Parks Library is home for over 2.8 million books. However, if a student somehow can’t find a certain text they need among the shelves, the Parks Library can borrow books from other libraries through the interlibrary loan program, further expanding their massive collection.

Parks Library is much more than a place to find books. Tens of thousands of students visit the library for a multitude of different reasons.

Many students can enjoy using the space as a peaceful and distraction-free place to read, study and work on assignments with any resource a student could need to study all under the same roof. There are even group study rooms for students working on a group project.

If someone is not sure where to find a resource they need, there is always a friendly librarian at the front desk that is happy to help.

“Saturday and Sunday is the only time that I have to do my class assignments,” said Sudesh Bhagat, graduate student in civil engineering. “It’s a good place to come during the weekend to do my research and finish my assignments. I have access to a lot of materials so it’s easier to find references for my classwork.”

The Parks Library also runs a technology equipment checkout program. Students may rent laptops, iPads, headphones, phone chargers, graphing calculators and electronic hardware kits such as an Arduino, Raspberry Pi and Makey Makey. The rentals can last up to a week as long as they are being used for academic purposes. Otherwise students have access to free, unlimited use of the computers in the library.

“I use the printer whenever I need to print something, or sometimes I just read here for the whole day,” said Luman Liu, graduate student in chemical and biological engineering. “I generally just enjoy the environment here. It’s quiet, but I still have all of the resources that I need.”

Parks Library is also a hotspot of student events. Every week there are all sorts of activities for students to enjoy. One such event is the Monday Monologue series, a performance that celebrates the spoken word through vocal performances. The next Monday Monologue, a musical performance called “Voices in Song,” is happening from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. March 9 in the Grant Wood Foyer of Parks Library.

There is an expansive collection of movies and television shows located downstairs in the media center. The Parks Library holds films new and old ranging from “Threepenny Opera,” which premiered in 1931, to 2020’s Best Picture winner at the Oscars, “Parasite.” They also have every season of many recent streaming shows such as “Better Call Saul” and “Stranger Things.” Additionally, they also give refuge to complete collections of classic TV hits like “Seinfeld” and “The Office.”

There are areas all around to be discovered such as a giant chess board, the Mindfulness Room in Room 297 or the grand mural in the Grant Wood Foyer. Students can drop by the Bookends Cafe for a freshly roasted coffee and a pastry. During Dead Week, the library even offers chair massages and therapy dog sessions to help alleviate stress.