News
Wed, 05/14/2025
KU Libraries select 2025 Sprints Week participants featuring teaching and research projects
The University of Kansas Libraries have selected a trio of faculty members to work with specialized teams of librarians to address course development and research challenges during Sprints Week, May 19-23.
Fri, 05/09/2025
Author John Green to visit KU to kick off 2025-26 KU Reads program
A Lawrence campus visit from award-winning author John Green will be among the first events of the fall semester as the University of Kansas adopts his title, “The Anthropocene Reviewed,” as the 2025-26 KU Reads: A Common Book Experience selection.
Tue, 05/06/2025
Students recognized for contributions to KU Libraries
A pair of student employees who do vital work maintaining physical and digital collections and two KU Libraries Student Ambassadors were honored among their peers and supervisors at the annual Dean’s Award for Student Employee Excellence (DASEE) luncheon May 1 in Watson Library.
Wed, 04/30/2025
KU Libraries among ARLIES Film Festival 2025 Winners selected by ARL membership
KU Libraries' highlight video from it's centennial celebration, "A Rhapsody in Jayhawk Blue," was named the Best Development/Fundraising Film at the 10th annual ARLIES Film Festival at the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Spring Association Meeting in Minneapolis Wednesday.
Wed, 04/30/2025
Winners crowned among group of moving collections in Snyder Book Contest
The University of Kansas Libraries honored eight student finalists and awarded cash prizes at the 67th annual Snyder Book Collecting Contest during a reception April 24 at Watson Library. Charles Johnson, a senior from Lawrence, won first place in the undergraduate division, and Nicholas Hoekstra, a doctoral student in special education from Comstock Park, Michigan, won first place in the graduate division.
Thu, 04/17/2025
Faculty and staff excellence highlighted by KU Libraries
The University of Kansas Libraries are proud to recognize outstanding individual employee contributions and achievements via 2025 faculty and staff awards. Awards were formally presented to five employees during the libraries’ 18th annual Celebration of Excellence in February, with an appreciation luncheon honoring all library employees on April 16.
Tue, 04/08/2025
KU Reads Teach-In aims to generate curriculum and programming ideas for 2025-26 selection
KU Reads: A Common Book Experience invites faculty and instructors to attend an April 14-18 Teach-In, a week of informal discussion and events to integrate next year’s book selection, “The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet” by John Green, into curriculum and programming.
Mon, 04/07/2025
KU Libraries welcomes campus community to State of the Libraries Address
University of Kansas students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend the KU Libraries State of the Libraries Address, presented by Dean Carol Smith on Thursday, April 17, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. in Watson Library 3 West. Dean Smith will review the past year of achievements and initiatives and give an overview of the libraries’ activity around its strategic plan.
Thu, 03/27/2025
Librarian among Faculty recognized at 2024-25 KU Athletics events
For the second year, a group of University of Kansas faculty touted for their excellence in research, scholarship and creative activity were honored at KU Athletics events. Each enjoyed a VIP experience at a KU volleyball, football or basketball game, where they were introduced on the court or field during a timeout.
Mon, 03/24/2025
2024-25 Sanders Scholars cohort to report on activity
A trio of library student assistants and their librarian mentors will discuss accomplishments and lessons learned as part of KU Libraries’ Sanders Scholars panel presentation on Tuesday, April 1 at 11 a.m. in Watson 455. Members of the KU community are invited to share in light refreshments and hear about the collaborative work.
Fri, 03/14/2025
Chemistry faculty Lisa Sharpe Elles named KU Libraries 2025 Textbook Hero
Lisa Sharpe Elles’ goal is to make her courses as accessible as possible, a value that has also driven her to transition from costly textbook and homework systems to free open educational resources (OER), earning her recognition as KU Libraries 2025 Textbook Hero.
Tue, 03/11/2025
KU Libraries expands LibArt program; now accepting student artwork submissions
Students from all majors and disciplines are encouraged to submit artwork to KU Libraries LibArt program for a chance to become part of a year-long juried exhibition inside the libraries’ public spaces and win cash awards, which have been recently expanded.
Thu, 02/27/2025
University of Kansas and Frontiers renew flat fee open access agreement for 2025
The University of Kansas and open science platform Frontiers have renewed their open-access publishing partnership for an additional year. Initially established in 2024, this agreement maintains its terms to provide KU researchers with seamless, cost-free access to publish in all Frontiers journals.
Wed, 02/26/2025
Presentation at KU Libraries to highlight impact of open education
Virginia Clinton-Lisell, associate professor in educational foundations and research at University of North Dakota and lead researcher of the Open Education Group, will visit KU’s Lawrence campus to deliver a public lecture about her research on open education at 10 a.m. March 14 in Watson Library 3 West.
Thu, 02/20/2025
Student feedback, picks meet in new collection to debut in Watson Library
A collection curated by students, “Page Turning Tropes: Your Favorite Narratives, Themes, Cliches, Archetypes,” will debut with a reception and curator talk in Watson Library’s third floor lobby on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 3 p.m.
Tue, 02/18/2025
'Marvelous Medieval Marginalia' exhibit set for Spencer Library debut
Pens, markers and highlighters are among the items not allowed in Kenneth Spencer Research Library’s Reading Room due to their ability to damage materials, but a new exhibit set to debut in March welcomes an observation of the scribbles and doodles made years ago in medieval manuscripts.
Fri, 02/07/2025
KU Libraries looking for 2025 Sprints partners
Faculty and academic staff of the University of Kansas looking for a partner in solutions to research or pedagogical challenges are encouraged to submit applications for Sprints Week, a five-day intensive collaboration with KU Libraries.
Thu, 02/06/2025
Snyder Book Collecting Contest open for student submissions
KU Libraries’ Snyder Book Collecting Contest, celebrating 67 years of encouraging student book collections, is now accepting entries through March 25. The annual contest recognizes KU undergraduate and graduate students for their collections of books and complementary pieces – such as digital items, music, and film -- that share a particular subject, topic, or theme.
Tue, 01/21/2025
Cottonwood finds online home in KU Libraries partnership
Sixty years’ worth of issues full of original poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction in Cottonwood, a literary magazine, has recently been made available in digital format through partnership with KU Libraries.
Thu, 12/19/2024
Center for Certification & Competency-Based Education publishes new research journal
The Achievement & Assessment Institute’s Center for Certification & Competency-Based Education has launched the Competency-Based Education Research Journal, which serves to advance knowledge of competency-based education through empirical investigations, theory development articles and integrative conceptual reviews.
Mon, 11/18/2024
Watson Library Centennial time capsule to be displayed, archived
The contents of a Watson Library Centennial time capsule will be displayed at a reception 3-4 p.m. Nov. 20 in the Spencer Research Library prior to submission into University Archives.
Wed, 11/06/2024
LibArt winners crowned among program’s largest turnout
KU Libraries’ LibArt program, a year-round, juried exhibition of student art in library spaces, celebrated its 14th year with a reception recognizing student artists and awarding cash prizes. This year’s show, which runs August to May, features 146 pieces throughout five KU Libraries locations, the largest display in program history.
Fri, 10/25/2024
Reducing barriers nets Raj Bhala 2024 Shulenburger Award
Spurred on by a desire to increase affordability for students and to broaden access for international colleagues shut out by costly paywalls, Raj Bhala worked with a team at KU Libraries to openly publish his widely used textbook on international trade law. He is the recipients of the 2024 Shulenburger Award for Innovation & Advocacy in Scholarly Communication.
Mon, 10/21/2024
KU Libraries activities to recognize Open Access Week
KU Libraries will mark International Open Access Week (Oct. 21-27) with a trio of activities demonstrating the importance of open access resources and their availability at KU.
Thu, 10/10/2024
Community invited to celebrate Watson Centennial at Library on the Lawn
In its continued celebration of Watson Library’s centennial anniversary, KU Libraries welcomes the campus and greater communities to enjoy live music, food,and fun at Library on the Lawn from 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 23 on the front lawn of Watson Library.
Wed, 10/09/2024
Centennial gift highlights support for Watson Library
With its celebratory dinner, “Rhapsody in Jayhawk Blue,” held September 19, KU Libraries set out to honor the centennial anniversary of Watson Library and show appreciation for its most stalwart supporters. But, in a surprise twist, donors expressed their own deep gratitude for the libraries by presenting Dean of Libraries Carol Smith with a $100,000 gift.
Fri, 09/27/2024
Data services librarian trains researchers in data management
Jamene Brooks-Kieffer, data services librarian, provides resources to help faculty understand the data they collect.
Thu, 09/05/2024
BiblioBios: Music and Dance Library operations manager combines musical skills and lifelong connection to community
It’s not surprising Gorton Music and Dance Library Operations Manager Chris Bohling feels at home on the Hill. As a kid, on snowy days he would trek up to where the west wing of Murphy Hall now sits, trailing his sled behind him. Before the addition of the library to that slope, Bohling repeatedly slid through the very spot that now occupies the library’s circulation desk – where he spends a good deal of time, making sure library processes flow smoother than a sled down a hill.
Wed, 09/04/2024
KU Libraries call for proposals for new exhibit program highlighting faculty research
KU Libraries are calling for proposals for the 2025/2026 David M. Bergeron and Geraldo Sousa Exhibit Program, which showcases the research of KU faculty using the extraordinary resources housed within Kenneth Spencer Research Library’s collections.
Tue, 09/03/2024
Re-creations of 1870s railway photos reveal profound change to Kansas, Colorado plains
A fascinating new book chronicling transformation on the plains of Kansas and western Colorado uses repeat photography — contemporary re-creations of 1870s photos — to reveal startling changes to the landscape.