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. 

 

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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

  • An exterior shot of the Kelvin Smith Library building
    February 11, 2026
    Authors affiliated with Case Western Reserve University are now able to publish open access journal articles in American Chemical Society’s (ACS) hybrid journals at no cost, with no yearly limits. Negotiated through OhioLINK, this deal covers articles accepted for publication now through Dec. 31 in…
  • KSL%20spring-summer.jpeg
    December 18, 2025
    Kelvin Smith Library is accepting course reserve requests for the spring 2026 semester. Accepted materials include books and audiovisual materials (DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and CDs). Requests must be submitted via the form on the library’s website. Course reserves staff recommend submitting requests by…
  • Photo of Freedman Center
    December 03, 2025
    Thanks to the visionary generosity of the Freedman Family nearly two decades ago, the Freedman Center for Digital Scholarship has reopened after an upgrade with a new footprint, new technology, new digital resources and expanded services. This transformation, both physical and technical, was the…