6 unexpected ways to celebrate National Library Week at UW–Madison
There’s always something to learn at UW–Madison Libraries, and that includes details about the supportive services, subscriptions and spaces we offer to students, staff, and the community on and off campus. With National Library Week running from April 19 to 24, it’s the perfect time to get acquainted with some of our most exciting offerings. From new subscriptions to stunning spaces, these are the best ways to celebrate UW–Madison Libraries your way.
Discover subscriptions
UW–Madison Libraries gives anyone with a UW NetID (for example, students, faculty, and staff) online access to major publications like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. You can also browse current and historical periodicals thanks to a variety of Libraries databases. Movie buffs will also appreciate UW–Madison’s Kanopy subscription (NetID sign-in required), which gives UW employees and students the ability to stream hundreds of films.
Get undergraduate research support
We aim to support research at every level, but did you know UW–Madison Libraries awards one undergraduate with research funding every year? Undergrads who plan to make creative, intensive use of library research to complete a yearlong research project (think capstone, thesis, and more) in the 2026–27 academic year should apply for the Undergraduate Research Award. The selected student will receive $2,000 to support their project once they complete defined requirements.
Get cookin’
More than 60 years old and 7,000 volumes deep, the cookbook collection at Steenbock Library is as much a service as a study in cultural and gustatory anthropology. Find odes to Wisconsin cheese, recipe collections from hundreds of community organizations, and a 1979 volume entitled A Collection of the Very Finest Recipes Ever Assembled Into One Cookbook. How could you go wrong?
Access e-literature quicker on Libby
Tired of long waits for your Libby e-book or audiobook to be available? Did you know UW–Madison Libraries has its own collection of popular titles through OverDrive? Search for the books you want in the library catalog; if we have the title in our collection, you might be able to access the book more quickly! Follow these instructions to request in the Libby app.
Find your study spot
With dozens of library locations across the UW–Madison campus, there’s a study spot for every personality. Find quiet study (and look on the Allen Centennial Gardens) on the fourth floor of Steenbock Library, take in the historic grandeur of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s sprawling Library Reading Room, settle into the modern interiors of the Michael A. West Graduate Room (sorry, grad students only!), get cozy in a plush leather chair at Kohler Art Library, or knuckle down by reserving a study carrel at Memorial Library — and so much more.
Explore intriguing collections
Interested in the meticulous craft of book arts? Make an appointment to browse the Artists’ Book Collection. Perhaps the rare and antiquarian health sciences books at Ebling Library are more to your taste. Maybe a visit to the Wisconsin Historical Society’s array of social action collections is in order. Or maybe you want to stick to the web with our Digital Collections. No matter your field of study, the Libraries’ wide range of collections is sure to spark your curiosity.