Your source for what's new at Mizzou Libraries
National Library Week is April 19th-25th, but we are always celebrating library joy.
In this list you will find books about:
You can see the list at this link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-V7mG7q-pgQSat8yw8Zhy-meX14LTtLY33tOLEuQSHU/edit?sp=sharing
Written by: Isabella Bickhaus
At the beginning of every new semester, working as a Peer Navigator in Ellis brings some of my favorite questions to the desk. Recently, I interacted with a student who wanted advice on where to spend their time between classes. This question of where to pass time on campus applies to both new and returning students. Mizzou’s campus is large, and not all academic buildings have seating outside of classrooms. This question reminded me of one reason I enjoy spending time in the Libraries on campus; they’re third places I know I can exist without any expectations. Access to resources, like printers and phone chargers, is also a major bonus.
What is a “third place”? The term was coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, referring to spaces in our communities outside of homes (first places) and work (second places). Oldenburg considered third places as “a generic designation for a great variety of public places that host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work.”
Along with the bustling Student Center, the iconic Columns (weather permitting), and Stankowski Field, the Libraries are popular third places on campus. From the outside, Ellis Library is an impressive building, and libraries can be stereotyped as silent, serious spaces, which can be intimidating. However, Ellis exists to serve students, faculty, and the community as a place to gather and interact. Beyond scheduled events, like BYOB Book Club or Calming Crafternoons, Ellis is a space where students can meet up for coffee in the Bookmark Cafe or heat up food in the microwaves on the ground floor. If I am stuck on campus with a dying phone or laptop, I know I can check out a charger from Ellis. Of course, Ellis provides a multitude of study spaces. From the silent, grand reading room to the collaborative tables on the first floor, there is a place for everyone at Ellis.
Ellis Library Study Room 2E21 has been redesigned to incorporate sensory & well-being features! Located on the second floor, just east of the reading room, the room now contains acoustic panels to reduce noise, a faux plant for a natural feel, a dimmable color-changing lamp, and a ball chair and mat for flexible seating. All students can reserve and use the room for sensory needs, studying, or relaxation.
Sensory rooms are spaces designed with calming or stimulating features—such as lights, sounds, textures, and interactive items—to support relaxation, focus, and sensory regulation. These rooms are often used to reduce stress, improve focus and are especially helpful for people who feel overwhelmed or need help staying engaged.
In addition to the space, sensory kits and items are now available to borrow at the North Service Desk. Sensory items can be tools, toys, or materials designed to stimulate or calm one or more senses. They’re often used for sensory regulation, focus, stress relief, or therapeutic purposes. They can be useful for people with autism, ADHD, or sensory processing needs, but they’re helpful for anyone. Items available include: yoga mats with poses, a meditation cushion, noise-dampening ear muffs, a SAD lamp, a weighted lap blanket, and a white noise machine. The available sensory kits are: fidgets, self-soothing items, mindfulness & meditation and self-care.
For pictures and more information, see the Sensory & Wellbeing in the Library LibGuide.
Mizzou Libraries have acquired the SAGE Impact Collection, expanding access to a wide range of digital resources that support research, teaching and student success. The collection provides perpetual access to SAGE learning resources—including academic books, videos, datasets, business cases, and Sage Research Methods alongside the SAGE Premier Journal Package, which includes more than 1,000 peer-reviewed journals.
Vice Provost Kara Whatley states, “This acquisition represents a strategic investment in the university’s academic mission, and is in alignment with institutional priorities around affordability, research excellence and digital learning. By securing the collection as a portfolio‑level acquisition, Mizzou Libraries can deliver significantly more content and long‑term value than would be possible through individual purchases.”
The acquisition also includes a Read & Publish agreement that covers open access publishing costs for University of Missouri authors in SAGE journals, helping remove financial barriers to sharing research. With seamless Canvas integration, accessibility features, and dedicated faculty engagement support, the SAGE Impact Collection strengthens affordability, interdisciplinary learning and research visibility across campus.
Sage Impact Collection
The Special Collections and University Archives, which were temporarily housed in Ellis Library on 4 East, will return to their permanent location on 4 West on April 1. The units will be closed March 31 through April 2 and will reopen in their 4 West space on Friday, April 3.
The stairlift on the staircase leading from the third floor to 4 West has been replaced with a new vertical lift.
Thank you for your patience during this improvement, which will provide enhanced accessibility to the 4 West area.
Written by: Annalise Miller
Print media and hard-copy magazines may feel old-school in a digital world, but are actually a great primary source that can be used to study cultural trends, analyze public opinion, examine advertising, track political and social change over time, and better understand how people experienced and interpreted events as they were happening. Mizzou Library has a great selection of magazines both online and in the library itself.
In Ellis Library, physical copies of magazines can be found in a couple of different places. New issues are located behind the Peer Navigator desk in Information Commons 2 on the first floor of Ellis, near government documents and DVDs. Once the whole year of publications are available, these physical copies are bound together and moved into the stacks based on subject.
The Journalism Library, located at 401 S 9th St, Columbia, MO 65211, has an even greater selection of physical copies of magazines including TIME, with others like Forbes and Publishers Weekly available through database access..
Special Collections, located on the fourth floor of Ellis, is another great place to explore historic magazines (amongst other things), with some collections dating back to 1805. The collection includes bridal, religious, beauty, and sports magazines, collections title Style Before Social Media: Fifteen Fashion and Beauty Magazines, and Toys and Collectibles, as well as a variety of specialty publications, such as pet care. All of these materials can be viewed by visiting the Special Collections and Archives homepage and scheduling a time to stop by.
Special Collections also has a wide selection of online magazine exhibits. “Life in America: Sixteen Black Magazines from 1953-1998” looks at the history of influential Black news and lifestyle magazines such as Ebony, Jet, Sepia, and Emerge, that served Black audiences often overlooked by mainstream media. The exhibit highlights how these publications covered news, culture, and every day life. Another exhibit examines the rise of bridal magazines, including titles like Brides and Modern Bride that shaped wedding culture. This exhibit features issues from 1992 to 2011 and explores how print media guided engaged couples through evolving trends and the bridal industry
Online publications that are not a part of Special Collections can be accessed through Discover@MU and searching specifically for Journal/Source Title, or through databases like Fashion Studies Publications that compile magazines for easy searching. Some of these titles include the Vogue archive, Harpaars Bazaar, and Women’s Wear Daily.
Magazines are a great resource at the University of Missouri Libraries, whether you need them for a class, for research, or just as something interesting to flip through.
Whether you are starting your first research project or have written a dozen articles, you can benefit from a consultation with a librarian. It’s free and you can book online in advance according to your schedule.
Librarians can meet with you virtually or in-person.
MU Students can use Canvas to schedule an appointment via MU Connect* and meet with the librarian assigned to your class. Students, if you book a research consultation with a librarian, you can earn a point towards your S.T.A.R. recognition.
MU Faculty and Staff can fill out the form to schedule an appointment.
*What is MU Connect, and how do you use it? Watch this short video to find out and make an appointment today.
Two students have been recognized with scholarship awards for exceptional undergraduate research projects, earning top honors for the depth, rigor, and originality of their work.
Second place, a $500 scholarship, was awarded to Ava S. O’Bryan for her honors research project in music education, “Literature Review: Chamber Music in K–12 Music Education.” Ms. O’Bryan’s work stood out for its deep engagement with the subject and her ability to bring a wide range of theoretical and empirical sources into thoughtful and critical conversation across time. The committee noted the sophistication of her analysis and the clarity with which she synthesized scholarship from multiple perspectives.
Together, these projects reflect the high level of undergraduate research excellence and the meaningful contributions students are making across disciplines.
Written by: Allison Boedges
Ellis Library is home to a large number of exhibits and showcases from permanent fixtures, annual displays, and others that are constantly new or frequently switched out.
Permanent exhibits:
The cast gallery can be found on the second floor of the building in a quiet study space. The larger than life sculptures are a part of the Museum of Art and Archaeology’s collection (but are too tall for the museum space!) are worth a visit from every student at some point.
Also on the second floor, the M.L. Snowden Collection features multiple statues carved of bronze in the windows of the Grand Reading Room. M.L. Snowden won several of the world’s most prestigious sculpture prizes including The International Rodin Competition in Tokyo, Japan, and the inaugural Presidential Order of Merit “In Recognition of Significant Contributions to the Betterment of Humanity Through Art.”
Ellis is currently hosting a campaign buttons collection on the 1st floor of the library. The collection features the entire campaign of 1896, with all presidential elections through 1996. The collection represents a lifetime of work by Sandy and Barry Garron, who donated their full collection to the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs in 2021.
The Museum of Anthropology is located on the ground floor of Ellis. Open from 10-4 Tuesday-Friday and 12-4 on weekends, the museum offers a multitude of exhibits designed to allow visitors to broaden their understanding of human history. The museum is currently featuring several revolving exhibits, including beautiful Native American embroidery done by dyeing and stitching porcupine quills and watercolor paintings done by Pueblo Artists in the early 20th century. More exhibits can be found online at https://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/exhibitions.
The Museum of Art and Archeology is also located on the ground floor of Ellis. With the same hours as the Museum of Anthropology, these exhibits showcase a wide range of original art and artifacts. Some exhibitions are permanent while others rotate and include everything from ancient works to contemporary art. New exhibits at the museum include a series titled From Earth to Artist: Clay, featuring works from Ancient China, Mesopotamia, and the Mediterranean and Catching Light: Two River Views featuring works from two early 20th century artists. Another display case holding artifacts from the museum can be found near the Peer Navigator desk on the first floor of the library. For more information about current and past exhibits, check out the Museum’s exhibition page, and updates about displays, please see the Museum’s news page.
Annual Exhibits in the Colonnade:
During Faculty Excellence Week, Ellis hosts an exhibit for all faculty who have published or edited a book in the past year. These books are part of the MU Libraries Collection and will be available in time for Faculty Excellence Week, which is May 4th to May 11th.
The Visual Art and Design Showcase is a venue for undergraduate students to display their work. Various awards are offered during this exhibition, including the MU Libraries Showcase award. The winner of this category is displayed on the first floor of Ellis Library in a case located near the Peer Navigator desk.
Each year during February, Ellis offers exhibits honoring Black History Month. These include a special book collection, art, and displays celebrating the month. For more information on exhibits and events, see https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/mulibraryexhibits/BHM.
Current Exhibits:
An exhibit honoring the 13th President of the University and namesake of the library, Elmer Ellis, displays information on this very pivotal figure in the University’s history. Under his direction, the University of Missouri grew to 4 campuses, which formed what is now known as the University of Missouri System. Additional information on Elmer Ellis, and the history of the library with his name, can be found on the Ellis Old and New section of the Library website.
The art featured in Bookmark Cafe, located on the ground floor of the library, rotates each semester. Currently, Ellis is hosting the artist René de Jesús Peña González, who generously loaned two works to the library. The first is titled Flamenco and the second, part of a larger series, is titled Sad Blue Child.
Looking for a place to store your items and charge your phone? Personal storage lockers with USB chargers are available in Ellis Library, next to the elevators on the main floor.
These lockers are free to use, but a Mizzou TigerCard (MU ID) is required for access. If you do not have a physical MU ID, you can check out a temporary ID at the North Service Desk, which will allow you to use the lockers. These lockers were purchased with funds from the Enhance Mizzou student fee.
Spacesaver Lockers
Instructions
Contact the West or North Service desks if you have any problems using the lockers.