Exploring the Rich Resources of BGSU University Libraries
Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Libraries stand as a cornerstone of academic and research life, offering a vast array of resources and services to support students, faculty, and the wider community. From specialized collections like popular culture and music to extensive archival holdings documenting the history of the Great Lakes region, the BGSU Libraries provide invaluable support for learning, teaching, and research.
William T. Jerome Library: A Hub of Knowledge
The heart of the BGSU library system is the William T. Jerome Library. Construction of this landmark building began in 1965, with its design conceived by state architect Carl E. Bentz. Notably, the library's east and west facades feature distinctive non-objective murals by Don Drumm, an artist in residence during the 1960s. Drumm's contemporary designs were first outlined on the concrete, and then brought to life as construction crews sandblasted the designs into the surface. The William T. Jerome Library is open to the community.
Government Documents Collection
Reflecting its commitment to serving the public good, Bowling Green State University became a federal depository in 1933, serving Ohio's 5th Congressional district. The library further expanded its role as an information hub by becoming an Ohio depository in 1953, receiving all agency publications from the state depository program. In October 1999, BGSU added another dimension to its collection by becoming a Canadian Government Documents Depository. This specialized collection focuses on key areas such as business, the environment, the Great Lakes region, Native Peoples, and social issues, offering a wealth of information in the form of journals, reports, and CD-ROMs.
Specialized Collections: Deep Dives into Specific Areas
Beyond the Jerome Library's general holdings, BGSU Libraries boast a number of specialized collections catering to specific academic disciplines and research interests.
Curriculum Resource Center (CRC)
The Curriculum Resource Center (CRC) plays a vital role in supporting the College of Education and Human Development, as well as other education-related areas at BGSU. It maintains a collection of high-quality materials for preschool through grade twelve, reflecting innovation in teaching practices and standards-based instruction. The materials held by the CRC comprise the Frances F. Povsic Collection, named on March 30, 2001, in honor of Professor Povsic's significant contributions to the CRC, the University Libraries, and BGSU.
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Music Library & Bill Schurk Sound Archives
The Music Library is a treasure trove for music scholars and enthusiasts alike. It contains more than 60,000 books and scores related to all aspects of music study, from biographies and general histories to theoretical treatises and studies of diverse musical genres like country music, opera, and band music. The score collection includes solos, orchestral studies, exercise books, and chamber music for ensembles ranging from two to ten parts. The recordings collection, available for limited circulation, contains over 16,000 recordings spanning all periods of music history, as well as ethnic music, musical theatre, and jazz. The Music Library also maintains recital tapes from the College of Musical Arts, dating back to 1966.
The Music Library houses two special collections: the Bill Schurk Sound Archives and the Archives of the MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music. The Bill Schurk Sound Archives is considered the nation's premier collection of popular music sound recordings, containing more than 700,000 recordings representing all styles of popular music and all recorded formats. Established in 1967 for the scholarly study of popular music, the Bill Schurk Sound Archives serves campus patrons and researchers from around the world. Discographies, books, and periodicals related to popular music and the recording industry are also included in this collection. Established in 1987, the Archives of the MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music contains music submitted to and performed at the College of Musical Arts' New Music and Art Festival.
Browne Popular Culture Library (BPCL)
The Browne Popular Culture Library (BPCL) is a unique resource for researchers interested in the trends, artifacts, and cultural expressions of popular culture. The library holds more than 190,000 cataloged books, with a strong emphasis on popular fiction, particularly novels in genres such as romance, mystery-detective, science fiction-fantasy, and westerns. Other major strengths of the BPCL include materials documenting popular entertainment and the entertainment industry (e.g., television, film, radio, and the mass communications industry), graphic arts, recreation and leisure, and popular religion. Non-fiction holdings also include books on the occult and supernatural, parapsychology, manner and customs, etiquette and advice, arts and crafts, hobbies, games and amusements, sports, foodways and cookery, domestic arts, costume and dress, and humor.
In addition to a wealth of hardcover and paperback books and magazines, the Browne Popular Culture Library houses archival and special collections, including literary manuscripts and movie and television scripts. The library also boasts a collection of approximately 85,000 comic books.
A highlight of the BPCL is the Marie Wakefield Star Trek Collection. This collection includes Star Trek memorabilia given to the Popular Culture Library principally by Marie Wakefield but also contains items received from Sandra Springer and other miscellaneous sources.
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Center for Archival Collections (CAC) & Historical Collections of the Great Lakes (HCGL)
The Center for Archival Collections (CAC) serves as the archives and manuscripts repository within the University Libraries. Its primary mission is to actively acquire, preserve, and make accessible historical materials related to Northwest Ohio.
Within the CAC, the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes (HCGL) focuses specifically on documenting the history of the Great Lakes region and its connecting waterways. The HCGL's collections include materials related to commercial shipping, shipbuilding, navigation, maritime law, commercial fishing, shipwrecks, yachting, labor history, popular literature, freshwater ecology, maritime culture, and the history of Great Lakes ports.
Northwest Ohio Regional Book Depository
To manage its extensive collection, the University Libraries operates the Northwest Ohio Regional Book Depository, located in Perrysburg. This facility is capable of housing 1.8 million volumes, ensuring that valuable resources are preserved and accessible.
Workshops and Support
The University Libraries is committed to providing comprehensive support to its users. It offers a range of workshops on various topics related to the process of discovery, teaching, learning, research, and creativity. All workshops are free and on-demand, allowing users to select a specific workshop from the Library Workshop menu and fill out an online form to request the desired workshop or one-on-one consultation.
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