What we did over the summer…to prepare for the academic year

Vacations, beach time and cookouts – while most students were away from campus enjoying summer, we were busy working on projects to prepare library spaces, services and collections for the start of the academic year. Highlights of our work this summer:

New Spaces

CECH 4^th floor renovation –

Renovation began to the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services (CECH) Library’s 4th floor reading room to support students and the academic community by creating a more dynamic, flexible and welcoming environment. Scheduled to reopen in Spring 2026, the renovated 4^th floor will offer:

Reconfigured layout for enhanced study, collaboration, and events;
Modern study tables with integrated power and lighting;
Comfortable seating, refreshed study room, new carpet and paint; and
A thoughtful blend of modern design and the existing classic architectural elements.

In the meantime, the 3^rd floor of the CECH Library remains open.

cech library 4th floor rendeering — A rendering of the CECH Library 4th floor

Introducing the Science Library –

The impending removal of Crosley Tower necessitated the move of the Chemistry-Biology Library. This created the opportunity to combine the services and collections of that library with the existing Geology-Mathematics-Physics Libraries into a new and improved Science Library.

Located at 240 Braunstein Hall, the renovated space includes:

Enhanced lighting, fresh coats of paint and more seating!
The Else L. Schulze Computer Lab with specialized scientific software and BookEyebook scanner;
Large collaboration area for events, presentations, speakers and more;
Visualization Laboratory with multi-input display wall, large-scale viewing and collaboration;
Rare Books & Special Collections Nook: lounge area with curated display cases; and
Map collections dedicated area on the lower level.

While finishing touches are being added to the space, the Science Library is open and ready for use by the UC community.

New Faces

This summer saw the introduction of four new faculty and staff members to UC Libraries. These individuals will help advance the mission of the Libraries and have already begun to make an impact.

Patrick Bios, Langsam Library Weekend and Evening Supervisor
Julia Carr-Trebelhorn, Program Coordinator, Science and Engineering Libraries
Alex Herbers, Web and User Experience Specialist
Crissy Ross, Collections Strategy Librarian

New ways to interact with collections

LSP Migration –

The University of Cincinnati Libraries transitioned to a new library services platform (LSP). This LSP upgrade is in collaboration with the OhioLINK statewide academic library consortium. This cloud-based, enterprise system software is the backbone of day-to-day library operations (acquisitions, cataloging, circulation/fulfillment, etc.). The new system provides user benefits to help students, faculty and other library users find and access library resources. Its user-friendly interactions will be more user intuitive. More details can be found on the FAQ.

Included in the LSP upgrade is OneSearch, a new user discovery interface that students, faculty, researchers and other library patrons will use to find (and access) resources in the Libraries’ collections.

Silent no more. PBS’s “The Art Show” featured Theda Bara, Archives and Rare Books and The Preservation Lab –

Theda Bara, born Theodosia Burr Goodman on July 29, 1885 to a local Jewish family, attended the University of Cincinnati from 1906-1908 before leaving to pursue an acting career. Bara became one of the biggest stars of the silent film era making 40 films between 1914 and 1926. Her femme fatale roles earned her the nickname “The Vamp.” This summer, CET and ThinkTV’s “The Art Show” featured Theda Bara’s unpublished manuscript housed in Archives and Rare Books and preserved by The Preservation Lab.

Learn more about the documentary on ThinkTV’s website. It also appears on the PBS App and is currently viewable on YouTube.

Read more about Bara in a UC Libraries blog.

chris harter in archives and rare books — Chris Harter, university archivist and head of the Archives and Rare Books Library, being interviewed by CET about the Theda Bara manuscript

Oesper Collections on display in the New, Old Chem

As part of the Old Chem construction, over 100 feet of displays containing artifacts and materials from the Oesper Collection of the History of Chemistry feature prominently throughout the building. Mark Chalmers, science librarian and curator of the Oesper Collections, curated the displays over the summer in time for the building’s opening.

These are just some of the projects the faculty and staff of UC Libraries were busy working on this summer. For more, visit one of our nine library locations.