On Oct. 13, the Friends of the OSU Library present the annual H. Louise & H.E. "Ed" Cobb Speaker Series. This year's event will feature author and journalist, Erik Larson. The evening includes dinner, keynote and book signing. A selection of Erik's work will be available for purchase.

Erik Larson is the author of eight books, six of which became New York Times bestsellers. His latest books, "The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz" and "Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania," both hit no. 1 on the list soon after launch. His saga of the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, "The Devil in the White City," was a finalist for the National Book Award, and won an Edgar Award; it lingered on various Times bestseller lists for the better part of a decade. Erik’s "In the Garden of Beasts," about how America’s first ambassador to Nazi Germany and his daughter experienced the rising terror of Hitler’s rule, has been optioned by Tom Hanks for development as a feature film.

Textbooks are expensive; they always have been. Unless you or someone you love is currently a college student, you may not realize how rapidly textbook prices have risen. Textbook costs have increased 864% since 1978. Today, the average annual textbook bill for an undergraduate student at OSU is $1,300.

Textbook pricing is a barrier to success and a source of stress for students. Each semester, students jump through hoops trying to secure the course materials they need. They research prices, cost compare from multiple vendors, share with classmates, and check on rental options. Today, most students attend the first couple weeks of class, meet their professor, and check the syllabus before they decide if they really need to buy a required text.

The OSU Library’s Textbook Checkout Program is one way the we make higher education more affordable for everyone. Each semester the OSU Library purchases one copy of every required textbook that costs $90 or more. These books are available for two-hour checkout to maximize the number of students who can benefit.

Thanks to the generous support of many friends, the OSU Libraries feature 36 named spaces, and dozens of naming opportunities remain. Gifts like these not only support the work of our students and researchers by maintaining and improving spaces to learn, innovate and gather but also offer a way to honor an individual, family member, friend or organization.

In 2022, construction of the North Garden was completed. The space now provides an attractive and welcoming approach to the library’s north entrance. While a generous gift of the Tom and Edna Carson Family Foundation made the launch of this beatification effort possible, a number of giving opportunities exist to further enhance the project. Six wrought iron benches can be named for $3,500 each, and eight stone benches can be named for $5,000 each.

Our popular study bars are prominently located throughout the Library, with more to be added. These spaces are great for students studying solo or for groups of two or three. Each seat is well-lit with easy access to charge devices. The Study Bars vary in size. For a gift of $5,000-$35,000 to the Library Renovation Fund, donor names will be added above one of the study bars.

The study rooms are one of the most popular services at the Library. These private spaces are available by reservation, and the furnishings and equipment are designed to facilitate collaboration. Conference-style seating, dry-erase boards, and Smart Board technology provide students with an ideal location to brainstorm, write, and practice presentations. Of our 22 study rooms, 11 are available to be dedicated for a gift of $50,000 each.

To meet the diverse needs of our students, we offer a variety of seating options and designate areas group study, quiet study, and silent study. Donor support would fund construction and improvements to study areas, as well as endow one of these heavily-used student study spaces. A portion of such a gift would cover improvements such as the addition of electrical outlets, and the remainder would be endowed to continually update the space with appropriate technology and maintain comfortable and functional furnishings. Spaces designed for either quiet contemplation or gathering and collaboration are available for a gift of $25,000-$250,000 depending on the size.

The Digital Scholarship Center, opening this fall, is a collaborative, community-based space for library instruction on new digital techniques for analyzing a range of materials, from scientific datasets to medieval manuscripts. This new 7,733 sq. ft. center is located in the lower level of the Edmon Low Library. The DSC includes a Interactive Learning Space, a Collaborative Space, the McCasland Maps & Spatial Data Unit and the Library Underground Study Area. The DSC can be named for a gift of $250,000.

People often refer to the Library's bell tower, but did you know that today there are actually no bells in the tower? The chimes heard across campus as classes change each day are played by an instrument called a carillon. The Edmon Low Library's modern carillon is now digital, and 12 speakers located in the tower project the sound. You can view a 360' video of the space on our YouTube channel.

At one time the instrument was manual and played regularly by a musician known as the "bell master." The original instrument had two styles of bells. The English bells pealed throughout the day to indicate the time; the Flemish bells were used for concerts, which then-bell master, Carl Amt, performed three times a week.