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home Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services Calming Crafternoons in Ellis Library

Calming Crafternoons in Ellis Library

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel Resources and Services
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event logo with smiley face and bottle of glue

Join us for Calming Crafternoons at Mizzou Libraries! This series of events features easy and creative crafts. Take a break from studying and enjoy some stress relief while crafting.

Find all Mizzou Libraries’ events on Engage – search library.

Fall 2026 Events

Calming Crafternoons: Diamond Painting
Date: 9/17
Location: Ellis Library Main Floor 1:30 – 4:30pm
Description: Get ready to turn your fridge into a sparkling art gallery! Join us for a laid-back Calming Crafternoon for Diamond Painting Fridge Magnets. Whether you’re a seasoned diamond artist or just love shiny things, this event is all about relaxing, chatting, and creating something delightfully tacky—or genuinely chic—for your kitchen. All supplies are included. Everyone is welcome!

Calming Crafternoons: Spooky Crochet Critters
Date: 10/7
Location: Ellis Library Main Floor 1:30 – 4:30pm
Description: Get ready to get your cozy craft on! Whether you’re a complete beginner who has never held a hook or a seasoned yarn enthusiast, come spend a fun, laid-back afternoon bringing a spooky-cute companion to life. You get to pick your path: crochet a giggle-worthy ghost, a friendly little spider, or a plump pumpkin! All supplies are included. Everyone is welcome!

Calming Crafternoon: Tassel & Beaded Garland/Keychain
Date: 11/5
Location: Ellis Library Main Floor 1:30 – 4:30pm
Description: Get ready to string together some serious style! Join us for a fun, fabulous, and totally tactile workshop where we’re turning colorful yarn, wooden beads, and vibrant accents into gorgeous Tassel & Beaded Garland and Beaded Keychains. All supplies are included. Everyone is welcome!

Calming Crafternoons: Gnomes and Pom-Pom Otters
Date: 12/2
Location: Ellis Library Main Floor 1:30 – 4:30pm
Description: Get ready for the ultimate showdown of cozy, whimsical crafting! Whether you’re team mystical garden creature or team fluffy aquatic cutie, this crafternoon is double the fun! Come spend a relaxing session crafting your choice of a bearded Gnome or a fuzzy Pom-Pom Otter (or stay double-focused and make both!). All supplies are included. Everyone is welcome!

home Ellis Library, Resources and Services Peer Navigator Corner: Lean Library

Peer Navigator Corner: Lean Library

By Kimberly Moeller   Posted in Ellis Library Resources and Services
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Written by: Libby Gremaud 

Research can sometimes be a frustrating part of school assignments.  If you’re using Google Scholar, or any other tool that isn’t through the Libraries, oftentimes websites will block you or ask that you pay to access their materials. Thankfully, Mizzou Libraries has a tool available that can help if you run into this problem – you can still use the tool you prefer, but get the article that you need. 

Lean Library is a browser extension that can be used by Mizzou students to help bypass these blockers and help figure out if you have access to the materials under the library’s licenses. It’s super easy to download, and even easier to use! 

All you have to do to download the extension is follow this link, choose your browser type, and click “Download”. Once you have followed the instructions to download, Lean Library will ask you to choose your institution, which would be “University of Missouri Columbia”. It will then ask you about your setting preferences, which you can choose based on your individual needs. After you’ve done this, the extension should be able to be used, although it’s helpful to pin it.

To use the extension, simply search the way you normally would. When you find a source, whether it’s a newspaper, a book, or an article, Lean Library will automatically pop up on the top right of your browser and let you know about the source’s availability within the Mizzou Libraries system. It may tell you to follow a link to access the material. If the Libraries don’t have access, one of the potential popups that you may get will automatically direct you to request it through ILL, or “Inter-Library Loan”.

Our library will make a request to another institution that has the material and they will then send it to you to use. This can be done with both online and print materials, and is generally pretty fast since it’s primarily electronic. 

Once you’ve downloaded this browser extension, research done off-campus will be so much easier. The extension can be toggled on and off so that it’s only there when you need it. There are so many resources that the Mizzou Libraries offer, and we want to ensure that students are able to access these resources no matter where they are. Make sure to download this browser and make your research process so much easier! 

home Gateway Carousel, Hours Libraries Closed for Labor Day, Ellis Library Open 24/5 After Labor Day

Libraries Closed for Labor Day, Ellis Library Open 24/5 After Labor Day

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel Hours
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All MU Libraries will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 7. Starting September 8, Ellis Library will be open 24 hours, five days a week, except for holidays, breaks and extended hours during finals.

From Sunday at 10 am to Friday at 7 pm, enjoy studying in Ellis Library 24 hours a day. On Saturday, the library is open from 10 am to 7 pm. All library hours can be found here.

Make sure you bring your Mizzou ID with you for late-night studying. From midnight to 7 am, a valid Mizzou ID is required to come into the library.

Only the ground floor of Ellis Library will be open from midnight to 7 am, and some library services will not be available. If you need research help, consider using our 24/7 chat service.

home Ellis Library, Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services Peer Navigator Corner: Ellis as a 3rd Space

Peer Navigator Corner: Ellis as a 3rd Space

By Kimberly Moeller   Posted in Ellis Library Gateway Carousel Resources and Services
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Why Ellis Should be Your 3rd Space
Written By: Emilee Dillon 

Lately, a popular topic of conversation specifically on social media has been the lack of “3rd spaces” for young and emerging adults. There is a distinct lack of places to socialize or relax – a place that isn’t just home or school, somewhere everyone can just go to exist without pressure. 

I believe many students are unaware that we have the perfect third space for us right on campus, at Ellis Library. While it is easy to think of Ellis simply as a study spot it has so much more to offer. The Bookmark Cafe located on the ground floor is the perfect place to grab a coffee or a snack, sit down with friends, and have a break. Annalise and Isabella, two of the hosts from our peer navigator student podcast, Between the Stacks, actually talk about how great of a third space the Bookmark Cafe creates. It’s the little things, like microwaves available for all students to use to make meal times or heating something up with friends convenient. 

Ellis is also a great place for readers, not only reading for assignments but enjoyment as well. The Libraries have access to many books that are not strictly academic and is an excellent place to cozy up with a good book. When you first walk up the stairs from the cafe, the well-being collection is directly in front of you, with a shelf full of fiction, books on cooking and crafting, and more. Ellis Library also hosts a BYOBook Club so you can connect with others that have similar interests while still having the freedom to read something you personally choose and will enjoy. Events like this are highlighted on the libraries homepage, but be sure to look up this and others by searching for the libraries on MU Engage! 

Beyond the quiet areas of the library there are more relaxed areas where you can walk around, talk and explore Ellis with your friends, maybe even getting lost in the stacks. Not every corner of the library is designed to be silent, and it is actually a perfect space to socialize in some areas! 

Ellis library also hosts occasional free events such as the calming crafternoons, which are often overlooked. These events can be a great way to meet new people, try something new, or just give you something to do for free! 

Although it may feel like third spaces are disappearing, I believe we may need to just look at it from a different angle, and reimagine this beautiful building our campus has given us. I recommend using Ellis to your full potential and allowing Ellis to be a place you can connect, relax, and build your community. 

home Events and Exhibits, Gateway Carousel Check Us Out! Thursdays at Ellis Library

Check Us Out! Thursdays at Ellis Library

By Taira Meadowcroft   Posted in Events and Exhibits Gateway Carousel
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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.

Calming Crafternoon with the Women’s Center
Thursday, September 10, 2026 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Take a calming moment and craft a self-care punch card.

Wellbeing with the Student Health & Wellbeing
Thursday, September 17, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Learn about the resources available to you through Student Health & Wellbeing.

Student Success Skills
Thursday, September 24, 2026 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Learn more about the Sage Student Success Skills and resources to help you improve your wellbeing while you’re a student.  

Sensory Kits
Thursday, October 1, 2026 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Test out our new sensory kits for checkout.

Museum of Art and Archeology
Thursday, October 8, 2026 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.

Subject Librarians
Thursday, October 15, 2026 from 11a -2p
Did you know every department on campus has a subject librarian? Learn more about how they can support you and your academic success.

Reading for Fun at Mizzou Libraries
Thursday, October 22, 2026 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Learn how you can sign up for a Columbia Public Library card and other ways to request the books you want to read.

Wellbeing and the Specialized Libraries
Thursday, October 29, 2026 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.

TBD
Thursday, November 5, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade

Special Collections
Thursday, November 12, 2025 from 11a -2p in Ellis Library Colonnade
Take a look at items from our Special Collections vault.

Museum of Anthropology
Thursday, November 19, 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.

TAGS:

Taira Meadowcroft

Taira Meadowcroft is the Public Health and Community Engagement Librarian at the Health Sciences Library at the University of Missouri.

home Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services Finding the Best Study Space

Finding the Best Study Space

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel Resources and Services
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Text: Finding the best study space in the Mizzou Libraries

We have spaces for everyone! If you prefer silence, check out rooms 114, 201 (the Grand Reading Room) and 202 in Ellis Library. Check out this Ellis Library floorplan to see all the quiet spots. Journalism also has four private personal study pods on the bottom floor that are first come, first served.

If you don’t prefer complete silence, try the Information Commons (the first floor of Ellis Library). Or the Bookmark Café on the ground floor for coffee and conversation. You can always take a look at the Ellis Library sensory map to find the best study space for you.

If it’s a group study spot you are searching for, reserve one of the group study rooms in either Ellis, Engineering, Health Sciences or Journalism. They can be reserved for up to two hours for each group. Some also have Solstice monitors to help groups studying together share information with one another. Whatever you need, make sure and plan ahead, as rooms fill up quickly!

Remember, if your program has its own library, be sure to check out those spaces, as they are often designated specifically for you!

home Ellis Library, Gateway Carousel, Gateway Carousel Journalism, Gateway Carousel Zalk Veterinary Medical Library, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, Journalism Library, Resources and Services, Zalk Veterinary Medical Library Mizzou Libraries Reading Challenge

Mizzou Libraries Reading Challenge

By Taira Meadowcroft   Posted in Ellis Library Gateway Carousel Gateway Carousel Journalism Gateway Carousel Zalk Veterinary Medical Library J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Journalism Library Resources and Services Zalk Veterinary Medical Library
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Mizzou Libraries Reading Challenge

Mizzou Libraries invites the campus community (students, staff, and faculty) to join our inaugural campus-wide Reading Challenge! This challenge runs from September 2026 to April 2027.

Read (or listen to) a book each month based on that month’s theme, tell us about it, and be entered into win one of our monthly prizes. Complete all 8 months to be entered in to the grand prize drawing.

Select this link to learn more about the Mizzou Libraries Reading Challenge: https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/readingchallenge

 

home Gateway Carousel, Workshops Strengthen Your Research Skills with Mizzou Libraries Workshops

Strengthen Your Research Skills with Mizzou Libraries Workshops

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel Workshops
Posted on
black and gold graphic, photo of Ellis Library reading room

Whether you’re just getting started with research, working on a thesis or dissertation, managing citations, exploring AI and text mining tools, or preparing to publish your work, Mizzou Libraries offers free workshops designed to support your academic success.

Open to all MU students, faculty and staff, our expert-led sessions cover every stage of the research process, from finding and evaluating information to managing data, understanding copyright, measuring research impact and teaching with emerging technologies. Workshops are offered throughout the year, making it easy to learn new skills on your schedule.

Explore topics including:

  • Research strategies and literature reviews
  • Citation management with Zotero
  • AI and text and data mining tools
  • Data organization and management
  • Copyright and scholarly publishing
  • Open access and research visibility
  • Teaching and learning resources
  • Library services and resources for undergraduate, graduate, and distance learners

Browse upcoming workshops and register for sessions that will help you work smarter, save time, and make the most of your research.

Can’t attend live? Many sessions are recorded and available on-demand through our workshop recordings collection.

home Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services New Text and Data Mining Tool Available to Mizzou Researchers

New Text and Data Mining Tool Available to Mizzou Researchers

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel Resources and Services
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New Data Mining Tool Available TDM Studio

University of Missouri students, faculty and researchers now have access to ProQuest TDM Studio, a platform that simplifies text and data mining and helps users uncover patterns, trends and insights across large collections of content. The platform provides powerful tools for computational research while making text and data mining accessible to users with diverse technical backgrounds.

Mizzou Libraries has secured a three-year subscription to TDM Studio through July 2029, with the possibility of renewal based on usage and available funding.

TDM Studio allows researchers to mine content from several ProQuest resources already available through Mizzou Libraries, including ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, U.S. Newsstream, ProQuest Historical Newspapers, ProQuest Historical Black Newspapers, and Vogue. The service does not include Factiva. The platform also enables researchers to work with large datasets and discover new relationships across scholarly, news and historical content.

Researchers can get started immediately with TDM Studio’s Visualization Dashboard, which requires no coding experience and offers an easy entry point to explore large collections of text. Users seeking more advanced analysis can use the platform’s Python-based Workbench, which includes sample projects and guided walkthroughs for beginners, as well as more sophisticated research workflows for experienced users.

In addition to supporting research, TDM Studio can be used in teaching and learning environments to help students develop data literacy and digital scholarship skills.

To learn how to create an account and begin exploring TDM Studio, visit the TDM Studio Library Guide. Researchers and students can also participate in a series of fall workshops, including a monthly Introduction to TDM Studio session designed to help new users get started.

home Events and Exhibits, Special Collections and Archives, Staff news New Digital Exhibit Examines the Relationship between Comic Arts and World War II Propaganda

New Digital Exhibit Examines the Relationship between Comic Arts and World War II Propaganda

By Marian Toledo Candelaria   Posted in Events and Exhibits Special Collections and Archives Staff news
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New Digital Exhibit Examines the Relationship between Comic Arts and World War II Propaganda

Scarlett Jones (BA in English, 2026) spent the Spring 2026 semester as an intern in Special Collections, where for her final project she curated a digital exhibit titled WWII Comic Arts and Propaganda. In this exhibit, Scarlett researched the University of Missouri Library’s vast collection of comic arts to explore how comics, as a popular means of mass media, served as a way to promote the war effort to American audiences wary of explicit propaganda efforts. As Scarlett explains in her exhibit introduction, “Rising quickly through the ranks of popular media, cartoons and comic books provided the perfect platform to promote pro-American rhetoric to the public under the guise of entertainment.” Comics by artists such as Theodore Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss), John T. McCutcheon, Bill Mauldin, Milton Caniff, and others are featured prominently in the Special Collections holdings selected for the exhibit. The exhibit also features the emergence of Marvel superheroes Captain America, The Invaders, and Sgt. Fury, as well as graphic memoirs on the experiences of those who lived through the Second World War.

Check out the exhibit, WWII Comic Arts and Propaganda, following the link!