University Libraries

Hardin Library for the Health Sciences staff want you to succeed with finals, so we have some ways to make spending time at the library easier. Later Hours The library will be open until 9 p.m. on Friday, May 9, and Saturday, May 10. The 24-hour study is available to UI affiliates when the library […]

Student employees are a crucial part of what makes the Hardin Library a valuable, accessible resource for the community on campus and beyond. Student employees work and grow alongside Hardin staff, directing users to resources, caring for materials, and contributing new ideas. This year, we are […]

The following is written by Libraries student employee Brianna Bowers. The few short months from the fall of 1792 to January 1793, in which heated debate and a final vote decided that Louis XVI would be guillotined, held centuries of progress. Our world would not be recognizable without the French […]

Today is 5/5/25, making it Square Root Day because 5 x 5 = 25. The last Square Root Day was 4/4/16 and our next one will be 6/6/36. Here are some fun square root facts that you can share today:  A whole number with a square root that is also a whole number is calledContinue reading "Happy Square […]

The University of Iowa Libraries are pleased to announce an open access agreement with IWA Publishing, an internationally recognized publisher of peer-reviewed research on water, wastewater. and related environmental fields, and subsidiary of the International Water Association. The agreement […]

“From the Classroom” is a series that features some of the great work and research from students who visit Special Collections and Archives at the University of Iowa Libraries. Below is a blog by Casie Minot from Dr. Jennifer Burek Pierce’s class “Reading Culture History & Research in […]

UK scholar Katharina Rietzler found more than she'd planned on at UI Libraries. The Linda and Richard Kerber Travel Fund made a second research trip possible.

The following is written by Museum Studies Intern Joy Curry If medieval scribes knew one thing, it was the importance of fancy letters. Surviving manuscripts are decorated with gold, filigree, intricate paintings, and more methods to make the words as beautiful as possible. One type of decoration […]

Visit Hardin Library’s new exhibit on the third floor to explore how home remedies developed into pharmacology. Starting with folks in the 16th–19th centuries, whose ailment treatments came from a trusted authority figure and consisted of any number of substances applied in any number of ways, […]

We are pleased to announce the launch of Our Rightful Place in collaboration with the University of Iowa Libraries Iowa Women’s Archives. This digital collection of oral history interviews, data visualizations, archival stories, and more celebrates the history of women in Iowa politics. This […]

The University of Iowa Libraries honored two staff members with new awards in spring 2025. The recipients were selected by a committee, which reviewed nominations submitted by Libraries colleagues, and recognized during an awards reception. Kevin StoreyDistinguished Service Award As a collections […]

Elizabeth Riordan has been named the 2024 recipient of the Arthur Benton University Librarian’s Award for Excellence in recognition of her commitment to student and faculty success, elevating the visibility of distinctive collections, and helping people of all ages connect with the University of […]

Inside the University of Iowa Libraries is your look behind-the-scenes to meet the people and discover the stories making our organization unique and valuable. From cutting-edge databases to rare books, join us to explore a world of research, preservation, and discovery that fosters student success […]

This Women’s History Month, the John Martin Rare Book Room  highlights a book from the pioneering 19th-century Dutch physician and activist Aletta Jacobs. Born in 1854 in the Netherlands, Jacobs chafed at the status quo and the limited educational opportunities for women in the Netherlands. […]

The University of Iowa Libraries offers students from the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) a unique opportunity to develop their skills and passion through student employment and practicums. Eleanor Ball is one of these students and she stands out through her many positive […]

We are saddened by the news of Pamela Spitzmueller passing on March 13, 2025. Pam was the University of Iowa Libraries’ second conservator, serving from 1989–1999. After leaving Iowa, Pam was the chief conservator for Special Collections in the Harvard University and College Libraries where she […]

The following is written by Museum Studies Intern Joy Curry. This 14th-century book of hours may be tiny, but it is jam-packed with beasts, ranging from fish to lions to feathered dragons. It’s a marvel that so much of the art has survived, especially since the book is missing 19 miniatures. […]

This year’s Engineering Open was our biggest yet. There were14 fairways, 83 people on participating build teams, and over 200 attendees!  2025 Winners  Grand Prize: Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty/Graduate Students  2nd Place: Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Undergraduates […]

We are happy to welcome Isabel Cazares as our new instruction and outreach librarian. In this position, Isabel will be working with both the University of Iowa Libraries and the Stanley Museum of Art to increase visibility and usability of our deep and distinctive art collections through […]

Reil, was an 18th-century medical multihyphenate: physician-anatomist-physiologist. He was also the first true psychiatrist by virtue of coining the term “psychiatry” (or “psychiatrie” in German). His contributions to anatomy include the first description of the arcuate fasciculus in […]