Are you still looking for a good library to study in?
Come and visit us in the History, Philosophy and Newspaper Library located on the second floor of the Main Library building in room 246.
Directory April 2019 (illinois.edu)
Hours:
During the academic semester, HPNL is open from 9am-7pm Monday-Thursday, 9am-5pm on Fridays and 1-5pm on Sundays.
HPNL Study Space:
HPNL is a semi-quiet study space that has both large study tables that work for both individuals and small groups, as well as new individual study carrels! There is both traditional library seating as well as soft seating. The library has great natural lighting through large windows in the main reading room. If you need an even quieter space to read or study, and don’t mind a bit of cool temperatures, we also have a few seats in our microfilm stacks available for use.
All of the tables have convenient power outlets for charging laptops or other devices. The carrels have power outlets as well as USB and USB-C ports built into the table to make charging devices easy and convenient. 
HPNL allows drinks (with lids) but if you need a snack, there are convenient vending machines right outside the elevator in the basement level. Feel free to use the seating in the spacious hallway located outside of HPNL to take a break and have a snack. Also located in the hallway are an elevator, restrooms, and a water fountain for comfort and convenience. For current information about HPNL policy on food and drink, please see our website.
If you need a break from studying and want to get away from technology for a while, we have a puzzle table available with comfortable seating.
Available Technology:
HPNL has wifi access as well as desktop library computers available for use. If you need to print a document, HPNL has a black and white printer. You can send print jobs from either your own laptop or the library computers. We cannot accept cash or credit card payment for printing so you will need to have Illini Cash set up to use our printers. If you need to view microfilm, HPNL has
multiple ScanPro 2200 scanner computer stations available. More information about library technology can be found online.
Staffing:
HPNL has knowledgeable staff members that can assist you with your information needs. Whether you need assistance locating library resources, research assistance, or assistance using the microfilm scanners, HPNL staff are here to help. You can read more about HPNL staff on our website.
If you have a more in-depth question or research need, please email us at: hpnl@library.illinois.edu
Subject Areas with Links to Research Guides:
HPNL primarily supports the following areas of study:
Library Services include:
- Research assistance
- Training in the use of microfilm scanners
- Assistance with finding books, online resources, articles, databases, etc.
- Library Instruction
- Study space
- Collections of materials and digital resources to support research
- Hold Shelves -patrons can request items from the University Libraries or I-Share to be held at HPNL for checkout
- Research assistance in the form of research guides, course guides, and tutorials
- HPNL News – keep up to date with HPNL through our Blog
Overview of Physical Collections:
To assist you in locating books in HPNL, please keep in mind that HPNL primarily utilizes Library of Congress Classification for its printed book collection. To learn more about locating books in HPNL, please review this Shelf browsing guide to HPNL
New Book Collection
HPNL has a large new book display and carries current books in the full range of topics covered by the library. We also carry current new books covering a wide range of “hot topics” and popular non-fiction. You can view the new books from the last 3 months in the library catalog.
New Book Display
We currently have a display of short introduction books that will be available until the end of October, 2024. Please see more about the books in this collection in this blog post. These books will still be available in HPNL after October, but the display will be changed to promote new books.
Book Stacks Collection
The HPNL core collection of books covers our primary subject areas as well as a large variety of subjects that correspond and complement the subject areas to allow for interdisciplinary research.
The primary focus of our core collection is books that broadly introduce topics as well as provide historical information about the topics. The goal of the collection is to provide the basics materials/books to begin your study and research into the area of study.
Examples of non-core topics in our collection include:
- Subclass BF: Psychology
- Class H: Social Sciences
- Subclass HQ: The Family. Marriage. Women
- Subclass HT: Communities. Classes. Races
- Subclass HV: Crime. Social and public welfare. Poverty
Microform Collection
HPNL holds the bulk of the University Library’s microfilm collection (over 250,000 reels), and is a destination for finding, viewing, scanning, and digitally manipulating microfilmed content.
Microform Overview
- Microforms, including microfilm and microfiche, are scaled-down reproductions of paper documents made for the purposes of storage, reading, and printing.
- Microforms are important because many of these items are not available in print or digital formats at UIUC
- To assist you in locating microforms, the majority of the HPNL microfilm collection are classified in
- To view microfilm or microfiche, you need to utilize microform scanners which are available to use any time HPNL is open
- HPNL staff are available to assist you in locating and reviewing microfilm
- Since the HPNL collection includes most microforms in the University Libraries, our collection spans many languages and subjects, not just the primary subjects covered by HPNL
- HPNL Blog about microfilm research
- Library Guide to microfilm
- If you need to view microfilm when HPNL is closed, you may check out the microfilm and view it in a few other libraries on campus that also have microfilm scanners
Newspaper Collection
- Newspapers can be a primary source for research and writing papers
- HPNL has an expansive historical newspaper collection
- HPNL has a Historical Newspaper Database to assist patrons in searching for newspapers
- HPNL Newspaper holdings are in three primary formats: print, digital, and microfilm
- Print Newspapers are primarily stored at Oak Street offsite storage and need to be requested to be sent to HPNL for viewing. HPNL staff will review the items to ensure they are fit to be viewed by patrons. Print Newspaper Policy.
- Digital newspaper holdings typically allow for key word searches but might not include original formatting
- Newspapers on microfilm typically include original formatting but do not allow for key word searching – you read/scan the paper on film like you would read a physical newspaper
- Guide to locating newspapers
- UIUC is working on digitizing and cataloging Illinois newspapers through the Illinois Newspaper Project
- To search for Digitized Illinois Newspapers, check out the Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections
- If you are looking for current newspapers, please visit the Communications Library
Reference Collection
- Reference sources/books are quick and reliable sources of facts or information
- HPNL has a general reference book collection and an African American reference collection that include book resources that are viewable in library but that can not be checked out
- HPNL also has an online reference collection
Digital Resources
- The University Library has an extensive collection of online and digital resources.
- These are accessible if you are affiliated with the university either in library or remotely.
- Many of these resources are available to review in HPNL if you are not affiliated with the university,
- Library Digital Collections Guide
- University Library Policy on Access to Electronic Resources
If HPNL does not have a resource/book you are searching for:
- The Main Stacks is conveniently located on the same floor of the Main Library
- There are other subject libraries located in the same building
- You can request a book to be sent to HPNL to be placed on hold from any UIUC library
- You can request a book through I-Share to be sent to HPNL and placed on hold for pickup
- You can Suggest a book purchase through the University Library
- You can request a journal/database/digital item be purchased by contacting the HPNL Head Librarian Celestina Savonious-Wroth through email at cswroth@illinois.edu