Regent University is located a few minutes from my house. I decided to check out their library and special collections for my special library visit.

The Space and Physical Access

As Rubin and Rubin (2020) states, “the term special library can be applied to independent library departments within universities” (p. 160). The Regent Specials Collection is located within the Regent University Library on campus. The building is a large brick building with three stories, and is quite intimidating. It has the same look as the other buildings located on campus which did make it a little challenging for me to initially find the library. There is no parking located near the building except for a few handicap spaces. I had to park and walk to get to the library. There wasn’t any seating located outside the building. However, I did observe groups of students sitting under the archway in the front. There were wheelchair ramps located in the front (slightly off to the side), but easily accessed. There were also buttons to help assist the doors in opening for those patrons. Other than the small sign located on the brick, there weren’t any other detailed signage on the front.

When you walk inside, the room opens to a beautiful, large stairway which says “Christian Leadership to Change the World”. It has flags from all the countries around the world. I feel this helps everyone feel included and accepted walking into the large entryway. The building looks to be in good condition and there were a few rooms located off the stairway. Some examples include; the main library, elevator access, an auditorium, and smaller meeting rooms.

The special collections room is located on the second floor in the Lehman and Kiewit Reading Room. Since it is a university, the building is meant for students, staff, and faculty. I was not allowed into the main library nor the special collections room because I am not currently a student. The special collections room is only available by appointment only. 

Services and Intellectual Access

There were not any special services or programs observed. The signs indicate that you must ring the doorbell if your card is not working. Since you need a card to get into the main library or special collections, it does limit anyone who is not a student, faculty, or staff from using the facilities. I did observe computers where you could access the library catalog near the information desk. 

Special libraries are directly related to the mission of the organization in which they are located (Rubin & Rubin, 2020, p. 160). In this case the special library “aggressively collect and organize resources of enduring historical value pertinent to the history and culture of Regent University” (Regent Library, 2022). This can be seen in their display cases. In the special collections room, selected materials such as important papers, artwork, books and unique ephemera are displayed (Regent Library, 2022).

People (Patrons and Staff)

There was only one younger woman on staff that was visible. She was working the information desk and answered the doorbell when I rang it. She was friendly, but did let me know that the library serves Regent University students, staff, and faculty. I was able to observe a diversity in the students using the facilities. Upon further research on the website, I was also able to see various races and genders present within the library staff.

Collections

According to the Regent University’s website, “since its inception in 1982, Special Collections & Archives has been an integral part of the Regent Community and Regent University Library. It is the home for objects relevant to Regent’s history, culture, and academic scholarship. It continues to acquire, organize and preserve a treasure trove of unique primary research materials and rare and meaningful resources for scholars and researchers on campus and around the world” (Regent Library, 2022). Resources available at the Regent University Library include “paper records, university publications, correspondence, theses and dissertations, faculty publications, photographs, video and audiotapes, films, and memorabilia. The Archives also consist of books, some papers, and memorabilia pertaining to the ministry and political activities of Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson, the founder and chancellor of the University” (Regent Library, 2022). I was able to explore some of the collections further when looking on the website.

Digital Access

Here is the link for the website: https://libguides.regent.edu/specialcollections. The website is easy to navigate and provides a lot of information online. Per the website, Regent University Library offers many spaces and resources to serve patron’s academic needs, and many services to assist in patron’s academic endeavors. They have tabs for research tools, library services, student resources, and library law available online. In addition, they offer a variety of events and programs such as translator services for international students, charging stations for electronic devices, personal consultations for resources for papers (Regent Library, 2022).

There are 10 staff members listed on the website. Some examples of jobs include: Dean of the University Library, Archives and Special Collections, Access Services Librarian, Head of Technical Services, Technical Services Supervisor, Access Services Supervisor, and Business Manager and Administrative Assistant. While it is clear that the Archives and Special Collections staff member works in the special library, there may be other members of the staff who do help assist patrons in this area, such as the Access Services Supervisor. All of the staff members are available by email or phone. There are also disability services available from the library staff. This includes assistive technology and equipment, such as, Ambassador Reader, Apollo Enlarger, Large Screen Computer, and Study Tables and Carrels.

Additional Thoughts

Before taking this class, I did not know about special libraries. It has been interesting to learn more about them. It was unfortunate that I could not enter the library and get a closer look at it, but the website was able to give me a good amount of information about this particular library. It is nice that students at Regent University have access to the resources available in the special collections.

References 

Regent Library. (2022). About special collections & archives. https://libguides.regent.edu/specialcollections

Regent Library. (2022). Reading room. [photograph]. https://libguides.regent.edu/specialcollections

Rubin, R. E., & Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.