Grinnell College Libraries

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Grinnell College Libraries Burling Library, designed by Walter A. Netsch, Jr., of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, was built in 1959. Named for Mrs.

The Grinnell College Libraries—Burling Library and the Kistle Science Library—serve the instructional, research, and general information needs of the campus community. Lucy Burnham Burling of Eldora, Iowa, the new building replaced Carnegie Hall as the college's main library. The renovation and expansion of Burling Library to 60,739 square feet took place in 1982-1983 under the direction of Ben Weese, of Weese Segers Hickey Weese, Ltd. of Chicago, whose design doubled the study and shelf space available in the original building. The Kistle Science Library was constructed in 2007 encompassing 10,553 square feet. It serves the entire campus and contains books, journals, and other materials pertaining to the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Physics, Psychology, and their associated majors and concentrations. The Library is located on the second floor, north side of the Noyce Science Center (1116 8th Avenue) and is named after Helen Pierce Kistle, who graduated from the College in 1938.

Relax, recharge, and study in the libraries in preparation to finish the semester strong!
10/18/2026

Relax, recharge, and study in the libraries in preparation to finish the semester strong!

Join us today at 4:15 for Wendy Sun's talk "Writing with the Machine: Authorship, Legibility and the Ecology of Risk" in...
10/13/2026

Join us today at 4:15 for Wendy Sun's talk "Writing with the Machine: Authorship, Legibility and the Ecology of Risk" in the Burling Library Lounge!

Come to Burling to hear about the research by German professor Wendy Sun!
10/12/2026

Come to Burling to hear about the research by German professor Wendy Sun!

Join us tonight for the latest event in the Library Sustainability Series, a showing of The Librarians at Harris Cinema ...
10/08/2026

Join us tonight for the latest event in the Library Sustainability Series, a showing of The Librarians at Harris Cinema at 4:30 PM!

In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQia+ stories – triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of extremism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work – the librarians’ rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.

Panel to follow; Karen Neal (Drake Community Library), Rhonda Frevert (Des Moines Public Library) and a member of Annie’s Foundation (anniesfoundation.com)

Reserve Seats here: grinnell.libwizard.com…

TOMORROW!Get a book and give a book! We are recognizing Banned Book Week by getting more books to you! You can also chec...
10/07/2026

TOMORROW!Get a book and give a book! We are recognizing Banned Book Week by getting more books to you! You can also check out our banned books display. Check out the rest of the series grinnell.libguides.com

Community Science and Iowa Wildlife TODAY 4-5 PM!A key responsibility of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, is to...
10/07/2026

Community Science and Iowa Wildlife TODAY 4-5 PM!

A key responsibility of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, is to manage the state’s wildlife on behalf of the people of Iowa. One way we accomplish this is through wildlife monitoring surveys and this is no small task with thousands of species and 99 counties to cover. Stephanie will present how the Iowa DNR strategically prioritizes and collects data on Iowa’s Wildlife particularly non-game wildlife like song birds, raptors, amphibians and bees.

Stephanie Shepherd is a native of Virginia and holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of Richmond. She came to Iowa to study prairie reconstruction and butterfly communities, earning her Master’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Iowa State University.

Her career has taken her through Missouri and Virginia before she ultimately returned to Iowa, where she has served as a wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for the past 20 years. Stephanie is passionate about prairies and the wildlife that depend on them—especially the often-overlooked smaller species.

An avid gardener, she has spent recent years blending prairie reconstruction, wildlife conservation, and gardening practices in both urban and suburban spaces. Her mission is to help people feel connected to the natural world, no matter where they live.

Academic Libraries and Material Challenges, 4:15 to 5 TODAY!Censorship has been on the rise for the past six years, espe...
10/06/2026

Academic Libraries and Material Challenges, 4:15 to 5 TODAY!
Censorship has been on the rise for the past six years, especially in public and school libraries, but what about academia? Kayla Reed, Library, will speak about her research in progress of surveying over 170 academic libraries and determining if academic libraries are experiencing censorship and if they are prepared. Refreshments will be served.

Kayla Reed’s research and teaching focus on Open Educational Practices with a certificate from the SPARC Open Educational Leadership Program, an Open Librarianship Certificate from the Open Education Network, and a Creative Commons Certificate. Kayla also researches LGBTQ+ issues, with a focus on Asexuality, intersectionality, and representation. Her research has recently expanded into censorship and intellectual freedom.

She attended Missouri Southern State University, where she got her BA in Theatre, English Literature, and English Creative Writing in 2012. While attaining her degrees, Kayla worked at the library as a student worker and decided to pursue library science. While developing as a Cataloger, Kayla obtained her MLIS from Kent State University in 2017. In 2017, Kayla became the Access Services Librarian at Missouri Southern State University, and then in 2020 took on the Systems Librarian position. In 2020, she earned her Master’s in Science of Management from Missouri Southern State University. Kayla came to Grinnell in 2021.

Visit the library to vote on round 2 of the monster tournament!
10/05/2026

Visit the library to vote on round 2 of the monster tournament!

We have a busy week this week! Come join us at the library for our amazing array of events!
10/05/2026

We have a busy week this week! Come join us at the library for our amazing array of events!

Players! Join us this evening for the grand finale of the D&D at Burling campaign!
10/02/2026

Players! Join us this evening for the grand finale of the D&D at Burling campaign!

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1111 6th Avenue
Grinnell, IA
50112

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