Have you ever stopped outside Rush Rhees Library on the Eastman Quad and admired the Ivy League-looking building? This is the postcard of our campus here at the University of Rochester, and it is a gem of the city. This view is the calm before the (academic) storm. The building may seem intimidating with its large towering structure and elegant architecture, but inside, it is filled to the brim with over 3 million books – that’s right, I said 3 million books – and spaces to study for every kind of student. From an admissions tour guide, here is the ultimate guide to the different places within the library. Welcome to Rush Rhees!
Great Hall
The Great Hall is one of the first stops on the library tour. This is a silent study space, you can hear a pin drop in here! This space is open from 8 am to 12 am but 10 am on the weekends. You may see some students sleeping on the couch in the center of the room as well …The truly unique thing about this space is that it is home to our Rare Books Collection. The Rare Books Collection has unique items from historical figures and events located in Rochester, surrounding upstate areas, and around the globe. There are 14th-century manuscripts, documents from Susan B Anthony, and even a lock of Frederick Douglass’ hair!
Robbins Collins
As we head through the Great Hall, we go up the narrow-looking staircase to the Robins Collins library. This is our English studies library on campus! There are many resources in this library, including research projects completed in the field of English studies. This is a relatively quiet library and is hidden from the others, so definitely a great place to check out if you would like a guaranteed spot! A senior at the University of Rochester says, “The Robbins Library is located by the History Department classrooms and on the 4th floor of Rush Rhees. It is a quiet library and a great study space for between classes.”
PRR
As we head back down the stairs and back through the Great Hall and through the massive glass doors, we go straight into the Periodical Reading Room or, as we like to call it, the PRR (as some pronounce it, the “purr”). This is another silent study space. Even as you pull your chair back to sit, everyone turns and stares, but that is part of the fun! An undergraduate student notes, “It’s a lock in space, so I feel peer pressured to be productive.” This library makes it feel like the Ivy League schools we see in the movies, if you have ever seen Gilmore Girls, you know what I mean! Engraved on the bookshelves in this space are names of famous philosophers and scientists who have made major contributions to academics. On either end of the room are the two graduate study spaces – yes, we have graduate students on campus too! One of the hidden gems of this library is the “secret” door by the bookshelves that open up to the balcony of Rush Rhees overlooking at the Eastman quad and beyond. It truly is breathtaking!
Q and I
As we head down the grand staircase from the PRR and Great Hall, we find ourselves in Q and I or Lams Square. This is the first collaborative space we find ourselves in. A student says, “Seeing all my friends in one spot, and I like the louder spaces.” This is also where the Research Circulation desk is located too which is where one can check out or find online one of the 3 million resources the University has. As another student states, “Easy to access.” There are booths and tables where students can sit based on their preferences. As another students says, “Open space, not a quiet spot so I can engage with friends easily if I want, and large windows to let in the sun.”
Art and Music
As we head through the tunnels of Rush Rhees interconnecting with Wilson Commons, we find ourselves walking into the Art and Music Library. This space greets us with an art exhibit provided by various students in studio art courses. The actual space itself has couches and tables surrounded by shelves of resources on art or some films as well. This library is warm and welcoming and tends to be another hidden space that not many populate in making it a great place to focus in on work. A junior studying public health who is frequently found studying in the Art and Music Library says, “I enjoy the comfy, down-to-earth vibe of the Art and Music Library. Overall, it feels like its own world compared to a lot of other library spaces.”
iZone
Next, we have the most collaborative space in the library system! iZone or, as I like to say, the Innovation Zone. This area has two floors with booth seating and various table seating. The moving whiteboards are always a helpful tool, too! When studying in iZone, you are bound to find many people you know! The four study rooms to book on the library website are great resources if you need a guaranteed space to study with a whiteboard and conference-style room. As a student comments on iZone, “I like that it’s bright, and I like that you can chat it up bc I work better when I can small talk with people and hear noise in the background.” This vibrant space reminds us of how alive the campus can be even when it is academic grind time!
Gleason
Have you ever wanted to know what it is like to pull an all-nighter in college? Well, you can experience one yourself at Gleason Library! This library is our one and only 24/7 library. Additionally, with two silent zones, one can leave the PRR or Great Hall at midnight and head to Gleason Library. The rest of this library space is collaborative,e and there is a lot of chatter among students. This space takes student input every few years to re-model the space to fit better academic needs, such as adding more whiteboards, more window study spaces, and the six study rooms available.
Stacks
You may have been wondering this whole time…where are all of the books in the library?? Well, they’re located in the stacks! There are about seven levels of the stacks with two basement (A and B) levels. Not only can you find books in the stacks, but you can also study in this space. Depending on your study style, you can find a place in the stacks that best suit your needs. You can find a cubicle between the bookshelves on any floor or by the window where you can see some of the most beautiful sunsets ever. A popular spot is 3 New, an addition built to the third floor of the stacks with tables in the collaborative space. A student commenting on 3New says, “That it is louder but not so loud that it becomes just a social space; you can still get work done.” If you are a yapper and multitasker like me, this is a study space for you!
Beyond Rush Rhees Library, there are so many other places to study! For example, the Physics Optics and Astronomy, or as we call it, the POA (you’ll notice we love to abbreviate!) library located in Bausch and Lomb. Next, we have Carlson Library, located in the Computer Studies building in the engineering quad. Beyond the library, there are so many great places to study, like outside on the Eastman quad or the Wilco porch. No matter what kind of student you are, there is a place for you at the University of Rochester!