Hiram College Library

Street address: 11694 Hayden St., Hiram, OH 44234 

Mailing address: P.O. Box 67, Hiram, OH 44234

Campus Map (PDF)

Policies & Procedures

General Policy

Members of the general public are welcome to use the Hiram College Library.  Use of the library is defined as use of library services and/or collections (both print and online) within the building.  Members of the general public are especially invited to make use of the Federal Depository Collection and the State of Ohio Depository Collection.

To enable the use of its collections, the library makes available several computers to allow access to the library’s online catalog, as well as internet access.  Word processing and other software is not available.  Electronic information, services, software, and networks provided directly or indirectly shall be accessible in accordance with licensing or contractual requirements.  Use of the computers implies consent with the Hiram College Acceptable Use Policy.

There is a small charge for printing, although the fee is waived for most government documents.  Parents should note the Library does not filter internet access and is not responsible for children viewing online (and print) materials that may be considered unsuitable by the parents.

Materials may be checked out only by persons with a Hiram College ID, members of the Friends of the Hiram College Library, or by those holding a valid library card from a library that is a member of either OhioLINK or SearchOhio.

Library staff are not responsible for unattended children and cannot be responsible for their safety.  Library staff reserve the right to ask anyone exhibiting disruptive or inappropriate behavior to leave the building.

All library patrons are expected to show consideration of others and cooperate with other library users and staff. A reasonably quiet environment should be maintained for the benefit of all persons in the library. Food and drink is allowed, but please place your trash in trash bins found on each floor. Spills should be reported to the front desk. Shirts and shoes must be worn.

For its first 50 years, Hiram College did not have a library.

Each of the student literary societies, however, had its own small libraries, usually limited to members only. The closest the College came to a common library was the federal depository collection (established in 1874) housed in the original Hinsdale Hall.

In 1900 a gift from Abram Teachout funded the construction of the Teachout-Cooley Library, a two-story brick and wood structure with a three story tower. The collection consisted of books donated by the literary societies and the depository collection. An addition to the building was constructed in 1923.

The building was largely destroyed by fire in 1939. A new building was erected and expanded in 1948 and again in 1963. At that time, the library was renamed the Teachout-Price Memorial Library.

The current library building opened in 1995. The Hiram College Library provides a link between the old and the new with group study rooms, a variety of individual study spaces, growing collections in both print and digital, a number of computers, and wireless access. The library's first floor was renovated in 2020.

For more in-depth histories, see:
Hiram College Library Wikipedia Entry

Our Mission:
The mission of the Hiram College Library is to create an environment that fosters intellectual excellence and encourages lifelong learning.

Our Vision:
The library serves as the intellectual "heart of the campus" with physical and digital collections, spaces for study and collaboration, and professional staff and librarians who work with students, faculty, staff, and the greater community to foster student success and lifelong learning. Despite the growing presence of the digital world in the lives of students, faculty, and staff, the library as a physical space still has meaning. The library will provide a comfortable, welcoming environment with easy access to collections and spaces that support both individual and collaborative group work. In this capacity, the library as place is as important as ever.

The library will provide collections that support the college’s curriculum, enable research at all levels (particularly undergraduate), and satisfy individual curiosity. The library supports the American Library Association’s statement regarding the importance of intellectual freedom and the freedom to read. The library will collect information regardless of type (books, journals, video, etc.), or format (print, online, multimedia, etc.), but will select based on how best to foster the library and the college’s mission.

The library will take an active leadership role in information literacy across the curriculum, campus, and community. The exponential increase in information available and the continually evolving range of formats and delivery technologies requires the library to enable people to make the best possible decisions and use of time in locating, judging, and managing information in a complex environment. Hiram College students must graduate with information literacy skills in order to meet the college’s mission to foster intellectual excellence and social responsibility, enabling our students to thrive in their chosen careers, flourish in life, and face the urgent challenges of the times.

The library will support the intellectual environment of the college through programming and collaboration with partners on and off campus. Librarians will actively participate in campus service opportunities, faculty development, and campus life. Programming in partnership with student clubs, Centers for Excellence, the Friends of the Hiram College Library, and other on and off campus groups will further enhance the campus community. 

To fully realize this vision, Hiram College Library staff and librarians must be well-trained and stay up-to-date with the latest trends in information literacy, instruction, and the library field as a whole. 

The Hiram College Archives is open by appointment.

Please contact Andria Morningstar-Gray (morningstaral@hiram.edu) and Terri Foy (foytm@hiram.edu) for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Hiram College Library Archival Collections

The Hiram College Archives maintains a number of collections related to the history of Hiram College, Hiram Village, James A. Garfield, and more. A portion of the James A. Garfield Collection has been digitized for the Cleveland Memory Project. All other archival collections are physical only. 

Our Finding Aids are not a comprehensive list of our collections or their contents. More Finding Aids will be added as they are updated. If you have questions, please contact library@hiram.edu. 

The Hiram College Archives has limited space and staffing. As a result, our Archives can only collect items related to Hiram College or Hiram Village/Township. Please see the Collection Development Policy for details. 

Hiram College Collections:

Ian Johnson, Class of 2023, next to his poster about the History of Sugar Day at the Sugar Day poster presentations, April 2023.

James A. Garfield Collections:

Hiram Historical Society and Portage County History Collections:

Other Resources: