KU Libraries offer behind-the-scenes tours for American Archives Month

In celebration of American Archives Month, KU Libraries will offer a series of behind-the-scenes tours at Kenneth Spencer Research Library, giving visitors rare access to the spaces, specialized labs, and work areas where library staff preserve historical materials and make them available for research.  

Caitlin Klepper, public engagement librarian, said the public-facing spaces of the library are a remarkable resource for visitors but, by necessity, only reveal a small fraction of the “special, unique, and exciting place Spencer is.”  

“All of our public-facing spaces are located on the third floor, and it can be difficult for visitors to get a sense of just how large our building is, how substantial our collections are, and how many people are working behind the scenes with the shared goal of making those collections available to everyone,” Klepper said. “We’re excited to offer more opportunities for more people to see this side of Spencer.” 

Throughout the month of October, each 30-minute tour will meet at 1 p.m. at the Spencer Research Library third floor registration desk. Please register in advance to attend as capacity is limited.   

• Oct. 8, Digital Lab: Learn how artifacts of the past are given digital life, so that anyone with an internet connection can access rare and unique materials.  
• Oct. 15, Stacks Flashlight Tour: Step beyond the public areas of Spencer Research Library, for special access to the library’s closed stacks, and learn how staff preserve, organize, and make materials available. 
• Oct. 22, Conservation Lab: Visit Conservation Services’ book and paper lab to see how specialists repair, preserve, and protect books, manuscripts, maps, and more, while learning how you can safeguard your own collections. 
• Oct. 29, Manuscripts Processing: Experience the papers of Elliott O’Donnell, “The Sherlock Holmes of the Ghost World,” and learn how Manuscripts Processing is preparing this collection for research use.  

Beyond these special tours, Spencer Research Library’s Reading Room, collections, and exhibits are open to KU students, staff, and the public year-round. See the library’s webpage for more details.  

Located between Strong Hall and Memorial Drive, just uphill from the Campanile, Spencer Research Library is home to KU Libraries’ special collections, archives, and rare books. Open to all students, faculty, visiting researchers, and the general public, Spencer Library’s remarkable collections tell stories from KU, Kansas, and around the world, ranging from 4,000-year-old cuneiform tablets to more than one million photographs documenting the history of the University of Kansas.  

Parking and access information is available through the library’s Visit page.