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March 5th, 2026
College life can be exciting, inspiring—and at times, overwhelming. Between exams, projects, meetings, and everyday responsibilities, finding a quiet place to unwind can be a challenge. That’s why Purdue Libraries has introduced a new space designed with student well-being in mind: the sensory room in the Wilmeth Active Learning Center (WALC), room 1134.
A space designed for calm
The sensory room is thoughtfully designed to be a calming, relaxing, and stress-free environment for all. Whether you need a break between classes, a reset during finals week, or simply a peaceful moment in your day, this room offers a supportive space to recharge.
With a capacity of six people, the room can be used by individuals seeking quiet reflection or small groups looking for a shared calming experience. However, it’s important to note that this is not a group study room. The focus here is wellness, relaxation, and sensory-friendly comfort—not collaborative academic work.
What makes it special?
The sensory room features a variety of elements carefully chosen to promote comfort and relaxation:
These features allow visitors to tailor the environment to their needs—whether that means dimming the lights for a moment of quiet or using one of the available activities to decompress after a busy day.
Easy and flexible reservations
The sensory room is reservable for as little as 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, giving students flexibility to fit wellness into their schedules. While those with reservations have top priority, the room may also be available for walk-in use.
To check availability or inquire about using the space without a reservation, simply stop by the second-floor information desk at WALC.
Reserve the sensory room on the Libraries website.
Supporting student well-being
The addition of the sensory room reflects Purdue Libraries’ commitment to supporting not just academic success, but overall student well-being. In a campus environment that values productivity and achievement, it’s equally important to provide spaces that encourage rest, mindfulness, and balance.
If you haven’t visited yet, consider stopping by the 2nd-floor desk and checking out the key to WALC 1134. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is pause, breathe, and reset.
Your well-being matters—and now there’s a space on campus designed just for that. For questions, contact Amanda Gill, lead operations manager.
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsMarch 5th, 2026
Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies is pleased to announce that Dr. Nicole Kong will serve as the next associate vice provost and dean of the unit, effective Monday, March 16, 2026.
A longtime member of the Purdue community, Dr. Kong has served as associate dean for research since 2021 and joined the faculty in 2012. She also serves as the geographic information systems (GIS) specialist for Libraries, with research expertise in geospatial information retrieval, geospatial data management, integration, visualization, and spatial analysis.
Her interdisciplinary research in geospatial information science, data stewardship, and digital scholarship has attracted more than $25 million in sponsored funding from federal agencies including the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and National Endowment for the Humanities.
Dr. Kong has received multiple honors at Purdue, including the John H. Moriarty Award for Excellence in Library Service (2020), the Libraries Excellence in Research Award (2018), and a Purdue Seed for Success Award (2018). She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Peking University and completed her Ph. D. at Pennsylvania State University in 2006.
Under her leadership, Libraries and School of Information Studies will continue advancing innovation in information literacy, data management, digital scholarship, and collaborative learning environments, while supporting the university’s goals in AI, scholarly communication, and interdisciplinary research partnerships.
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsMarch 3rd, 2026
Sarah Reifel, instructional designer at Purdue Libraries, has been named the 2026 Focus Award (Staff Category) recipient at Purdue University—a prestigious honor recognizing outstanding contributions to disability accessibility and inclusion.
Presented annually by the Purdue University Office for Civil Rights during Disability Awareness Month, the Focus Awards celebrate individuals who make meaningful, lasting impacts on campus accessibility. Sarah was selected for her extensive and continuing contributions to the Purdue community.
Through her work with Libraries, Sarah has helped strengthen access to information, services, and spaces, ensuring that libraries remain welcoming and usable for all students, faculty, and staff. Her efforts support equitable learning experiences and reflect a deep commitment to inclusion.
Upon receiving the award, Sarah said, “I am very honored to receive the 2026 Focus Award. Bringing awareness to some of the challenges faced by the disability community is a humbling and invaluable experience. Advocating for improved accessibility is such a small way that I can contribute to increasing access to resources, information, and experiences for everyone, and I am happy to be doing so.”
Sarah will be honored at the Disability Awareness Month reception at the Purdue Memorial Union. Her recognition highlights the vital role staff play in shaping an accessible campus and celebrates the everyday efforts that promote inclusivity.
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsMarch 2nd, 2026
On Wednesday, February 19, The Student Center Library at Purdue University in Indianapolis welcomed students for an open house filled with games, snacks, and helpful library tips.
The event offered students a chance to take a break, grab snacks and drinks, and enjoy games like Connect Four, Jenga, and a customized Kahoot! featuring LIbraries-related questions. The relaxed atmosphere made it easy for students to connect with one another and meet members of the library team.
Beyond the fun, the open house spotlighted the many services and resources available through the Student Center Library. Students learned more about research support, study spaces, and tools designed to help them succeed throughout the semester.
Reflecting on the event, Indianapolis Assistant Operations Manager Ann O’Donnell said, “We were really excited to welcome the Purdue in Indianapolis community to the Student Center Library. It was wonderful to see faculty, students, and staff coming together to explore the new space.”
By combining community-building activities with valuable resources, the event highlighted the library as both a welcoming gathering space and an essential academic hub, connecting students to services such as Purdue OWL, the Center for Instructional Excellence (CIE), and Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to fuel up, have fun, and discover all the Student Center Library has to offer.
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsMarch 2nd, 2026
On February 14, 2026, Dr. Innocensia Owuor, GIS specialist and Libraries clinical assistant professor, led a geospatial sciences outreach activity at the third annual STEP N2 STEM event hosted by Purdue University’s College of Health and Human Sciences. The event engaged over 260 children and 190 guardians in hands-on STEM learning centered on health and human development.
Using their smartphones, participants mapped their home city and favorite colors and assembled online map puzzles, introducing families to spatial thinking while demonstrating how location-based data can support health insights.
The activity also provided an opportunity for students and guardians to explore the intersection of technology, geography, and health, highlighting how geospatial tools can be applied to everyday questions and community challenges. Families left with a better understanding of how spatial data shapes research and decision-making in health and human sciences.
This partnership highlights the Libraries’ role in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and strengthening campus and community engagement, while showcasing expertise in geospatial sciences within a health-centered STEM initiative.
February 27th, 2026
The Midwest Entrepreneurship Case Competition (MECC), now in its third year, has quickly gained recognition as a unique and valuable learning opportunity for undergraduate students across the Midwest. Setting itself apart from traditional business case competitions, MECC challenges participants to think critically, conduct independent research, and develop their strategies—skills essential for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
This competition isn’t just about solving hypothetical problems—it’s about fostering real-world entrepreneurial thinking and innovation. MECC provides an excellent platform for students to push the boundaries of creativity while honing the skills needed to succeed in the fast-paced business world.
This year’s challenge
The 2026 competition centered on the Sage Business case: “Uvida—Boston’s First Zero-Waste, Plastic-Free Store.” The case focuses on Uvida, a brick-and-mortar and online retailer dedicated to sustainable consumption and zero-waste products.
Participating teams were tasked with developing strategic, research-supported recommendations addressing:
The company’s founder, Maria Vasco, participated in the competition and served as a judge during the final round. Her involvement provided students with valuable feedback grounded in real entrepreneurial experience.
Teams represented eight academic institutions from across the Midwest: Michigan State University, University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, College of DuPage, Macomb Community College, Indiana University, and Elmhurst University. With the variety of talented teams involved, the event showcased the ingenuity and business acumen of students eager to make their mark in entrepreneurship.
Judges and feedback
The competition featured a panel of judges from leading academic institutions, each bringing their unique expertise to the table. In the first round, judges included:
The final round of judging featured:
These experienced judges provided valuable feedback to the teams, elevating the competition by ensuring that solutions were evidence-based and carefully scrutinized by subject-matter experts. Their insights were crucial in guiding participants as they refined their ideas and business strategies.
2026 winners
After a competitive and rigorous competition, the top teams were recognized for their outstanding innovation and business strategies. Congratulations to the following winners:
Partnership with Sage Business
The competition was proudly sponsored by Sage Business, whose support went beyond providing funding for the top teams. Sage’s contribution was significant as they offered invaluable resources to all participating teams, including access to Sage Business Cases, Sage Business Foundations, and Sage Data—essential tools for exploring multimedia case content, developing new business skills and knowledge, and conducting market analysis using real-world data.
Sage’s contribution extended to organizing training sessions for both teams and librarians, ensuring participants had the necessary resources to succeed. A special thank you to the Sage team: Rebecca Frankel, Alexandra Shay, Laura Berg, Maureen Adams, Nicole Wu, and Jennifer Bourque, whose dedication helped ensure the competition’s smooth execution and success.
Looking ahead
The MECC’s success would not have been possible without the tremendous efforts of its planning committee. Congratulations to Zoeanna Mayhook (committee chair), Annette Bochenek, Liz Grauel, Terence O’Neill, and Ilana Stonebraker on planning a successful event. Their hard work, strategic planning, and attention to detail ensured the competition was an engaging and enriching experience for everyone involved.
As the MECC grows in participation, it remains a vital platform for students to hone their entrepreneurial skills. The 2026 competition was a testament to the participating teams’ talent, creativity, and collaboration.
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsFebruary 23rd, 2026
Purdue University Archives and Special Collections (ASC) is pleased to announce the digitization of 147 film and audio recordings related to the pioneering work of famed industrial engineers Frank and Dr. Lillian Gilbreth, made possible by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources’ “Recordings at Risk” program.
Newly accessible recordings
The recordings are now described and publicly available through ASC’s collections database. They include previously unheard lectures, interviews, and instruction by Dr. Lillian Gilbreth; personal recollections of the Gilbreths; and films showing practical applications of their motion study research in industrial engineering, home economics, agriculture, and more. The recordings span five collections within ASC’s holdings and range from audiocassettes and vinyl records to films and videocassettes, dating back to 1918.
Due to the Gilbreths’ early adoption of photography and film in motion study research and the wide range of fields they examined, the extensive collection of photographs, papers, films, and recordings they donated continues to attract significant national and international research interest. Their previously digitized films receive an average of 2,688 views annually through ASC’s online digital collections database, and their papers are the third-most-used collection. Over the last five years, research using the Gilbreth materials has focused on women’s work, ergonomics, organizational psychology, home economics, and architecture.
Digitizing the recordings
The unique formats, volume, and deteriorated condition of these recordings made digitization cost-prohibitive for ASC. Concerned about the potential loss of these recordings and their significant research value, archivists submitted a proposal to the Council on Library and Information Resources’ “Recordings at Risk” program in 2024 and began work on the project in September of that year. Since then, a team of archivists, digitization specialists, and student employees has worked to make these materials accessible by coordinating with specialized vendors, analyzing recording content, conducting quality checks, and creating online descriptions for each item. These efforts ensure both the long-term preservation of the recordings and public access to the materials.
The team responsible for this project includes:
About the Gilbreths
Frank Bunker Gilbreth and Dr. Lillian Moller Gilbreth were early 20th-century industrial engineers and leaders in time and motion study research. Combining engineering and psychology, they developed innovative methods to reduce worker fatigue and improve efficiency, including the development of chronocyclographs to photograph motion and “therbligs” to document basic work elements. Their internationally recognized work was contracted by organizations such as Remingtons, the Red Cross, Macy’s, Johnson & Johnson, and the Girl Scouts, and revolutionized procedures at factories, offices, hospitals, and department stores, contributing to early developments in ergonomics, workplace accommodations, and modern home and kitchen design.
In 1935, Dr. Lillian Gilbreth joined Purdue University as a professor of management with part-time duties in the School of Home Economics, where she taught motion study courses and improved the motion and time study laboratory. She donated the Gilbreths’ research and professional papers to Purdue in 1939, and after her death, her daughter, Ernestine Carey, donated the remaining materials, including dozens of film and audio recordings. This grant supported the digitization of the remaining 65 Gilbreth recordings, along with 82 related items from adjacent Purdue collections.
About Purdue University Archives and Special Collections
Purdue University Archives and Special Collections, housed within Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies, aims to support the discovery, learning, and engagement goals of Purdue University by identifying, collecting, preserving, and making available research records and papers of enduring value created or received by the university and its employees.
To learn more, visit lib.purdue.edu/spcol.
Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, general, News and AnnouncementsFebruary 16th, 2026
On February 12, the Knowledge Lab celebrated its third anniversary with an exciting array of activities, including button-making, origami, card-making, and more. These hands-on crafts brought students together for a fun and festive day and provided a perfect opportunity to develop creative thinking skills while exploring new technologies and techniques. The anniversary event highlighted the lab’s mission to expose students to innovative offerings and showcased the lab as a space for exploration, experimentation, and skill-building.
About the lab
Located on the third floor of the Wilmeth Active Learning Center, the Knowledge Lab is a rapid prototyping space where the Purdue community can experiment with exploring and presenting their ideas using various materials, equipment, and software.
The space offers low-stakes resources such as a vinyl cutter, sewing machines, a Riso printer, a podcast booth, a heat press, yarns, cardboard, fabrics, and more. It serves as a first stop within a pipeline of opportunities on campus to actualize an idea and integrate the left-brain and right-brain.
Visit the Knowledge Lab website to learn more, borrow equipment, and view workshops and events.
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsJanuary 28th, 2026
During the spring 2025 semester, undergraduate student Kennedi Thomas, now a senior double-majoring in communication and anthropology, collaborated with classmates Rishika Ramakrishnan, Beck Spieth, and Isabel Baron on a semester-long project for the “Designing Technology for People” course (ANTH 384/TECH 220) taught by Sarah Renkert and Shawn Farrington. The class challenged students to apply human-centered design principles by selecting a user group and developing a product that addressed real-world challenges. From a wide range of potential user groups, the team chose to focus on individuals who menstruate.
The goal of the project was to design a product that would reduce challenges and improve the everyday experiences of people who menstruate. While menstruation is a common part of life for many people, it is still surrounded by stigma and often overlooked in design and technology spaces. This made it a meaningful and impactful focus for the team’s work.
The design process
To begin the design process, the group conducted ethnographic research to understand the needs and experiences of their user group. Team members used a variety of approaches, including interviews with family members, personal documentation during menstruation, and observational research. As part of this process, Kennedi accompanied a friend while she purchased menstrual pads, allowing the team to observe the experience and decision-making process in real time.
One of the challenges the group encountered during research was navigating cultural norms and family stigmas surrounding menstruation. Some participants were open and comfortable discussing the topic, while others were more hesitant. The team made a conscious effort to approach these conversations with sensitivity and respect, ensuring that participants felt safe and heard throughout the research process.
After synthesizing their findings, the team identified several key insights. Users emphasized the importance of discrete, non-invasive solutions and expressed concerns about the amount of waste produced during their menstrual cycles. These insights directly informed the team’s design direction.
Creating the prototype
In response, the group developed the concept for a portable cleaning pouch designed to allow users to wash and dry reusable menstrual products discreetly and conveniently in any location. The product aimed to reduce waste while minimizing inconvenience and maintaining privacy for the user.
The team moved from ideation to prototyping in the Knowledge Lab, where they created a low-fidelity prototype of their design. Using materials provided in the space—including fabric, zippers, and buckles—the team constructed a functional pouch that mimicked the intended materials of the final product. Sewing machines in the lab were used to assemble the components, and 3D-printed bristles created by a teammate were incorporated into the design to support the cleaning function.
Competition results
At the end of the semester, all student teams presented their design processes and final products. Kennedi’s team was selected as one of four finalists to compete in the Designing Technology for People Competition. The group ultimately earned first place and was awarded a scholarship in recognition of their thoughtful research, innovative design, and effective use of campus resources such as the Knowledge Lab.
This project highlights how Purdue Libraries’ collaborative spaces empower students to transform research and ideas into tangible solutions. By combining ethnographic research, hands-on prototyping, and access to specialized tools, students are able to design with empathy and create technologies that address real human needs.
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsJanuary 28th, 2026
Purdue University Archives and Special Collections (ASC) is excited to announce a new exhibition, “Forms and Functions: A Selection of Materials within Purdue University Archives and Special Collections.” The exhibition showcases the wide variety of items found in archives and explains how archivists classify these materials. It also explores common questions about historical formats and technologies, such as how older media were used and preserved.
About the exhibition
“Forms and Functions” was co-curated by Clinical Assistant Professor and Barron Hilton Archivist for Flight and Space Exploration Jo Otremba, seven archivists, and 11 student employees. The exhibition features materials from more than 40 collections dating from the 15th century to the present day. Items on display are connected to notable individuals such as John Purdue, Amelia Earhart, Neil Armstrong, Nobel Prize recipient Herbert Brown, William Henry Harrison, Orville Redenbacher, and illustrators Harold Gray (creator of Little Orphan Annie) and George Wildman (illustrator for Popeye comics), among others. The exhibition provides an overview of the types of materials preserved and made accessible by ASC and reflects the kinds of items archivists and student employees work with daily.
The central focus of “Forms and Functions” is to demonstrate the diversity of archival materials and includes materials from all of ASC’s special collecting areas. Each item on display represents a different collection and a distinct type of material. Exhibit labels use standardized form and genre terms from the Getty Research Institute’s Art & Architecture Thesaurus, which archivists use to describe materials consistently and support discovery and access.
These descriptive terms help researchers explore questions such as:
For ASC’s 11 student employees, “Forms and Functions” served as a hands-on learning experience. Students participated in all stages of development, including selecting materials, writing descriptions, creating labels, and installing the exhibition. Many of the student co-curators are interested in future careers in archives, libraries, or museums, and the exhibition provided mentorship and insight into this area of archival work.
“Forms and Functions” is free and open to the public during ASC’s regular hours, Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM throughout the spring 2026 semester, with modified hours during the summer. The exhibition is located at the Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center on the fourth floor of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education (HSSE) Library in Stewart Center and runs until June 26.
For questions, please contact archives@purdue.edu.
Acknowledgement
ASC thanks the student employees and archivists whose time, creativity, and expertise made “Forms and Functions” possible. Their collaborative work—from selecting materials to installing the exhibition—was essential to bringing it to life.
The exhibition team includes the following contributors: