NIU Library General Support:
The University Libraries include books, journals and a tremendous variety of information resources for the entire community of Northern Illinois University. As a hub of activity on campus, the Founders Memorial Library includes spaces not just for study and contemplation, but also for collaboration and creation. Located at the heart of campus both physically and academically, we welcome everyone from students to scholars to lifelong learners.
NIU Music Library:
Located near the music school, the music library has been a place of research and inspiration for both students and faculty for the past half-century. From musical scores to recordings to texts, the collection has grown alongside the talented community of the NIU School of Music.
NIU Rare Books and Special Collections:
The popular collection of NIU’s RBSC includes not only dime novels from the late 19th-century, but also graphic novels and science fiction from the 20th century. In addition, we support the Horatio Alger collection, the history of printing collection and other primary resources to support and engage research.
NIU Regional History Center and University Archives:
Serving the entire northern Illinois region, the Regional History Center is a rich trove of information for anyone interested in the history of Illinois. Paired with the NIU Archives, the collections tell not only NIU’s stories, but those of the communities it has served for the past 125 years.
NIU Library Digital Collections:
The NIU Libraries have been digitizing our distinctive collections for the past decade and continue to digitize, house and disseminate unique digital collections, such as Civil War-era newspapers, Lincoln materials, sheet music from the last two centuries and 19th-century pop culture from the Johannsen & LeBlanc collection.
NIU Libraries: Donn V. Hart Southeast Asia Collection:
The Hart SE Asian Collection contains more than 100,000 books and objects of art spanning SE Asia, including information about the culture, history and peoples of Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia and much more. As a member of the CAPSEA program, the collection includes materials in more than seven languages on a wide range of subjects.
NIU Founder – Jacob Haish Portrait Restoration:
Jacob Haish was one of the NIU founders for whom the Founders Memorial Library was named and also one of the original creators of barbed wire, the invention which transformed not only DeKalb, but also the western part of the United States. His portrait is a rare example of late 19th-century photo portraiture which has been placed on permanent loan to the NIU Libraries by the DeKalb Masonic Lodge.
