

Room to think
A tale told in photos: Thompson Library welcomes Buckeyes from morning to night.
If Ohio Stadium is our ’Shoe, we can consider Thompson Library our thinking cap. After all, this home on the Oval helps us learn, investigate and contemplate, usually for longer than the day’s light lasts. The library’s magic is in how it can be whatever Buckeyes need — contemporary or traditional, elegant or functional, a place to work alone or together.
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At the top of the 11-floor tower, a quiet study room affords visitors incredible views of campus and miles of Columbus skyline. Sophomore Jamie Harmon, an electrical and computer engineering major, found one of the best seats by arriving early on this cold day before winter finals.

The brighter areas on this bust of William Oxley Thompson, Ohio State’s fifth president, show where visitors pat it most often on their way in or out. Taking part in the good luck ritual is Safa Mohamed, a junior double majoring in finance and political science.


Instructional Services Coordinator Lisa Iacobellis ’78, ’81 MA, ’17 PhD helps a Knowlton School landscape architecture class explore historical photos and drawings.




The Buckeye Reading Room on the second floor is one of the most popular rooms among visitors. Monday through Thursday — peak days for Thompson — an average of 7,000 to 8,000 people use the library.

After the sun sets, the library dims, creating an even cozier feel for students studying late. From left are seniors Yiming Cheng, Tianhao Zang, Zhuozi Xie and Yuyang Pan.

Senior Nick Madama, an English major, collects books returned to the deposit box. The library lends beyond campus as well: It is the No. 2 lender in a global book exchange.
Video: A day at Thompson Library in 60 seconds

This minute-long video shows a day in the Grand Reading Room as Buckeyes study for finals.

Grow a collection
The Ira Aldridge Fund, an endowment inspired by playwright and Ohio State friend Ted Lange (who portrayed bartender Isaac on “The Love Boat”), aims to add underrepresented voices to University Libraries’ performing arts collection.