Kenneth Spencer Research Library
We welcome everyone to discover stories from KU, Kansas, and around the world within Spencer's remarkable and diverse 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.
Get Started
Service Updates
We are ready to welcome you safely for the 2021-2022 academic year.
Aeon Login
You need a current user account in our online system, Aeon, to access collections on-site at Spencer.
Spencer Collections
You can find information about, and digitized surrogates of, materials in a variety of places.
Current Hours
Summer 2022
May 15-August 21
Hours may change based on evolving COVID-19 circumstances and campus, local, state, and federal guidelines. Please check this page for updates before visiting Spencer.
Building Hours
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: Closed
Reading Room Hours
Monday-Friday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: Closed
Requests for collection materials are accepted until 30 minutes before the Reading Room closes.
Exceptions
- Thu., May 19: Reading Room open, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Mon., May 30: Closed, Memorial Day Holiday
- Mon., Jun. 20: Closed, Juneteenth Holiday
- Mon., Jul. 4: Closed, Independence Day Holiday
New at Spencer Research Library
Statement on Potentially Problematic Description
Learn how Spencer staff are addressing harmful language in our finding aids, catalog records, and digital descriptions.
Common Book Guide
Discover archival collections and print sources at Spencer that relate to the 2021-2022 KU Common Book, "Braiding Sweetgrass."
Citation Guide
Get help citing Spencer materials, especially archival collections. You'll find guidelines and examples for APA, MLA, and Chicago.