Heading to the library at CU Boulder means a trip to Norlin Library or to one of the four branch libraries: Jerry Crail Johnson Earth Sciences & Map Library; Leonard H. Gemmill Engineering, Mathematics and Physics Library; the Howard B. Waltz Music Library; and the William M. White Business Library.
Each library on campus has its own study spaces, collections and librarians, and you have access to all of them. Find your place in any of the five libraries on campus. Here are some of the highlights the libraries have to offer.
The Business Library is undergoing renovations as part of the Leeds School of Business and College of Engineering & Applied Science expansion. Students can visit the pop-up service in Koelbel S340 on the third floor of Leeds to pick up holds, check out course reserves, borrow device chargers and calculators, or chat with the business librarians. Visitors can access the business collections in Gemmill Library. University Libraries will continue to share updates on the renovation project’s progress.
Research
As a CU Boulder student you have access to librarians who are experts in more than 60 subject fields. They are ready to assist you with your research needs, and they want to hear from you! You can IM, email, text 720-897-3333 and tweet librarians or set up personal one-on-one research consultations. Research librarians are also available to help you at each branch's research desk.
The Center for Research Data & Digital Scholarship offers free walk-in help, as well as workshops on everything from statistics and data science to data visualization and digital humanities.
Collections
The University Libraries system on campus is the largest library collection in the Rocky Mountain region—home to more than 6.6 million print volumes and more than 14 million books, ebooks, periodicals, government publications, audio-visual materials, microforms, maps, manuscripts and other materials.
Come explore works from the art and architecture, Asian studies, children’s and young adult and science collection in Norlin. The Special Collections and Archives have an interdisciplinary selection of rare books, original photographic prints, artists’ books and archival collections.
But the libraries check out more than books: The Music Library has LPs and CDs. Gemmill has a materials collection. Earth Sciences & Maps has more than 200,000 maps. In Norlin Commons you can find phone chargers, headphones and the Multimedia Equipment Lending Library that includes powerful cameras and microphones. Course reserves even has a model skull!
Learning spaces
Norlin Commons was created so students, faculty and staff would have access to technology, IT support, writing help and research assistance in one space. Oh, and don't forget about the Laughing Goat Coffeehouse.
The Commons has OIT advisors and the free Writing Center, with on-hand consultants trained in writing pedagogy and working with campus writers from across disciplines and skill levels. Norlin Commons remains open 24 hours, Monday through Thursday; and, during finals, those hours are extended to seven days a week.
All five library locations offer group study spaces that can be reserved online. And so you can find the right study space for your needs, there are three noise zones: collaborate, quiet or silent. Outdoor study tables are available in the Sundial Plaza, right outside Norlin.
Keep in mind, you don’t need to be a music major to use the newly renovated Music Library, or a specific major for any of the other libraries. The University Libraries provide an inclusive, safe and welcoming environment with equitable support for all people at CU Boulder.
