News


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.
Tue, 08/27/2024

KU Libraries now accepting nominations for the Shulenburger Award for Innovation & Advocacy in Scholarly Communication

KU Libraries’ Shulenburger Office of Scholarly Communication & Copyright is now accepting nominations for the annual David Shulenburger Award for Innovation & Advocacy in Scholarly Communication through Sept. 20.
Tue, 08/13/2024

KU Libraries announce centennial celebration of Watson Library with fall activities, website

A Jayhawk Boulevard landmark and perpetual place of discovery and welcome, Watson Library will celebrate 100 years at the heart of the KU community with a slate of fall activities and programs.
Tue, 07/16/2024

Spencer Library visit yields insights, connection for 2024 Whayne Scholars

Since 2016, the Alyce Hunley Whayne Visiting Researchers Award has forged meaningful connections between selected scholars and the distinctive African American collections in Kenneth Spencer Research Library -- but in 2024 with two award recipients, an additional bond was built. Alyssa Cole and Brooke Thomas took part in overlapping visits to the library that sparked key moments of insight for their individual research projects as well as timely professional connections.
Tue, 07/02/2024

Nicodemus descendent, historian to speak at KU Libraries on July 10

A descendant of the original settlers of the town of Nicodemus, Angela Bates has worked for over 30 years to honor the community’s legacy, establishing regional and national partnerships including collaboration with KU Libraries and the Kansas Collection.
Tue, 06/25/2024

New edition of book updates changing world of international trade law in free, open-access format

Raj Bhala's sixth edition of "International Trade Law: A Comprehensive E-Textbook" updates many topics ranging from Brexit to the U.S.-China trade war. This is the first version to be made freely available in an open access format.
Fri, 06/21/2024

KU Libraries name 2024 Rubinstein/Mason Award recipients

University of Kansas Libraries have named Katherine Bryan and Connor Reazin recipients of the 2024 Rubinstein/Mason Award. The scholarship supports current and former KU students in graduate study in librarianship and archival studies in honor of the late Joseph Rubinstein and the late Alexandra Mason, commemorating their years of principled service as KU librarians.
Thu, 06/06/2024

KU Libraries announce 2024 Whayne Scholars; visiting researchers’ presentations set for June 26

Alyssa Cole, assistant professor of African American studies at the University of Florida, and Brooke Thomas, African American history postdoctoral scholar at Pennsylvania State University, are the recipients of the 2024 Alyce Hunley Whayne Visiting Researchers Travel Award from KU Libraries. They will visit KU from June 24 to 27 with a joint public presentation at 3 p.m. June 26 in the Johnson Room.
Tue, 06/04/2024

BiblioBios: Handled with care, Richey delivers mail and more

As KU Libraries’ Business Coordinator for Mail Services, Jim Richey is at the center of a constant flow of information and people. Since starting as a student employee in the 1980s, Richey has helped manage the daily operations of campus mail and the transportation of library materials with a meticulous approach and a kind, courteous manner.
Mon, 05/06/2024

KU Libraries selects 2024 Sprints Week participants

The University of Kansas Libraries have selected Patrick Ploschnitzki, Assistant Teaching Professor of German in the Department of Slavic, German, and Eurasian Studies, and Anurag Garg, Assistant Professor of Analytics, Information and Operations Management, as 2024 Sprints Week participants.
Fri, 05/03/2024

KU Libraries honors student employees at Dean’s Award luncheon

Leaders at the University of Kansas Libraries hosted the annual Dean’s Award for Student Employee Excellence (DASEE) award luncheon on Thursday, May 2, recognizing the essential contributions of student workers and highlighting outstanding student employees and ambassadors. ...

Wed, 05/01/2024

Student bibliophiles honored at Snyder Book Collecting Contest

Nine undergraduate and three graduate finalists were honored, and cash prizes awarded at KU Libraries’ 66th annual Snyder Book Collecting Contest reception April 30 at Watson Library. The contest, established by libraries donor Elizabeth Snyder in 1957, is designed to recognize students' passion for collecting books. ...

Fri, 04/19/2024

N.K. Jemisin keynote highlights upcoming activity to close 2023-24 KU Common Book slate

Programming in support of the 2023-24 KU Common Book draws to a close with a flurry of activity over the next couple of weeks, including a series of storytelling workshops hosted by the AfroRithm Futures Group (April 24-26) and a virtual conversation with acclaimed science fiction writer N.K. Jemisin (April...

Tue, 04/16/2024

KU Libraries student ambassadors to debut ‘Affirmation Station’ prior to finals week

Final reports, research papers, exams, and tall piles of homework can make the end of the semester a stressful time for a college student. Ahead of final exams, members of KU Libraries Student Ambassador Program (KULSAP) are aiming to draw smiles and inject positivity during trying times with a traveling...

Fri, 04/05/2024

LibArt entries due April 12, with opportunities to win cash prizes

KU students from all disciplines and backgrounds are encouraged to submit their work to the KU Libraries’ LibArt exhibition by April 12. Students can win cash awards, which will total $2,000 for this year. ...

Tue, 04/02/2024

KU Libraries’ Sanders Scholars provide project updates, program highlights during panel presentation

A trio of KU students and their librarian mentors taking part in KU Libraries’ Sanders Scholars program recently presented their wide-ranging collaborative work exploring technology and assessment as a part of a panel in Watson Library on March 22. ...

Tue, 03/19/2024

Influencer, bibliophile returns to career-sparking contest at KU Libraries

Allie Alvis turns the vibrantly colored pages of a 168-year-old book and more than 103,000 people respond—the video about a Victorian-era book posted on Instagram via Alvis’ @Book_Historia platform, inspires awe and sparks comments and questions. Some ask how they can learn more, others share what the book means to...

Mon, 03/18/2024

“Object Lessons” exhibit in Spencer Research Library showcases bookbinding techniques

Goat skin leather hugs parchment pages, metal clasps snap around a red oak cover, and a form of book binding stretches across a spine like a row of fat caterpillars. Visitors can explore these elements and more at a new exhibit at Kenneth Spencer Research Library examining book construction techniques...

Fri, 03/08/2024

Campus community invited to State of the Libraries Address

KU Libraries Dean Carol Smith will present the State of the Libraries Address on Thursday, March 21, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. in Watson Library 3 West. KU students, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend as Dean Smith and the libraries’ leadership team review the past year of achievements and initiatives. ...

Thu, 03/07/2024

International Collections highlights, extends upcoming collaborative conference

A new exhibit in International Collections on the fifth floor of Watson Library highlights the history and relationships between Latin America and China - combining materials from two of KU Libraries’ regional collection strengths and supplementing an upcoming collaborative conference. The exhibit, “From China to Latin America,” is on display...

Mon, 03/04/2024

KU Libraries names chemistry faculty Shuai Sun 2024 Textbook Hero

As an assistant teaching professor of chemistry at KU, Shuai Sun helps students understand fundamental components of the physical world, how various elements can interact with and transform each other. Now Sun has added new forms of interaction and connection in his classes with the creation of the open access...

Thu, 02/22/2024

BiblioBios: Creativity, nurturing spirit guide new Watson operations manager

Jack Hawthorn loves Gothic-inspired books featuring fascinating buildings, so what better place to work than a Gothic-inspired building full of fascinating books? As Watson Library’s operations manager, Hawthorn brings creativity and a nurturing spirit to one of KU Libraries’ most beloved locations and the staff who give it life. ...

Thu, 02/15/2024

Pop-up book donation enhances collection and invites curiosity

Ann Snow opens a book and forest animals spin and play, valves and veins of the human heart unfurl, and the arches and domes of the Taj Mahal rise and construct themselves from the page. These examples illustrate some of the magic of the Murphy Art & Architecture Library’s pop-up...

Wed, 02/14/2024

Collaborative transcription event celebrates Douglass Day, makes historical record more accessible

No birthday celebration is complete without a cake, and there was cake to be had in Watson Library’s Clark Instructional Center, but a collective of KU students, faculty and staff were more focused on the work at hand – transcribing the personal correspondence of Frederick Douglass for the Library of...

Tue, 02/13/2024

KU Libraries host journals in open access space, making scholarship available worldwide

The world of academic journal publishing can be tenuous. Anything from an editor’s untimely death to a loss of funding to a professional society’s changing priorities can terminate even highly respected journals. ...

Thu, 02/08/2024

Student ambassador enjoys being part of ‘something bigger’ through KU Libraries 

KU Libraries Student Ambassador Weston Curnow was recently selected to serve on the National Humanities Leadership Council, part of a cohort of 32 undergraduate students that will receive professional development and mentoring from leading scholars and other humanities professionals as well as research support, opportunities for networking, and access to...

Wed, 02/07/2024

University of Kansas joins HELIOS Open to advance open scholarship

The University of Kansas has joined the Higher Education Leadership Initiative for Open Scholarship (HELIOS Open), a cohort of universities and colleges committed to advancing open scholarship to promote inclusivity, transparency, and trustworthiness in the research ecosystem. ...

Media Contacts

Wendy Conover

KU Libraries

(785) 864-8051

Kevin McCarty

KU Libraries

(785) 864-6428