David Adamany Undergraduate Library: A Hub for Learning and Innovation at Wayne State University
The David Adamany Undergraduate Library (UGL) at Wayne State University stands as a cornerstone of undergraduate education, providing a comprehensive ecosystem for learning, research, and collaboration. Since its opening in September 1997, the UGL has been a dynamic space, adapting to the evolving needs of students and fostering a vibrant intellectual community. Named in honor of David W. Adamany, former president of Wayne State University, the library embodies his vision of integrating educational resources with an enriching environment.
A Vision Realized: The Genesis of the UGL
The concept of an undergraduate-focused library emerged in 1982, driven by David Adamany's recognition of the need for enhanced resources and dedicated space for undergraduate students. Observing the existing library infrastructure at Wayne State, Adamany envisioned a library tailored to the specific needs of undergraduates, a novel concept at the time. Despite facing initial challenges and requiring perseverance from Adamany and the library administration, the vision gained momentum. Ground was broken on February 2, 1996, marking a significant step toward realizing the UGL.
Central Location and Accessibility
Located at 5150 Anthony Wayne Drive in Detroit, Michigan, the David Adamany Undergraduate Library is strategically positioned as a central hub within the university campus. Its location connects academic facilities with communal areas, fostering a sense of centrality within Detroit's Midtown neighborhood.
Extensive Resources and Facilities
The David Adamany Undergraduate Library offers a wide array of resources and facilities designed to support the diverse academic needs of undergraduate students.
Seating and Study Spaces
The library provides 2,337 seats across its multi-floor layout, offering a variety of study environments to suit different learning styles. These include collaborative areas for group projects and silent zones for focused individual study. Additionally, there are 27 group study rooms. Located in the study room are large white boards as well as glass windows where students can physically write upon them with dry erase markers, which are provided at the front desk of the UGL.
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Technology Infrastructure
With over 500 computer workstations, the UGL provides students with access to electronic resources, software applications, and the internet. Wireless internet is available throughout the building, ensuring seamless connectivity for students using their own devices. The library also offers printers, scanners, and photocopiers for document handling.
Media Collection
The library houses a physical media collection of approximately 8,000 items, including educational videos, DVDs, laser discs, and audiotapes. These resources support coursework in various disciplines and are available for checkout or in-house viewing.
DeRoy Extended Study Center
The library also contains the DeRoy Extended Study Center providing 24-hour access to 140 standard workstations as well as 30 work stations. The center provides a 24-hour study area with computer workstations, printers, scanners, study tables, and help desk support.
Digital Resources
The David Adamany Undergraduate Library provides undergraduates with extensive access to electronic journals, e-books, and research databases through its integration with the broader Wayne State University Libraries system. Digital media offerings have evolved to include streaming services and digitized archives, supporting multimedia research and leisure. Post-2013 developments have expanded digital subscriptions and integrations to align with evolving academic needs.
Specialized Support Services
The UGL offers a range of specialized support services to enhance the learning experience for students.
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Warrior Writing, Research and Technology (WRT) Zone
The library houses the Warrior Writing, Research and Technology (WRT) Zone. The writing center serves as a supportive resource for students who want to become better writers.
Tech Bunker Computer Lab
The David Adamany Undergraduate Library (UGL) features a Library Computing Help Desk on the first floor, serving as a primary resource for addressing hardware and software issues for students. On the second floor, the Tech Bunker & Vault provides dedicated space for multimedia creation and makerspace activities, equipping students with hardware and software for individual or small-group projects such as 3D printing, virtual reality experiences, screencasts, podcasts, photo editing, and web design.
University Advising Center
The first floor of the David Adamany Undergraduate Library serves as the primary entry point for students seeking immediate access to essential services and study resources. Adjacent to this is the University Advising Center, located at room 1600, where undergraduate students receive academic guidance, course planning, and major selection support through scheduled appointments.
Integration of Art and Culture
The art collection of Wayne State University's David Adamany Undergraduate Library is seamlessly integrated into the building's architecture and daily operations, transforming study spaces into immersive environments that foster creativity and cultural awareness among undergraduates. The Wayne State University Art Collection, which has grown to include nearly 6000 works of art, has proved a primary resource for creating such an environment. There are decorations and paintings on the walls within the UGL which embrace and enhance the everyday lives of people. The art at Adamany reinforces Wayne State University’s and Detroit's standing as a center for artistic expression.
Display Strategies
Display strategies emphasize both permanent installations and rotating exhibits to maintain dynamism across the library's floors. Permanent displays include wall-mounted paintings, sculptures in cases, and site-specific works in common areas, such as the entrance mosaic and third-floor galleries dedicated to the Cass Corridor art movement.
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Specific Integrations
Specific integrations tie art to the library's functional zones and study themes. In the lobby and first floor, Al Loving's 1998 Pewabic tile mosaic Life, Growth, Continuity welcomes visitors. The second floor's study areas feature works like Jacob Lawrence's screenprint series The Legend of John Brown. On the third floor, the permanent Cass Corridor Culture: In and Around Wayne State, 1960s-1980s exhibit occupies gallery-like spaces, with works by Brenda Goodman and Gordon Newton evoking Detroit's industrial and social landscapes to parallel themes in humanities coursework. The atrium serves as a versatile venue for rotating displays, enhancing transitions between floors.
Educational Role
The educational role of these displays is amplified through interpretive labels, guided contexts, and programmatic ties to undergraduate curricula. Each artwork includes descriptive plaques detailing its historical and thematic significance-for instance, Jacob Lawrence's screenprint The Legend of John Brown, #7 on the second floor is accompanied by notes on its portrayal of Black heroism, linking to courses in African American studies. Visitors are directed between exhibits, such as from first-floor Cass Corridor selections to the third-floor installation, encouraging deeper exploration.
Maintenance and Updates
Maintenance and updates since 2013 have focused on rotations and renovations to address evolving educational needs and fill representational gaps. The 2023 launch of the Humanities Commons introduced the exhibit The Elephant in the Room, featuring works by alumna Barbara Greene Mann and curated by Grace Serra, which highlights marginalized voices in Cass Corridor history. In 2024, a student-curated Black History Month exhibit, Stitching Stories: A Journey through Black Quilting Artistry, was installed in the atrium, featuring quilts and textiles from the collection to celebrate African American artistic legacies and align with university-wide events.
Key University Offices
The UGL houses key university offices, including the Irvin D. Reid Honors College. The UGL also houses the Irvin D. Reid Honors College on the second floor, serving roughly 2,000 high-achieving undergraduate students pursuing honors tracks across various bachelor's degree programs offered by the university. The Irvin D. Reid Honors College is the major department within the UGL.
The University Libraries System
The David Adamany Undergraduate Library is an integral part of the Wayne State University Library System, which supports the education, research, and service missions of the university. The libraries are leaders in providing accurate and timely information to Wayne State University as well as the metropolitan Detroit area and Michigan.
Components of the Library System
The Library System includes the David Adamany Undergraduate Library, the Arthur Neef Law Library, the Purdy/Kresge Library, the Vera P. Shiffman Medical Library and its Learning Resource Center at the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and the Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs and University Archives.
Services Offered
The University Libraries offer silent and collaborative study spaces, in-person and online reference and research support, interlibrary loan, circulation and course reserve services, document delivery and library and information literacy programs.
Special Collections
The special collections at the Wayne State University Library System are best described as newly emerging. Emphasis has been placed on the development of a Detroit-centric African-American Literature Special Collection, which experienced rapid growth with the acquisition of the Dudley Randall Collection, the Ron Milner Collection, and the archives of playwright and poet Bill Harris.
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