KU Libraries enable “once-in-a-generation” expansion in digital access to primary sources |
A new deal negotiated by KU Libraries with information services provider ProQuest, has expanded digital offerings exponentially, providing instant access to immense opportunities for research, learning, and discovery. Beginning last spring and continuing over the summer, KU librarians negotiated with ProQuest to offer increased access to diverse and extensive collections, adding millions of primary source items, scholarly journals, audio tracks, newspapers, government documents, court case histories, and more to KU Libraries’ collections.
“This is truly a once-in-a-generation expansion for KU Libraries. It opens doors for every Jayhawk to work more directly and frequently with primary sources, and this ‘hands-on’ digital engagement will shape and spark KU scholarship for years to come,” KU Libraries Dean Carol Smith said. “I can’t wait to see what our students and faculty discover and how they apply it.”
Read more about this collections expansion
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Open Access Week keynote to explore alignment of open science principles with promotion and tenure guidelines |
KU Libraries will celebrate International Open Access Week with an event at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 21, in Watson Library 3 West, featuring keynote speaker Michael Dougherty, professor of psychology at the University of Maryland.
Tailored toward faculty, departmental chairs, and administrators, Dougherty’s talk will explore how structures like promotion and tenure are frequently cited as barriers to embracing open practices, and suggest pathways toward enabling broader participation. A hands-on workshop will follow the talk at 2 p.m. The workshop is free, but please register in advance to attend.
The Open Access Week event will also mark 20 years of KU ScholarWorks, an institutional repository featuring scholarly work by KU faculty, staff and students, and celebrate campus efforts to advance open sharing with the announcement of the 2025 Shulenburger Award for Innovation and Advocacy in Scholarly Communications.
Learn more about Open Access Week
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Spencer Research Library Travel Awards available to visiting researchers |
Each year, Kenneth Spencer Research Library makes available three competitive travel grants to facilitate research and use of the library’s collections — The Alyce Hunley Whayne Visiting Researchers Travel Award (African American Experience Collections); Alexander and Valentine Janta Endowment Travel Award (Polish Collections); and Spencer Research Library Travel Award (All library collections).
The amount available for each award is $1,500. Travel grants will be awarded to faculty, undergraduates, graduate students, or independent researchers living outside a 100-mile radius from Lawrence, Kansas. All three grants are open to U.S. and international researchers. Applications must be submitted by January 4, 2026, for travel between March 1 and December 18, 2026.
Learn more about Spencer Research Library's travel grants
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KU Libraries launch Scite.ai access for KU researchers |
KU Libraries is now offering full access to Scite.ai, a powerful AI-enhanced research tool that helps users dig deeper into scholarly literature by showing how research is cited — not just how often — and expands access to paywalled content.
The release follows a successful trial by AI-focused groups within KU Libraries and KU’s Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE). KU Libraries is rolling out Scite.ai campuswide. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to explore its features and share feedback to help inform future subscription decisions. Scite is available to all One KU users — KU Lawrence, KU Medical Center, KU Edwards, and KU Wichita campuses.
Learn more about this new research tool
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Exhibit highlights collaboration with Kenneth Spencer Research Library |
A new student-curated exhibition, “Travel, Tourism, and the Transmission of Knowledge in and Around Japan,” was celebrated with a celebratory reception in Kenneth Spencer Research Library on Sept. 16. The exhibit, which highlights an academic collaboration between KU Libraries and KU Art History, is free and open to the public during KSRL's regular hours. Highlights of the event are included in this video.
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Makerspace Open Work Hours |
The Makerspace in Anschutz Library provides a venue for KU students, faculty and staff to think, tinker, create and collaborate with others. The space features 3D printing, audio/podcast recording, A/V editing equipment, and general creative discovery with Makerspace staff available to assist with every part of the process. Users of all skill levels and curious minds welcome!
Stop by during drop-in hours, 3:30-5 p.m. on Mondays, or schedule a consultation.
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KU Reads: Lawrence Reviewed
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A digital humanities project inspired by “The Anthropocene Reviewed,” Lawrence Reviewed invites students and community members to critically engage with their own local slice of the Anthropocene by contributing their own reviews, modeled by Green’s work. Grab a copy of the common book, enjoy snacks, and learn more about other ways to join the conversation at these pop-up events.
October 15 | 10 a.m.-noon
KU Natural History Museum
Rate the KU Natural History Museum dinosaur
October 22 | 2-4 p.m.
Watson Library Lawn
Rate “Big Tooter”
January 29 | 6:30-8 p.m.
Lawrence Public Library
Rate LPL Artifacts
February 4 | 10 a.m.-noon
KU Natural History Museum
Rate KU Museums
April 8 | 4-6 p.m.
Lawrence Public Library
Rate Downtown Lawrence
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KU Libraries are continuously working to expand and improve available resources for its users. Access items with your KU online ID and password or reach out if you have questions.
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Leisure Reading & Watching |
The KU Libraries Leisure Reading & Watching Collection features fiction and non-fiction books from popular genres including romance, thrillers, mysteries, self-improvement, and biographies. It also includes movies available to stream, including some of the most popular commercial films. Also included are national newspapers. Using the Libby app, users can access ebooks and audiobooks.
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Libraries provide streaming video collections |
Access to a wide variety of educational films, feature films, documentaries, musical theater, dance, opera, and more is provided by KU Libraries: Streaming Video Access Lib Guide
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Research, write-ins, and workshops every Friday in Watson Library’s Graduate Student Study Lounge (410) and throughout the fourth floor as part of a collaborative project between KU's Libraries, Writing Center, Office of Graduate Studies, and Center for Teaching Excellence.
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The University of Kansas Libraries' publication that reviews last year's accomplishments and offers a glimpse of priorities moving forward.
View the PDF
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Drawing inspiration from nature and with the goal of seeing every Jayhawk rise, KU Libraries is launching “The Kettle,” a new student engagement space in Watson Library, room 325. Home to weekly book clubs, movie nights and other student programming, the space is also open for students to gather and study when a program is not in session.
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Social Sciences Librarian Amalia Monroe-Gulick has spent the past 17 years working with colleagues and the campus community to empower research and discovery, the latest chapter in her lifelong relationship with higher education.
Read her BiblioBio
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Jayhawk Book Club is open to all alumni, students, faculty, and friends of KU. Each semester, KU Libraries staff selects a book and facilitates discussion in partnership with KU Alumni. This semester's selection is "The Names" by Florence Knapp.
Learn more or sign up
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