the Gordon Parks Papers, the Baughman Collection of Early Kansas Maps, and the Aitchison Rare Books Collection. Delving into Wichita's history, our archives feature aviation industry documentation, papers from Wichita founder James R. Mead and iconic film star Louise Brooks, as well as the compelling Dockum Sit-In oral histories. The collection also proudly houses congressional papers, including those of esteemed figures like Kansas Congressman and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman. Our online digital collections showcase rare books, historical papers, maps and photographs, providing a digital gateway to explore university and local history including the Wichita Photo Archives.

More information about the resources, services and facilities of the University Libraries is located on our website¹.

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