BUILDING FACILITIES

Adaptive Devices Carrel - Study room 323 on Level 3 of the Library is available for students with disabilities. The room itself may not be reserved unless it is the only room available for testing. The equipment inside the room may be reserved. For more information, call the Circulation Desk at 978-3582 and ask for a staff person.

Book Returns - Ablah Library provides several book returns: the 24-hour book drop located at the east side of the library, the northwest vestibule book drop open when the Library is closed, and the book drop in the Library Foyer open during Library hours. There is also a book drop at the WSU West Campus.  Materials may also be returned directly to staff members at the Circulation Desk or by mail.

Campus phones - There is a campus phone located on the first floor near the stairwell and in the 24-Hour Study Room.

Compact Shelving - Located on the south end of the lower level of Ablah Library, the Compact Shelving Area is used to store materials that have low historic use and items at long-term or temporary risk due to their condition.  This stacks area is closed to the public, but most items contained within are eligible for checkout.  Requests for retrieval of these materials may be made at the Circulation Desk.  See Guidelines for Requesting Materials from Compact Shelving.

Current Periodicals Area - Located on northeast side of the Reserve Area, the Current Periodicals Area contains the unbound issues of the Libraries' periodical subscriptions.  The shelves are arranged in call number order.  The most recent issues ares on the display shelves with the older issues shelved immediately underneath.  Materials in this area may be checked out by WSU student, faculty, and staff.

E.K. and Kathlien Edmiston 24-Hour Study Room - Located on the northeast corner of the library (near the front doors), this study room is open 24 hours, seven days per week.  The room is available  on a first-come, first-served basis and contains 8 workstations, 6 study tables, and vending facilities. For your safety the room has been equipped with video surveillance and two emergency phones with direct connections to the Campus Police station. The room meets ADA standards for access. Restrooms are available within the library during regular library hours and in Jabara Hall for most of the hours when the library is closed.

Faculty Carrels- Two-person, locked faculty carrels are available to WSU faculty members engaged in research, publication, or lecture preparations that require heavy use of library resources.  Carrels are assigned at the beginning of each semester.  More information and an application may be acquired at the Circulation Desk.

Floor Phones - There is a black telephone located near the copiers on the third floor, second floor, and the lower level.  Picking up the handset automatically calls the Circulation Desk.  Call if the copier or printer is out of order, or if you need help finding a book.  (These phones will not work for campus calls.)

Graduate lockers - Locked shelves are available to graduate students engaged in dissertation or thesis preparation. Lockers are assigned at the beginning of each semester. More information and an application may be acquired at the Circulation Desk.

Holding/Sorting Areas- Books and journals waiting to be re-shelved are temporarily placed in sorting areas on the floors where the materials are normally shelved.  Sorting areas for the second and third floors are located west of the stairwell.  The sorting area for the lower level is west of the restrooms. Each sorting area consists of book trucks and sorting shelves. Periodicals will be located on the sorting shelves and arranged by call number. Books are arranged in call number order on each book truck. Anyone may remove books or periodicals from the sorting areas. The sorting area for Government Documents is located in the Government Documents section on the main level east of the Reference area.  See floor map for sorting locations.

KGS Networked Seminar Complex - Located on second floor of the library, Rooms 224 and 225 have been equipped with wireless tablet PCs, DVD and VCR players, wireless digital projectors, and videoconferencing equipment.  These rooms are available for current WSU students, faculty and staff by advance reservation only.  Room use is restricted to non-commercial, educational purposes that support the mission of WSU.  Reservations may be made online at Seminar Room Reservation Form. 

Library Exhibits - The unique exhibits located in Ablah Library offer an educational and entertaining perspective on different kinds of books and other types of collections.  The three exhibits are located just outside Interlibrary Loan, within the Reserve Reading Room, and near the Special Collections entrance respectively.  The featured themes change regularly.

Reserve Reading Room - Located on the southeast side of the Reserve Area, the Reserve Reading Room contains  materials processed during the last four weeks.  New materials are added on a weekly basis. These materials may be checked out. This area also contains copies of several daily newspapers and reading lounge chairs.  The Leisure Reading Collection is located inside the Reserve Reading Room, as well as a display shelf for books on exhibit.  This exhibit changes frequently.

Restrooms/Water Fountains - Restrooms and water fountains are available on each floor by the elevators.

Stacks - The University Libraries houses its collections in shelving open to public browsing.  This shelving is called "the stacks." General materials are arranged by the Library of Congress classification system.  Government Document materials are arranging following the Superintendent of Documents classification system.  Range finders attached to the end of each row and floor guides are available to help locate materials.

Study Areas -  Open study areas are located on all four floors of Ablah Library. These areas contain over 800 seats and are a mixture of  tables and individual study carrels.

Study Rooms/Reservations -  There are 20 group study rooms located throughout the library. Sixteen of the group rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The remaining four may be reserved by current WSU students, faculty and staff. Reservations for groups of two or more people may be made in person at the Circulation Desk, or by telephone at 978-3582. Reservations must be made at least two hours in advance and no more than seven days ahead. The rooms may be reserved for up to four hours of time per day per group.  Rooms not claimed within fifteen minutes of the reservation beginning time will be available for others to use.

Vending/Refreshments Machines - A vending area containing snack and soft drink machines is located in the 24-hour study room.  The Book and Bean Coffee Shop is located in the library lobby.  Coffees, pastries, and other snacks are available.  Hours vary throughout the year.  Check the WSU Dining web page for more information (www.wsudining.com/locations.html). Patrons are requested to keep all open food and beverage containers out of the main library.