Break Time Boredom Busters
Have some “down time” during the academic break, and not sure what to do? Explore these FREE entertaining Libraries resources!
Streaming Media: From foreign films, documentaries, musical and dance performances, public broadcasting archives and more, there are thousands of online videos to explore that you won’t find on your typical streaming services!
The Game Collection Odegaard Library offers board, card, and tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), with the collection is located on Odegaard 1st floor, just inside and to the left of the main entry doors.
Good Reads: A collection of fiction and nonfiction books for students to read for leisure. All the books in the Good Reads collection have been published within the last five years, so find your new favorite book here!
Digital Collections: From old UW yearbooks and campus photos, vintage ephemera like postcards, menus, magazines, posters, rare books, manuscripts, maps and so much more to spend a few hours (or a few days) going down the “rabbit hole” of wonder and delight that is UW Libraries Special Collections – AND UW Libraries ethnomusicology collection
Exhibits
Out of Scope: Unexpected Artifacts in Special Collections
Explore unexpected artifacts that have made their way into Special Collections!
Cultural organizations such as libraries, museums, and archives rely on a collection development strategy known as ‘scope‘ to shape their collections based on priorities outlined in their organization’s mission. Based on priorities outlined in their organization’s mission, the scope may center around a geographical focus, historical period, etc. Despite these guiding parameters, out-of-scope material inevitably makes its way into an organization’s collections. Out of Scope highlights unique and intriguing items found in Special Collections.
The Mountain is Out – Through Friday, Aug 28, 2026
Allen Library (ALB), Special Collections (Basement level)
Rainier, Tahoma, Nutselip… the mountain is known by many names. A Pacific Northwest icon, Mount Rainier holds a unique place in the region’s culture and lore. Its massive peak is the dominant land form on the horizon for more than a hundred miles in any direction, rising far above the surrounding Cascade Mountains. Beginning in the late 19th century, European and American visitors explored the area, and activism led to the establishment of Mount Rainier National Park in 1899.
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From Brush to Type: The Evolution of Bookmaking in East Asia – Through Mar 31, 2026
Gowen Hall (GWN)
This exhibit highlights rare works from the Tateuchi East Asia Library Special Collections, showcasing how innovations in papermaking, printing, and design across East Asia transformed the form of books and the cultures they shaped.
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