Allen Memorial Library

The front door of Allen Memorial Library is situated on the main lawn of VCSU’s campus. The library was built in 1951.

Director for Library Services

Jennifer A. G. Jenness
Allen Memorial Library 113

Front Desk:  (701) 845-7277
(800) 532-8641

Text Reference: (701)401-4229
Email: library@vcsu.edu
http://library.vcsu.edu

Hours

During the academic year, the library is open Monday–Thursday 7:45 a.m. to 9:00 p.m, Friday 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sunday 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.  Finals week, holiday and summer hours may vary; please call or check the library website for the most current information.

Allen Memorial Library

The university’s library is located at the heart of the VCSU campus, between McFarland Hall and the Student Center. Databases, streaming video and music, ebooks, and other digital resources are online and accessible 24 hours a day, and resources and services such as physical books, access to printers, 3D printing, and other equipment, and in-person reference assistance are available during regular library hours. The library offers building-wide WiFi, meeting areas and small-group study rooms, a silent study area, a music listening station, and classroom spaces. Study Rooms can be reserved online from the library website.

Allen Memorial Library was named after Carlos Eben Allen, the 3rd president of Valley City State University, and opened its doors in 1951. It presently houses more than 100,000 books, periodicals, and nonprint materials, and maintains a robust digital collection. The collection’s strengths reflect the curricular strengths of the university: education, business, information science, the arts, as well as general science, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences.

Mission

Allen Memorial Library supports the discovery, evaluation, and creation of knowledge in a learner-centered environment.

  • Support the university’s vision of delivering distinctive, learner-centered experiences
  • Promote critical thinking, inquiry, and intellectual engagement
  • Provide high-quality resources, information literacy instruction, and reference services to all members of the VCSU community, both on-campus and online
  • Collect and promote a diverse array of learning materials and resources
  • Serve as a student-focused destination for reference, research, collaboration, and study

Services

The library’s website provides access to a variety of resources including links to the state-wide library catalog, state and federal government documents, online ebooks, eReserves, electronic journals, and many other resources. On-campus access to all resources is seamless, while members of the VCSU distance community can access library resources through their NDUS login. The library continually reviews online and electronic resources to provide the best resources possible for our students, faculty, and staff.

Allen Memorial Library offers professional reference services in person and via chat or text from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Additional reference, eReference and reference-on-call services and information literacy opportunities for faculty, staff and students can be made by arrangement.

The Building

The main level of Allen Memorial Library houses the Curriculum Library which supports the Teacher Education program as well as the University’s undergraduate and graduate library education programs. It provides a representative collection of pre-school through high school instructional resources including textbooks and instructional multimedia, along with children’s fiction and nonfiction books.

Customized Study Areas

Library users are invited to study collaboratively in a casual setting on first and second floor areas of the library where conversation, watching TV and social interaction is encouraged. Other study areas located throughout the building include small group study rooms, individual study areas, and a Quiet Study space. Cell phone use is permitted in all areas except the Quiet Study area; however, cell phone users are encouraged to step away from study areas when having extended conversations to respect the needs of others.

Special Collections

Special collections include:

  • The North Dakota and North Dakota Documents Collection
  • The Larry Woiwode Manuscript Collection
  • The James D. Ployhar Score Collection
  • The VCSU Archives