Your source for what's new at Mizzou Libraries
What is impact dot matrix printing? Which technologies converged in the mid-20th century to create such a computing icon?
Located in the Engineering Library and Technology Commons and created by Library Technology Services, the history and anatomy of the Okidata Microline 320 Turbo is explored in this compelling exhibit.
For those interested in learning more about the exhibit, there is an online library guide available at https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/dotmatrix
Participants can visit us each week and enter for a chance to win a guaranteed study room during Finals Week! The more you visit each week, the more entries* you’ll have.
*Want more chances to enter? Visit each specialized library and find the check us out logo to enter.
Special Collections
Thursday, September 11, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Take a look at items from our Special Collections vault.
Wellbeing Collection
Thursday, September 18, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Learn about our newest collection: the Wellbeing Collection. This collection features new books for students, faculty and staff who want to focus on their mental health or just need a break from the stress of everyday life.
Archives
Thursday, September 25, 2024 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Take a look at past Mizzou Homecoming items just in time for the 2025 homecoming game!
Museum of Anthropology
Thursday, October 2, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Take a look at archaeological collections comprise of artifacts dating from 2.6 million years ago to modern times from Missouri’s only anthropology museum.
Digital Media and Innovation Lab
Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Test out our VR googles, 3D scanner and our digital art station.
Columbia Public Library Book Bike and the State Historical Society
Thursday, October 16, 2025 from 11a -2p
Mizzou Specialized Libraries
Thursday, October 23, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Did you know there are 6 other libraries on campus? Visit us to learn more about these specialized libraries.
Museum of Art and Archeology
Thursday, October 30, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Come and learn about Mizzou’s Museum of Art and Archeology, located on the ground floor of Ellis Library.
WeMake Deisgn & Learn Lab
Thursday, November 6, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Come learn about WeMake Design & Learn Lab. The lab is available to all MU Students.
Budds Music Center
Thursday, November 13, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Learn more about the Budds Music Center and how they serve Mizzou students and the community.
Department of Entomology
Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Take a look at some bugs the Department of Entomology has in their collection.
Students enrolled in Professor Bossaller’s class on the history of books and media have curated five new exhibits related to the Samir Husni Magazine Collection, a wide-ranging collection of first-issue magazines dating as far back as 1805. The exhibits highlight different themes found within the collection:
We are very excited about these exhibits and we hope that you enjoy them!
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
2 to 3:15 pm
114A Ellis Library
Open House Research Presentation
ARH_VS 4160W / 7160: Global Encounters in Art History
Prof. Anne Rudloff Stanton
By Ellie Cearley, Alexis Cornett, Fynn Lamanske, Sara Lawson, Jake Mangan, Kaitlyn Melton, Adakunle Ogunleke, Muditha Pathirana, Greg Pekurney, Didintle Setzin, Xiaoran Tang, and Hanxue Zhang
Now through the month of April.
The Journalism Library is celebrating National Poetry Month by putting on a Black-Out Poetry station the entire month of April. Folks can come and construct original poetry out of newspaper and magazine clippings gathered by the library staff.
Blackout poetry is created by marking out words from a text, like a newspaper, until a poem is created from the words that remain. For inspiration, check out others’ creations at Newspaper Blackout.
Everyone is welcome!
Dr. Joan Stack from the State Historical Society of Missouri developed the exhibit “A Historic Look at Black Labor in St. Louis Seen through the Eyes of Artist Spencer T. Banks (1912-1983),” which is on display in the Ellis Library exhibit area on first floor.
Black History Month Programs at the State Historical Society of Missouri
Now through February.
Stop by the Journalism Library to view their curated display featuring books related to black history in journalism.
All books are available for check out.
This is an educational exhibit and is open to everyone.
Do you want to join a book club but prefer to choose your own book? Join the BYOBook Club!
Our first meeting of the semester is Wednesday, February 19 at 4:00 pm in Ellis Library 114A.
This month’s theme is: read a book with a red or pink cover. Need a book recommendation? Check out our book club guide.
Registration is not required, but encouraged.
One of our Special Collections librarians, John Henry Adams, will be teaching a course with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in February. The class is entitled “From Currency to Wrapping Paper: The History of Decorated Papers” and will provide a concise overview of paper decoration from around the world. After a brief introduction to the manufacture of handmade paper, we will focus on three major approaches to paper decoration, using (1) printing technology, (2) paint directly on the paper, and (3) ink or paint suspended on liquid. In addition to the different types of paper, there will also be a discussion of how the papers were used historically.
If the course is of interest to you, more information can be found here.
Ellis Library Colonnade
From December 2024
A showcase from the new “Piecing Together Provenance” exhibit is now on display with research and creative works completed by students enrolled in the cross-listed Fall 2024 ARH_VS course, “Museum Studies: Theory and Practice.” Taught by art historian Dr. James van Dyke with contributions by archivist Dr. Sarah Buchanan, the course examines contemporary issues in museum and curatorial studies through project-based, object-based learning – the two crucial issues this semester are provenance and restitution. Provenance research in theory comprised the first third of course content with discussions about museum definitions, collecting, and object dispositions. Then students looked at existing provenance narrative structures and resources for researching provenance data; finally they team-workshopped their insights to create visually engaging panels that show their processes taken and tried – emphasizing both information found and gaps remaining.
Provenance stories enhance the visitor experience not only in art museums, but also in collections like the Enns Entomology Museum, which students visited as it marks its 150th anniversary year. Hearing directly from museum curators Kristin Simpson, Mackenzie Mallon, Candace Sall, Rima Girnius, and Benton Kidd about their everyday efforts to bring together provenance facts led students to develop the theme of clues gathered, pinned, and strung to corkboard for their exhibit. Do visit their fully detailed exhibit in the Bingham Art Gallery, where “Mind the Gap: Piecing Together Provenance” is on display through April.
Here in Ellis Library is provided a selection from the six artwork panels illustrated there with student research findings about the artistic legacies of 15th and 18th century Italian artists di Matteo and Joli, 17th century artists van Goyen (Dutch) and Neeffs (Flemish), a Roman-era Egyptian textile, and the early 20th century American artist Hirst. For their additional contributions to the success of the course we gratefully thank: Megan Ballengee, Daniel Eck, Amanda Harrison, Madeleine LeMieux, and Kristin Schwain. Solve the mysteries of history with provenance!