University Libraries includes the main Ablah Library, the McKinley Chemistry Library and the Thurlow Lieurance Memorial Music Library, located in the Music and Languages Innovation Center (MALIC). These libraries connect students, faculty and staff to the information, technology and other resources essential to teaching, learning and research at WSU.
University Libraries is dedicated to meeting students’ needs for a variety of services, flexible study environments and convenient hours. 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. C-Space provides the opportunity to collaborate, create and receive assistance in using technologies such as audio and visual recording, 3D printing and virtual reality.
Librarians offer instruction through in-class or online collaboration with faculty, workshops, online tutorials and research guides. Reference and technical help desk personnel are available to assist library users with research and technical needs, including discussing assignments, help searching specific databases and answering other research inquiries. Reference assistance is available in person or via chat, phone, email or video conferencing software.
University Libraries offers a wealth of electronic, print and nonprint resources that can be located through the Libraries’ website. 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of information resources such as full-text research databases, e-books, e-journals, company information, statistics, historical documents, as well as streaming audio and video. 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 depository 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 captivating Wichita Photo Archives. We invite students, educators, researchers, artists and the wider community to immerse themselves in our enchanting reading room which seamlessly intertwines with nature, boasting expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that frame a picturesque courtyard adorned with trees, plants and playful squirrels. Bathed in abundant natural light, this distinguished space emanates tranquility and offers a delightful sanctuary for immersive and pleasurable reading and research experiences.
More information about resources and services is located on the University Libraries website1.
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