Research Places and Unique Spaces in The Ames Library
The Ames Library offers a variety of facilities for group interaction, instruction, and study. Described below are areas that will best meet the needs of your individual research, group project, or work with faculty.
In addition to research areas, The Ames Library provides numerous places for formal, special events, as well as meetings, movies, or gatherings of a more informal nature. Please note that due to fire and safety regulations, use of materials such as candles and incense are prohibited in The Ames Library.
The Ames Plaza
Bates & Merwin Reading Room
Beckman Auditorium
Faculty Research Room
Group Study Rooms
Information Commons
Instruction Lab
Meeting Room 214
Project Rooms
Roof Garden
Scholarly Workstations
Tate University Archives and Special Collections
Thorpe Digital Center
The Ames Plaza
- Located between the McPherson Theatre and The Ames Library.
- Available for events such as music performances, student displays, and other activities.
- Electrical outlets are available.
To inquire about use of the Ames Plaza, please contact the Office Coordinator at (309) 556-3172.
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Bates & Merwin Reading Room
To inquire about use of the Bates & Merwin Reading Room, please contact the Office Coordinator at (309) 556-3172. Please note: If you anticipate wanting to have furniture or the statue moved in or out or around the Bates & Merwin Reading Room, please inform the Office Coordinator when you reserve the room.
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Beckman Auditorium
- The auditorium is located on the lower level.
- Seats 70 people.
- Fully equipped with network access, presentation software, and all types of audio-visual equipment.
To schedule use of the Beckman Auditorium, for non-instructional events please contact the Office Coordinator, 309-556-3172.
To schedule use of the Beckman Auditorium, for instructional activities please contact the Media Services Coordinator, (309) 556-3323.
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Group Study Rooms
- 16 rooms of varying size are distributed throughout the building.
- Each room seats 4 - 10 people.
- Each room is equipped with white boards and network access for laptop computers.
- Group Study Rooms are available on a first-come, first-serve basis only.
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Information Commons
- The Information Commons is located on the entry level.
- The reference collection is located in this area.
- Houses 24 workstations, with 2 chairs each to facilitate students working together.
- A library faculty member is on call during the week to provide research assistance as needed.
- Black and white printers, copiers, and a fax machine are available for student use. (Color printing is available in the Thorpe Center on the 3rd floor.)
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Instruction Lab
- The Instruction Lab is available for library classroom instruction.
- Located adjacent to the Information Commons on the entry level.
- This Lab is equipped with 26 individual workstations with application & research software.
- It is available for general use when the lab is not being used for instruction purposes.
- The Instructor's workstation has projection capability with media equipment to fully integrate educational technology.
To schedule use of the Instruction Lab, please contact the Office Coordinator, (309) 556-3172 or your Library Liaison.
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Meeting Room 214
- Meeting Room 214 is typically reserved for library business, but upon request may be made available for meetings of IWU Faculty/Staff and occasional student group meetings.
- Located along the East wall of the 2nd Level, this room comfortably seats 12.
- This room is equipped with a projector, screen, white board, and network access for a laptop computer.
To schedule use of the Meeting Room 214, please contact the Office Coordinator, (309) 556-3172.
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Project Rooms
- Designed for group work.
- These 3 rooms each seat 6-8 people.
- Located next to the Information Commons on the entry level.
- Each room is equipped with video/ DVD player, networked computer, and projection capabilities.
- The computer has access to the library's electronic resources and application software.
To schedule a Project Room please contact the Information Services Desk, 556-3350, or your library liaison.
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Roof Garden
- The Roof Garden is an elevated outdoor area.
- It overlooks the park-like setting on the south side of the library.
- This space can be reserved for special university events.
To inquire about use of the Roof Garden, please contact the Office Coordinator, (309) 556-3172.
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Scholarly Workstations
- They are personal computers with unique functions that relate to the physical collection surrounding them.
- There are seven workstation clusters throughout the library.
- Each is equipped with six computers, a printer and help-phone connected to the Information Services Desk.
- Each computer runs application software for writing, creating presentations, or working on spreadsheets.
- These computers have subject specific software and resources pertaining to the disciplines in the area, integrating spatially the print with the electronic collection.
- The Scholarly Workstations are located in the following areas:
- Lower level - east side
- 2nd level - east and west side
- 3rd level - east and west side
- 4th level - east and west side
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Tate University Archives and Special Collections
- The Tate University Archives and Special Collections is on the fourth floor.
- The university archives is the repository for materials on the history of Illinois Wesleyan, its present and former students, faculty and staff.
- Special collections holdings include papers of former U.S. Congressman Leslie C. Arends, the Gernon collection of first edition detective fiction and mysteries, and the Schultz collection of editions of The Beggar's Opera.
- These collections provide students with many opportunities to do original research.
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Thorpe Digital Center
- The Thorpe Center, is located on the 3rd floor.
- Multimedia workstations and color printing is available in the Thorpe Center, as well as poster printing. Individuals can also listen to compact discs, audio cassette tapes, phonograph recordings, and view videos, laserdiscs, or DVDs.
- There is also one fully equipped Group Listening Room.
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Room 301b in the Thorpe Center can be reserved by students, faculty and staff to work with small collaborative groups integrating technology for classroom use, class presentations, Tutoring sessions and communication sessions using Web based technology such as Skype.
To schedule use of the Listening Room or Room 301b, please contact the Thorpe Center desk at (309) 556-1700 or the Media Services Coordinator, (309) 556-3323.
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This service is maintained by The Ames Library. Please
contact us
with any problems or suggestions. Last revised: February 16, 2007
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