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.
Get Started
Location, Parking, and Accessibility
Get details about finding the library on KU's Lawrence campus.
Aeon Login
You need a current user account in our online system, Aeon, to access collections on-site at Spencer.
Spencer Collections
Find information about, and digitized surrogates of, materials in a variety of places.
Citation Guide
Get help citing Spencer materials, especially archival collections, using APA, MLA, and Chicago styles.
Current Hours
January 20-May 16
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., Jan. 24: Closed, inclement weather
- Sat., Mar. 14: Closed, KU Spring Break
- Sat., Mar. 21: Closed, KU Spring Break
- Sat., May 16: Closed, KU Summer Break
Upcoming Events
New at Spencer Research Library
February-March Exhibit
Learn about the history and preservation of a Lawrence landmark: the nineteenth-century Union Pacific Depot. Open in the North Gallery through March 31.
February-March Exhibit
Learn how to read a medieval manuscript, Latin-specific abbreviations and all! Open in the North Gallery through March 31.
Spring-Summer Exhibit
Discover diverse representations of aging and older adults through contemporary artwork and historical documents. Open in the Exhibit Space through August 14.
New Digital Collection
Explore a selection of scrolls and bound manuscript codices dated to before 1600, part of Spencer's holdings of medieval and early modern manuscripts.