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IU Libraries has a presence that spans many different corners of campus. You can look through each of these libraries’ hours and offerings through the libraries’ website. Below will offer a snapshot of each of these spaces to get you thinking about which library space you want to explore.
Wells Library
Wells Library is located at 10th and Eagleson, right next to the arboretum. It’s visible throughout campus given that the building sits atop a hill, and it’s two large stone towers. One tower is five stories tall, and the other is ten. Given the texture of the limestone and the nature of it’s flat rectangular facade, you might have referred to it as the Triscuit building. This is our main library which holds many different resources and services. From fresh food in the basement Bookmarket Eatery to our many floors of books, lovingly referred to in a library as “the stacks,” you can find plenty of space to settle in and get to work! Here are some highlights of the spaces inside Wells Library.
The Learning Commons
The Learning Commons is located in the West Tower, the shorter of the two towers. Each floor has a unique combination of features for you to study in. The first floor has dual monitor, public use computer work stations, soft seating, and several support services (more on those later), and reservable group study rooms. The second floor is a quiet work space with more work stations. The third floor is another quiet study space, and our Core Collection and our Career Collection. These collection have many popular titles that are used throughout the undergraduate curriculum, and books to help students prepare for graduate entrance exams and the job market! Floors four and five offer more open group study spaces.
Makerspace
The makerspace is the place to go to explore various ways to bring your creative ideas to fruition! Here you can check out cameras and other equipment, design and use our 3D printers, teach yourself to sew, or make some buttons for your student group or event.
Scholars’ Commons
The Scholars’ Commons is the first floor of the East Tower. This space holds two key services the Reference Desk and the Circulation Desk. (Link to services page). There is also the Reference Reading Room, a quiet study space with windows, consultations rooms available for graduate students and faculty, workstations with digitization equipment, soft seating, and our New Arrivals corner.
Stacks
The Stacks make up floors four through ten of this tower. Up here you’ll find some of the quietest places to study on campus. Among the rows and rows of shelves of books, there are individual study tables where you can hunker down. This area is where you’ll find many print resources such as books and periodicals. Each book has a special label on the spine called a Call Number, and each set of shelves is labeled with a call number range. This is how we organize the books so that you can find the exact title you’re looking for with the help of IUCAT, our online catalog (link to the IUCAT section)
University Archives
The University Archives is located on the fourth floor. Here there’s a team of archivist stewarding the long and robust history of Indiana University. There are often displays from the collection highlighting different aspects of IU History. Here is a great place to learn how to find and use local primary sources, a skill set that archivists are especially well poised to teach.
Media Services
Media Services is located on the ground floor of Wells right next to the Bookmarket Eatery (Yes, we do have a dining facility as well! It’s run through Residential Programs and Services, so you can use your dining plan here to have a study break meal.) You can check out DVDs and other non-print media. They have quiet study spaces, screening rooms and the Film and Moving Image Archives.
