Library and Research
https://www.ashland.edu/library
Located near the center of the Ashland University Campus, the Robert M. & Janet L. Archer Library symbolizes the University's commitment to the values of learning, research, and exploration in the educational experience of its students. In addition to the main library system, the library at the Ashland Theological Seminary campus is a part of the University system. The resources of both libraries are available to off-campus teaching centers and students through the Internet. The combined holdings of both libraries include of 300,000 items. The library has several study rooms and offers a welcoming space where students are encouraged to research, study, or work in groups.
Ashland University students are able to enjoy online access to the library catalog and the library's digital resources from both on and off campus. The library is a member of OhioLINK, a consortium of academic, public, and special libraries across Ohio. Through OhioLINK, Ashland students have access to over 50 million items from all eighty-nine of the participating libraries and more than 100 electronic research databases containing thousands of scholarly journal titles.
The library serves as the federal government document depository for Ashland County. Special collections areas within the library are the Instructional Resource Center, the Lulu Wood Library of Children's Literature, the Harold E. Andrews Collection of Special and Rare Books, the John F. Kennedy Reading Area, the Richard Snyder Poetry Collection, and the Leo and Laura Thomas Numismatic Center. Also housed in the library building are the Center for Academic Support, the John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs, and a 135-seat lecture room.
The library staff is committed to enhancing each student's academic experience by providing the resources, skills and confidence to access, evaluate and synthesize information.
To that end, professional reference librarians introduce the basics of information literacy to every incoming freshman class, schedule course-specific research classes for upper- level courses, offer individual research appointments for any student project, and provide reference assistance in person, by phone and by e-mail. Instructional classes are held in the Library Instruction Classroom, a thirty-workstation facility including projection capabilities, which offers students immediate hands-on practice in the skills being taught.
Instructional Resource Center (IRC)
The IRC is located on the second floor of the Robert M. & Janet L. Archer Library. Its collection, Library of Congress Classification L - education, juvenile and young adult literature, and the IRC collections, support the teaching programs and curriculum of the Dwight Schar College of Education.
The IRC circulating collection includes K-12 student and teacher edition curriculum textbooks, activity books, and book kits. Be sure to browse our extensive juvenile collection featuring picture books, juvenile fiction, juvenile non-fiction, big books, chapter books, graphic novels, young adult fiction and young adult non-fiction, and book kits.
Available IRC technology resources include computers, scanners, AU print quota and color printing. AU Library's IRC is a self-serve work area for all Ashland University students, faculty, and staff, offering laminating, binding, resources, Ellison Die Cut Machines, and a library of Ellison dies. The Instructional Resource Center is staffed by a faculty librarian and student workers.
Visit the IRC web site for more information including hours of operation and links to the IRC blog, IRC Twitter, and IRC Pinterest sites. Call the IRC directly at 419-289- 5406, on campus ext. 5406.