Overview

The libraries of Wake Forest University support instruction and research at the undergraduate level and in the disciplines awarding graduate degrees. The libraries of the University hold membership in the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries.

The Wake Forest University libraries include: the Z. Smith Reynolds (ZSR) Library, located on the Reynolda Campus, supporting the undergraduate College, the Wake Forest School of Business, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Divinity, and the School of Professional Studies; the Law Library, housed in the Worrell Professional Center on the Reynolda Campus, serving the School of Law; and the Coy C. Carpenter Library serving the Wake Forest School of Medicine and is located on the Bowman Gray Campus.

Collections

The three library collections total over 2.8 million titles, including over 1.8 million e-books, more than 150,000 electronic journals and over 15,000 DVDs as well as streaming media and other formats. The Law Library holds over 45,000 volumes and the Coy C. Carpenter Library holds over 35,000 volumes. The ZSR Library  and the Law Library serve as selective federal depositories as a part of the Federal Depository Library Program.The three libraries share an online search portal, which provides access to books, electronic resources, journals and databases. Through our interlibrary loan service, students, faculty and staff may obtain materials from other libraries at no charge.

Z. Smith Reynolds Library

The Z. Smith Reynolds Library (ZSR) provides comprehensive reference and research services in-person and online. Research Librarians work with individual classes across the disciplines on research papers and library users can request personal research sessions with Research Librarians at all phases of their research process. Library faculty also teach elective courses in the fundamentals of research and information literacy and upper-level courses geared towards research in the disciplines and special topics in information. The Digital Initiatives & Scholarly Communication librarians support faculty scholarship and student digital project coursework through consulting and instruction on tools, methodologies, project management, digital publishing, open education, data management, copyright, and open access.

Special Collections & Archives (SCA) serves as a research repository for rare, unique, and primary source materials in the Z. Smith Reynolds Library, including nearly 80,000 volumes and 15,000 linear ft. of collections. SCA acquires, preserves, and provides access to a wide range of primary research materials in their original formats, and in particular, seeks to better document underrepresented communities on campus. Major collections include the Baptist Historical Collection of North Carolina, Manuscripts, the Rare Book Collection, and the University Archives. SCA has a major outreach program offering events and presentations and also frequently hosts Wake Forest faculty and their classes. All are welcome to use the collections, a selection of which are available online in SCA Digital Collections, which currently numbers over 245,000 items. Please contact archives@wfu.edu for access to the collections by appointment or to submit a specific question.

Spaces

The Z. Smith Reynolds library has group study rooms equipped with large screen monitors and individual study carrels that can be booked online. Windows PCs, Macintosh computers, and media viewing stations are available for public use. Multimedia equipment, Chromebooks, tablets, and other technology devices may be reserved for checkout. Reference and online chat are available to help library visitors to find resources and research assistance. The library has a 118-seat auditorium that is available for use by Wake Forest community groups for programs, lectures, and film screenings. 

ZSR houses The Bridge Service Desk, the Center for the Advancement of Teaching,  the Office of Online Education, and The Writing Center. The Bridge provides hardware and software support for WFU students, faculty, and staff. The Center for the Advancement of Teaching is a resource center for Wake Forest faculty at all stages of their careers. The Office of Online Education is a resource for faculty interested in designing and delivering online learning experiences in the courses they teach.  The Writing Center provides help to guide students through their writing process.

Access

ZSR Library is committed to creating an accessible, enriching, and welcoming community space for all.
The library's hours vary by semester and can be found at https://zsr.wfu.edu/calendar/. Several large spaces are available via WFU Deacon OneCard entry even when the library is closed. These include over 200 seats of open study, reservable study rooms, vending machines, printers/copiers/scanners, and the library’s bank of touchless smart lockers for pickup of requested materials. The Library also houses Smith’s Cafe, our coffee shop.  Check out the hours and events calendar to stay up to date. See a full description of the ZSR Library resources and services at zsr.wfu.edu.