Close up of library users viewing special collection material at KSL
University Archives & Special Collections

University Archives and Special Collections are home to the records of Case Western Reserve University, and to Kelvin Smith Library’s rare books and manuscripts collections. 

 

shot of the FC lab through the glass
The Freedman Center for Digital Scholarship

The Freedman Center has been relaunched with a new space, new services, and new equipment. Click the link to learn more about the Center. 

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EXHIBIT

Celebrating CWRU's 200th Birthday!

In 2026, we celebrate CWRU's 200th birthday. For the 150th birthday, or sesquicentennial celebration of the founding of Western Reserve College in 1826, CWRU created heraldic banners representing CWRU's schools from its past. Nine of these have been replicated and are on display in the central staircase of Kelvin Smith Library. 

Highlights

  • View of study carrels at Kelvin Smith Library.
    September 10, 2025
    Case Western Reserve University graduate students are encouraged to apply for a Kelvin Smith Library study carrel, which offers space to work quietly and conduct research. Each carrel includes two locking upper bins to store materials during the 2025-26 academic year.  Individuals who would like to…
  • An exterior shot of the Kelvin Smith Library building
    September 08, 2025
    The Freedman Center for Digital Scholarship has relaunched for fall semester with a completely reimagined experience in the redesigned Kelvin Smith Library. Members of the Case Western Reserve University community are invited to explore the refreshed physical space on the library’s first floor, as…
  • welcome desk at freedman center
    August 07, 2025
    The Freedman Center for Digital Scholarship has relaunched for Fall 2025 with an entirely new experience in the redesigned Kelvin Smith Library space. CWRU faculty, students, and staff are invited to visit the updated physical footprint on the first floor of KSL and digital footprint on the library…