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Hours

Events

The Northwestern community and the public are invited to the Libraries for our events.

Looking to host an event in a library space? See policies and request a library space for an event.

Sep
17
2026

Break Right Through That Line: Football at Northwestern

Ongoing Evanston

With photographs, footballs, uniforms, and other materials drawn from University Archives, this exhibit turns Deering Library into a sideline seat for a retrospective of more than 130 years of football pageantry on campus. From our roots as a 19th century tug-of-war powerhouse to the nationally known Cardiac ’Cats of modern times, the story of football at this University is a colorful tale of red Roses, a blue streak, and a whole lot of purple pride.  


Deering Library, Sept. 14 – Dec. 18. 

Sep
17
2026

Graduate Library Orientation and Welcome

1:00 PM Evanston

The Graduate Library Orientation & Welcome (GLOW) is an event to introduce incoming graduate students to the many resources available at Northwestern University Libraries. You will also have the opportunity to meet with librarians and subject specialists who will help guide your research.

GLOW will take place on Thursday, September 17 from 1-5 PM and Friday, September 18 from 9 AM - 1 PM. Programming will be the same on both days of GLOW. Attend either day, or mix and match sessions to suit your schedule.

1:00 - 1:30 PM: Registration
1:30 - 2:10 PM: Welcome and Library Basics
2:10 - 2:15 PM: Short Break
2:15 - 3:45 PM: Research Possibilities
3:45 - 4:00 PM: Break
4:00 - 4:30 PM: Making Connections
4:30 - 5:00 PM: Tours

Sep
18
2026

Graduate Library Orientation and Welcome

9:00 AM Evanston

The Graduate Library Orientation & Welcome (GLOW) is an event to introduce incoming graduate students to the many resources available at Northwestern University Libraries. You will also have the opportunity to meet with librarians and subject specialists who will help guide your research.

GLOW will take place on Thursday, September 17 from 1-5 PM and Friday, September 18 from 9 AM - 1 PM. Programming will be the same on both days of GLOW. Attend either day, or mix and match sessions to suit your schedule.

Friday's Schedule

9:00 - 9:30 AM: Registration
9:30 - 10:10 AM: Welcome and Library Basics
10:10 - 10:15 AM: Short Break
10:15 - 11:45 AM: Research Possibilities
11:45 AM - 12 PM: Break
12:00 - 12:30 PM: Making Connections
12:30 - 1:00 PM: Tours

Sep
18
2026

Expect Victory: An Evening with Gary Barnett

6:00 PM Evanston

With a completely rebuilt and reimagined Ryan Field capturing national attention this season, all eyes are on the Wildcats. Northwestern Libraries is celebrating this momentous occasion with an exhibition of football artifacts and memorabilia from University Archives that bring 150 years of purple pageantry to life.

Northwestern Libraries and University Historian Kevin Leonard ’77, ’82 MS welcome Coach Gary Barnett for a "sideline chat” about the watershed 1995 season when Barnett made good on his promise to “take the Purple to Pasadena.” Facilitated by sportscaster Dave Eanet, who called plays for WBBM Radio that year, Barnett will relive the memorable events of his tenure and talk about some of the items on display that help tell the story of the season that launched the tooth-and-claw Cardiac ’Cats era.

These programs are supported by the Leonard Lecture and Exhibit Series Fund, which was made possible through the generosity of the Brown and Anderson families.

Space is limited, and registration will close when event capacity is reached.

Sep
29
2026

Explore Your Library

10:00 AM Evanston

Whether it's your first quarter or your last year, there's always something new to discover at your library! Explore your library through a few mini-games, uncover the library's secrets, and walk out with prizes and snacks, all in just 10 minutes! Groups are encouraged, so bring your friends and play together! 

Sep
30
2026

Explore Your Library

10:00 AM Evanston

Whether it's your first quarter or your last year, there's always something new to discover at your library! Explore your library through a few mini-games, uncover the library's secrets, and walk out with prizes and snacks, all in just 10 minutes! Groups are encouraged, so bring your friends and play together! 

Oct
1
2026

Cite Smarter and Manage Your Research: EndNote and Zotero Drop-In Assistance (In Person)

4:00 PM Evanston

Keeping track of your research can be an overwhelming task. Fortunately, EndNote and Zotero are both tools that can help keep your research organized! In this session we will introduce you to the citation management applications, Zotero and EndNote, which can help you organize your research materials and save you countless hours in the course of your reading and writing. Zotero is a free and open-source citation management software application that works as standalone software or through a web browser, and EndNote is free to download for Northwestern users. Both are easy to use and allow you to collect, manage, and share your research sources. You can also insert properly formatted citations and bibliographies as you write in Google Docs and Microsoft Word.

No registration needed. Drop by any time during these hours for help getting started using EndNote or Zotero, if you're already using the software and need help, or if you're just curious how a citation management tool can work for you!

Oct
7
2026

Zotero: Cite Smarter and Manage Your Research (Online)

10:00 AM Online

Keeping track of your research can be an overwhelming task. Fortunately, Zotero is a tool that can help! In this session we will introduce you to the citation management application, Zotero, which can help you organize your research materials and save you countless hours in the course of your reading and writing. Zotero is a freely available citation management software application that works as standalone software or through a web browser. Zotero is easy to use and allows you to collect, manage,  and share your research sources. You can also insert properly formatted citations and bibliographies as you write in Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and LibreOffice.

This workshop will be presented online via Zoom. Please register to receive connection information. A Northwestern Zoom Account will be required to access the workshop.

Oct
8
2026

Forward Progress: The New Ryan Field

6:00 PM Evanston

With a completely rebuilt and reimagined Ryan Field capturing national attention this season, all eyes are on the Wildcats. Northwestern Libraries is celebrating this momentous occasion with an exhibition of football artifacts and memorabilia from University Archives that bring 150 years of purple pageantry to life.

In conjunction with the exhibition, Northwestern Libraries and University Historian Kevin Leonard ’77, ’82 MS welcome Pat Ryan Jr. ’97 JD, MBA to share the origins and development of the largest college stadium project ever. Home to the next generation of Wildcat football, this $850 million initiative reimagines game day experiences and aims to establish the new Ryan Field as a community asset.

These programs are supported by the Leonard Lecture and Exhibit Series Fund, which was made possible through the generosity of the Brown and Anderson families.

Space is limited, and registration will close when event capacity is reached.

Oct
15
2026

Research is Non-Linear (Online)

3:00 PM Online

Research is often portrayed as a linear process of discrete parts to be followed in sequential order. In practice, the components of the research process overlap, are interconnected, and repeat. This session will explore the messiness of research and highlight tools, services, and tips to help you navigate the process. Drawing on real-world examples, the presenters will discuss pitfalls and opportunities to help normalize potentially stressful experiences and help you mitigate them. This workshop is geared towards graduate students, but anyone is welcome to attend.

This workshop will be presented online via Zoom by Gina Petersen, Assessment Librarian; and Jason Kruse, Undergraduate Engagement Librarian. Register to receive connection information.

Oct
16
2026

What Even is Digital Humanities? (Online)

11:00 AM Online

A friendly, project-driven intro to Digital Humanities.

We'll look at a range of innovative DH work and discuss the surprisingly contested question of what counts as digital humanities, and why it might matter for your own research. Experimenting with DH helps you learn valuable tech skills, find new creative outlets, and discover fresh ways to look at questions you thought you already knew the answers to. We'll survey some of the tools DH practitioners use to bring their projects to life and talk about how the library can support you at every stage of your own project. No prior experience or knowledge required. 

This workshop will be presented online via Zoom by Basia Kapolka, Digital Humanities Librarian. Please register to receive connection information.

Oct
20
2026

Zotero: Cite Smarter and Manage Your Research (Online)

2:00 PM Online

Keeping track of your research can be an overwhelming task. Fortunately, Zotero is a tool that can help! In this session we will introduce you to the citation management application, Zotero, which can help you organize your research materials and save you countless hours in the course of your reading and writing. Zotero is a freely available citation management software application that works as standalone software or through a web browser. Zotero is easy to use and allows you to collect, manage,  and share your research sources. You can also insert properly formatted citations and bibliographies as you write in Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and LibreOffice.

This workshop will be presented online via Zoom. Please register to receive connection information. A Northwestern Zoom Account will be required to access the workshop.

Oct
22
2026

Literature Review Basics for Students: From Research Question to Writing (In Person)

4:00 PM Evanston

This session will introduce students to strategies for completing a literature review. The session will include tips and guidance on developing and refining a research question, choosing databases, advanced searching techniques, using citation management tools for organizing materials, and tips on constructing a review. The content will apply to literature reviews for short papers to articles to dissertations and more.


This session will be presented in person at the University Library by Jason Kruse, Undergraduate Engagement Librarian and Geoff Morse, Distinctive Collections & Research Services.

Oct
28
2026

Your Dissertation and Copyright: What You Need to Know (Online)

11:00 AM Online

As you prepare your dissertation, you may have questions about copyright. Can you use articles you’ve published during your time at Northwestern? What about images and texts by other creators? This workshop will help you understand copyright as it applies to your dissertation, from the basics of copyright ownership to exceptions like fair use. No matter where you are in your program, come to discuss real-life examples – and feel free to bring your own.

This workshop will be presented over Zoom, led by Liz Hamilton, Copyright Librarian.

A Northwestern Zoom Account is required to access the session.

Oct
29
2026

Literature Review Basics for Students: From Research Question to Writing (Online)

4:00 PM Online

This session will introduce students to strategies for completing a literature review. The session will include tips and guidance on developing and refining a research question, choosing databases, advanced searching techniques, using citation management tools for organizing materials, and tips on constructing a review. The content will apply to literature reviews for short papers to articles to dissertations and more.

This session will be presented online via Zoom by Jason Kruse, Undergraduate Engagement Librarian and Geoff Morse, Distinctive Collections & Research Services.

Oct
30
2026

Searching for Data: Strategies & Resources​ (Online)

11:00 AM Online

Do you need to find statistics to support an argument?  Or a dataset to analyze as part of a research project?  Finding datasets from authoritative sources can be challenging. This introductory workshop will point you to the best places to start looking for data to streamline the discovery process.  How to cite datasets will also be addressed. 

Topics NOT addressed in this session: cleaning data, analysis methods or software.

This workshop is presented by Becca Greenstein, STEM Librarian.

A Northwestern Zoom account is required to access this session.

Nov
2
2026

Can I Use This? Copyright and Fair Use in Practice (Online)

11:00 AM Online

Copyright is a growing concern among researchers, who may have questions like “When can I use someone else’s copyrighted work?” or “What rights do I have in my own research?” This workshop will cover basic copyright principles, as well as taking a deeper dive into how exceptions to the law like fair use apply in an academic setting. Expect large-group discussion of real-life fair use case studies. Participants are encouraged to bring examples of texts, images, and other copyrighted materials they would like to incorporate into their work for the group to discuss.

This workshop will be presented over Zoom, led by Liz Hamilton, Copyright Librarian.

A Northwestern Zoom Account is required to access the session.

Nov
4
2026

Cite Smarter and Manage Your Research: EndNote and Zotero Drop-In Assistance (In Person)

4:00 PM Evanston

Keeping track of your research can be an overwhelming task. Fortunately, EndNote and Zotero are both tools that can help keep your research organized! In this session we will introduce you to the citation management applications, Zotero and EndNote, which can help you organize your research materials and save you countless hours in the course of your reading and writing. Zotero is a free and open-source citation management software application that works as standalone software or through a web browser, and EndNote is free to download for Northwestern users. Both are easy to use and allow you to collect, manage, and share your research sources. You can also insert properly formatted citations and bibliographies as you write in Google Docs and Microsoft Word.

No registration needed. Drop by any time during these hours for help getting started using EndNote or Zotero, if you're already using the software and need help, or if you're just curious how a citation management tool can work for you!

Nov
6
2026

Searching for Data: Strategies & Resources​ (Online)

11:00 AM Online

Do you need to find statistics to support an argument?  Or a dataset to analyze as part of a research project?  Finding datasets from authoritative sources can be challenging. This introductory workshop will point you to the best places to start looking for data to streamline the discovery process.  How to cite datasets will also be addressed. 

Topics NOT addressed in this session: cleaning data, analysis methods or software.

This workshop is presented by Becca Greenstein, STEM Librarian.

A Northwestern Zoom account is required to access this session.

Nov
6
2026

Huddle Up: Touchdowns and Throwbacks

6:00 PM Evanston

With a completely rebuilt and reimagined Ryan Field capturing national attention this season, all eyes are on the Wildcats. Northwestern Libraries celebrates this momentous occasion with an exhibition of football artifacts and memorabilia from University Archives that bring 150 years of purple pageantry to life.

Northwestern Libraries give the spotlight to University Historian Kevin Leonard ’77, ’82 MS, who has worked with Wildcat athletes, coaches, and administrators for four decades to capture the colorful history of Northwestern football. With special guests who experienced that history first-hand, Leonard will share the highlights of that history that have been preserved by University Archives.

These programs are supported by the Leonard Lecture and Exhibit Series Fund, which was made possible through the generosity of the Brown and Anderson families.

Space is limited, and registration will close when event capacity is reached.

Nov
12
2026

Systematic Reviews: An Introduction to the Process (Online)

4:00 PM Online

This session will introduce you to the steps in the systematic review process, and the support services that Northwestern Libraries provides. Topics covered include different types of reviews, what to do before starting a review, software & tools, and scaling down projects using systematic review techniques. This session is geared towards faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and other researchers.
 
This session will be presented virtually over Zoom by Jason Kruse, Undergraduate Engagement Librarian and Chris Davidson, Campus & Community Engagement Librarian.

A Northwestern Zoom Account is required to access this session.