The Freedman Center for Digital Scholarship in Kelvin Smith Library will close on July 1 and reopen for the Fall 2025 semester with a new layout, upgraded technology, and new services for the campus community. During this period of transition, some specialized services will be unavailable; KSL’s general technology remains accessible to patrons on our normal schedule and lending policies.
The Freedman Center’s computer lab and associated digitization equipment will be taken offline to allow for the replacement of all new computers and a new physical layout. As our Freedman Center refresh page details, these changes are in response to users’ feedback on their technology and support needs and a rapidly changing landscape for technology-enabled teaching and learning. The new Center will feature high-performance computers, a more defined footprint, and walk-in assistance for the Center’s technology and research software.
The following services and resources will not be available from July 1 until the Center reopens for the Fall semester:
- Freedman Center computers
- Scanners (except KIC scanners)
- A/V capture equipment
- Microfilm reader (access an alternative at the Law Library)
- The Center's space (behind the glass on the first floor of KSL) will be in transition and may not be the best choice for a study area
The following services and resources will continue uninterrupted during the transition:
- Stations where library collections, such as DVDs and Blu-Rays, can be viewed
- Equipment lending program
- KIC scanners
- Online tutorials and LibGuides
- Appointments with the digital scholarship specialists (use freedmancenter@case.edu)
KSL’s general technology offerings, such as the WEPA printers, WIFI, and the laptop kiosk, will also continue uninterrupted.
Patrons with questions, concerns, or feedback about the redesign are invited to email freedmancenter@case.edu.
The Freedman Center opened in 2005 and since then has been a core component of KSL’s support of technology-enabled research and learning at Case Western Reserve University. The Freedman Center is partially maintained by an endowment established by Samuel B. and Marian K. Freedman.