Exterior of the North Gallery at Spencer Research Library.

Kenneth Spencer Research Library

We welcome everyone to discover stories from KU, Kansas, and around the world within Spencer's remarkable collections. Here you can encounter rare and unique items ranging from 4,000-year-old cuneiform tablets to more than one million historical photographs of KU.

Video Introduction

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Location, Parking, and Accessibility

Get details about finding the library on KU's Lawrence campus.
Plan a Visit

Aeon Login

You need a current user account in our online system, Aeon, to access collections on-site at Spencer.
Create/Access an Account

Spencer Collections

Find information about, and digitized surrogates of, materials in a variety of places.
Start Your Research

Citation Guide

Get help citing Spencer materials, especially archival collections, using APA, MLA, and Chicago styles.
Consult the Guide

Current Hours

August 18-January 19

Building and Exhibits

Monday-Friday: 9am - 5pm
Saturday: 9am - 1pm
Sunday: Closed

Reading Room (In-Person Research)

Monday-Friday: 10am - 4pm
Saturday: 9am - 12:30pm
Sunday: Closed

Requests for collection materials are accepted until 30 minutes before the Reading Room closes.

Exceptions

  • Sat., Aug. 30: Closed, Labor Day Holiday
  • Mon., Sep. 1: Closed, Labor Day Holiday
  • Sat., Oct. 11: Closed, KU Fall Break
  • Wed., Nov. 26-Sat., Nov. 29: Closed, Thanksgiving Holiday
  • Sat., Dec. 13: Closed, KU Winter Break
  • Sat., Dec. 20: Closed, KU Winter Break
  • Mon., Dec. 22-Sat., Jan. 3: Closed, Christmas Holiday
  • Sat., Jan. 10: Closed, KU Winter Break
  • Sat., Jan. 17: Closed, KU Winter Break
  • Mon., Jan. 19: Closed, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
Exterior facade of Spencer Research Library.

New at Spencer Research Library

Graphic for the "Travel, Tourism, and the Transmission of Knowledge In and Around Japan" exhibit.

Summer-Fall Exhibit + Event

Discover how the historic movement of print and manuscript spread knowledge in and around Japan. Open in the Exhibit Space through January 9, 2025. Exhibit opening September 3 at 3:30pm.
Get Exhibit Opening Details
Collage of colorful paste papers

August-September Exhibit

See examples of paste papers - beautiful decorative book covers and endpapers - from Spencer's collections. Open in the North Gallery through September 30.
Read More on the Blog
Sketch of two birds with Japanese text.

New Digital Collection

Explore studies on falconry from KU Libraries' collection of Japanese「古典籍」(manuscripts and prints) on natural history topics.
Explore the Collection

2024 Spencer Snapshot

708
in-person researchers in the Reading Room
45%
of in-person researchers who are KU undergraduate and graduate students
81
tours and events for campus, K-12, community, national, and international groups
149
instruction sessions for KU classes, reaching more than 1,600 students