The University of Chicago Harper Memorial Library Commons

About the Commons

Located on the historic quads of the University of Chicago campus, the Harper Memorial Library Commons combines the stately Harper and Stuart Reading Rooms of the former Harper Library into a renewed space for both individual and collaborative learning. The Harper Reading Room is designated for quiet, individual study, while the Stuart Reading Room, with its multiple cubicles and open-seating plan, is ideally suited for group work.

During the quarter, the Commons remains open round-the-clock from Sunday mornings through Friday afternoons; it is also open on Saturdays from 10am to 10pm. Students have access to computers at the 10-terminal Usite station in the Stuart Reading Room. In addition, Stuart hosts the College Core Tutor Program and Writing Tutors on Sunday through Thursday evenings, from 7pm to 11pm. Read more about the College’s tutoring services »

College Librarians at the Commons

The College Librarians provide invaluable advice on discovering and navigating library resources for major writing assignments. They are available for personal consultations and group work weekdays from 2pm until 5pm in the West Tower room of the Commons.
Read more about the College Librarians »

The Common Knowledge Café

Serving a variety of coffee and tea specialties, the Common Knowledge Café is open from 11am until 1am Sundays through Thursdays, and until 6pm on Fridays in the East Tower at the main entrance of the Commons. The Café stocks a selection of prepared meals from local restaurants for lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks.

The Al Weisman Corner

Thanks to a generous endowment from the Al Weisman family, the Commons subscribes to a broad range of newspapers, magazines, and journals covering fine arts, literature, politics, finance, religion, culture, and athletics. Our current subscription list includes over 80 titles. Grab a cup of tea at the Café and relax with the latest issue of the Economist, Granta, Art in America, Gray’s Sporting Journal, or Wine Spectator.

Where are the books?

The Harper Library housed a collection of roughly 500,000 volumes, which were moved to the A-Level of the Regenstein Library in July 2009. Currently, the College is assembling a new, non-circulating collection of books for use within the Commons.