A Guide to USC’s Libraries
By Grace Carballo ‘17
Recently, a student asked your hardworking friends at Trojans 360 to create a guide to USC’s libraries and I have volunteered my services for the task.
As it turns out, there a lot more libraries available to met than I ever realized. If you want more information about the hours of these libraries or the services available, the USC library website has a whole lot of info.
For those who are new to USC, the libraries you will probably frequent/ hear about most are Doheny and Leavey and to a lesser extent the VKC library. The Philosophy library/ Mudd Hall in general also offer beautiful study spaces to those who yearn for knowledge.
So here’s the list, in alphabetical order, with a brief description courtesy of the USC library page and a few additions of my own.
In the words of my late, great-grandather, “Time spent in search of knowledge is never wasted.”
The Accounting Library - “dedicated to serving the educational and research needs of the students and faculty of the Leventhal School of Accounting by providing access to quality accounting and taxation resources, reference and research services, and classroom instruction”
The Architecture and Fine Arts (AFA) Library - “located on the ground floor (basement) of Watt Hall (WAH). Watt Hall’s entry doors face the courtyard. Go in and take any stairwell or elevator down to reach the ground floor”.
The Cinematic Arts Library’s (in DOHENY ground floor) - “supports the curriculum of the School of Cinematic Arts and to foster study and research. In addition to an extensive book collection, the library also holds many archives focusing on the history of the film industry and containing many rarely seen photographs, as well as scripts, scores and other artifacts.”
The East Asian Library (also in Doheny, first floor) - “supports the research and teaching needs of the East Asian faculty and students at USC and includes in its collections Chinese, Japanese and Korean-language materials in all fields, but with an emphasis on social sciences and humanities. The Library’s location on the first floor of Doheny Main Library supports a broader mission of promoting the integration of East Asian perspectives into the learning and experience of the University community as a whole”.
(Above: A photo I took my freshman year when I spotted Arnold Schwarzenegger in Doheny on my way out. He and Corbin Bleu were the only celebrities I saw that semester.)
The historic Edward L. Doheny Jr. Memorial Library has served generations of students, faculty and staff since it opened in 1932. It was USC’s first freestanding library and in my humble opinion, to this day is its most beautiful.
The stairs are worn by the many great minds that have trod upon them and parts of Doheny literally smell like knowledge.
(Editor’s note: Literally never approach someone like this, in a library situation or not. ^)
RESOURCES at DOHENY:
- tons of study space
- collaborative work space
- the legendary book stacks (don’t get lost underground!)
- often hosts special events
- more books than you’ll ever have time to read
- a journal collection
- room reservations can be made online
- close proximity to sustenance, coffee, and tea @ LiteraTea
- beautiful ambience conducive to getting down to biddness and/or creativity flowin’
The only downside of this great library is it has reasonable hours, so you cannot lurk here in the wee hours of the morning. Also, the elevator is a little scary for some as it is old and how long can such a thing withstand the test of time, you know?
(Above: the view outside the second floor Doheny women’s bathroom. Can’t beat those windows!)
The Gaughan & Tiberti Library - “dedicated to serving the student and faculty constituency in the USC Marshall School of Business by providing access to quality business resources, reference and research services, and classroom instruction.”
Gerontology Library- closed for renovations; I guess you can teach an old library new tricks!
Grand Avenue Library-
“a collection of lesser used but important materials in a variety of formats, as well as older editions that have been retained for research purposes.” *you have to make an appointment for this one
Hoose Library of Philosophy - “to serve the educational and research needs of graduate and undergraduate students, as well as faculty, regarding all aspects of academic philosophy and its allied disciplines. The collection and resources comprise more than 50,000 volumes, particularly rich in the intellectual history of Western civilization.”
- Mudd Hall is beautiful
- Proximity to Nektar, if you’re into that
The Gabriel and Matilda Barnett Information Technology Center and the Asa V. Call Law Library are located on the second floor of the Law School, on the University Park campus; it is open and available to all USC faculty, staff and students who need to use the collection.
The Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Library provides a state-of-the-art learning environment for students and faculty at the University of Southern California. Experts are available 24 hours a day to provide assistance with research and computing. Leavey’s technology-enhanced spaces support teaching and individual or group study—as well as film screenings, multimedia production and viewing, presentations, and videoconferencing.
(Above: a photo I took my first Game Day when, naturally, I had to get a few assignments done in Leavey before I went to the Coliseum.)
WHY LEAVEY IS POPULAR-
- Close to Trojan Grounds
- Can check out DVDs (but return them punctually to avoid fines)
- Collaborative spaces to reserve (http://libcal.usc.edu/booking/lvl3) - open 24/7
objective critiques: the first-floor water fountain hasn’t worked the past three days I’ve gone, not the greatest ambience to be around during finals
The Music Library’s (DOHENY GROUND FLOOR ) primary mission is to support the research and performance needs of the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of theFlora L. Thornton School of Music.
Norris Medical Library – on Health Science campus
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives at the USC Libraries
- (on West Adams Blvd.) - is the largest repository of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) materials in the world.
The Science & Engineering Library provides physical and electronic information resources, individual and collaborative study spaces, and assistance in identifying, accessing and evaluating information to support learning and research in the life sciences, earth sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and engineering.
The Social Work Information Center is located in the School of Social Work in the Randall Information Center (RIC), room 104. The RIC provides computer and printing access to social work students. (Most social work-related print books and print journals are in the Doheny Library.)
Special Collections (DOHENY) at the University of Southern California oversees the university’s primary source collections including archives, manuscripts, historic photographs, and rare books. The department contains more than 200,000 volumes, more than 1000 archival collections, and more than 2 million photographs in order to collect, preserve, promote and foster access to primary source material in our main areas of strength: Holocaust and Genocide Studies; Iberian and Latin American Studies; Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland; Lion Feuchtwanger and the European exiles of the 20th century in Southern California; Natural History; Southern California Regional History; and USC history.
- I’ve been here with a Spanish class and it’s so impressive and intriguing.
The Von KleinSmid Center Library for International and Public Affairs (VKC Library) is an interdisciplinary, graduate-level learning center that supports the current and anticipated research needs of students, faculty, staff, and alumni in political science,international relations, public administration, spatial science, public diplomacy, and urban and regional planning. The Library contains approximately 200,000 books, subscribes to more than 450 journals and other serial publications, and provides electronic access to a variety of scholarly resources, a depository collection of U.S. federal government documents, a substantial collection of international documents, and serves as the regional depository in Southern California for all publications and digital resources of the European Union.
The Jennifer Ann Wilson Dental Library and Learning Center provides information resources and support for the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC faculty, students, and staff and selectively for the general oral healthcare community and the public.
The USC Wrigley Institute maintains a state-of-the-art research center and teaching facility on Catalina Island, 20 miles offshore from Los Angeles, that’s available for use by USC faculty and students, researchers from other universities, conference organizers and a wide range of educational groups.
- available by appointment
Best of luck with your studying or researching or writing or reading or whatever it is you seek in the plethora of libraries USC has to offer.
Study on,
Grace Carballo ‘17
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