Fondren strives to make the library accessible to all its users. Check out our services.
Services
Assistance
Custom Map Design
The GDC can create custom map designs for classroom learning or for use in publication.
DMC Assistance
The Digital Media Commons offers individual and work assistance by appointment.
Donor & Community Consultations
Woodson Research Center can provide expert advice on personal archiving, donating or selling items, donating A/V materials or appraising collections.
Faculty Assistance
Fondren Library provides instructional and research services for Rice Faculty.
GIS Assistance
The GIS/Data Center offers individual assistance by appointment.
GIS Consulting
The GDC can consult on your mapping project.
Off-Campus Access to Online Resources
Trying to access online resources while off-campus? You will be required to sign into the library's EZproxy service.
Office of Information Technology Student Computing Consultants
OIT has Student Computing Consultants located at the Reference Desk on the first floor of Fondren Library.
Preservation Services
Fondren does not provide preservation services to the public, but are some resources for taking care of your own private collection.
Student Assistance
Fondren Library is here to help Rice Graduate and Undergraduate Students with their research.
Woodson Scanning Assistance
Woodson Research Center can assist patrons with scanning items from the archives, rare book, or manuscript collections.
Borrowing
Alumni Services
Rice Alumni have access to selected Fondren Library resources through an agreement with the Association of Rice Alumni.
Borrowing Equipment
Fondren Library has a variety of equipment for checkout or use while in the building.
Borrowing Materials
Understand your borrowing responsibilities, loan periods and associated fines with a Rice ID.
Course Materials
Library books, articles, videos and other materials placed on hold for a university course at Fondren Library.
Document Delivery
Rice Faculty and Senior University Administrators can get journal articles and books pulled from the stacks and put on hold.
Houston Institutional Borrowers
Even if you're not affiliated with Rice University directly, you may still be able to borrow items from Fondren Library. See if you're eligible...
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
When an item you need is not owned by Fondren Library, or is unavailable, you may request to borrow the item from another library.
Library Membership Benefits
Not affiliated with Rice? Get borrowing privileges by joining the Friends of Fondren Library.
Recall, Renew & Return Items
Want a book that's currently checked out? Did you receive an email that an item you have is recalled? Here's what to do...
Reserve, Check out, and Return DMC Equipment
DMC has 77 different types of equipment available for checkout to Rice ID Holders.
Collections
Draft - Materials Purchase
Fondren Library welcomes suggestions for the collection.
Leisure Reading & Audio Books
Entertaining contemporary fiction and non-fiction books compliment Fondren's large collection of research materials.
Microforms
Located in the basement of Fondren Library, the Kelley Center houses over 200 major microform collections
Rare Books
Woodson Research Center contains more than 35,000 volumes including a number of named collections.
Retired Faculty Services
Retired faculty may be able to access select electronic resources from off-campus.
Rice University Archives
The William Ward Watkin and Annie Ray Watkin University Archives contain the historical records of Rice University.
Rice University's Archived Websites - Archive-IT
Access dozens of Rice University's websites from the past. The Archive-IT service automatically archives past versions of campus websites.
Special Collections
There are more than 1,000 manuscript collections in the Woodson Research Center that focus on the history of Texas and the Greater Houston area, politics, entrepreneurship, oil and gas, architecture, women’s history, and fine and performing arts.
Subject Specialists / Librarians
Librarian specialists, who serve as liaisons to each academic department on campus, are available by e-mail, phone or appointment to assist you.
Research
Fondren Library Publishing Services
Publishing services at Fondren Library align with the library’s efforts to deepen the impact and visibility of Rice research.
Rice Research Repository Policies and Procedures
Rice Research Repository Policies and Procedures
Sharing Data
Data Repositories
Sharing Research Data via the Rice Research Repository
The Rice Research Repository (R-3) will host data associated with Rice research projects.
Spaces
Baby Changing Station
Fondren has a unisex bathroom with a changing table for your baby.
Digital Curation Lab
The Digital Curation Lab is a collaborative workspace for digitization, digital curation, and data management projects.
Mothers' Room
A quiet room for nursing mothers for pumping and/or nursing.
Scanning & Printing
Fondren Library has printers and scanners available for all users.
Study Carrels & Lockers
Fondren offers reserved, personal study spaces in the library with convenient locations, ideal for heavy research.
Study Room Reservations
Fondren Library has over 40 private study rooms available for checkout to Rice ID Holders.
Training & Education
Data @ Rice Workshop Series
Learn beginning to advanced data and programming skills at one of our Data @ Rice workshops.
Data @ Rice Workshop Series - Fall 2023
Learn beginning to advanced data skills at one of our Data @ Rice workshops.
Data @ Rice Workshop Series - Fall 2024
Learn beginning to advanced data and programming skills at one of our Data @ Rice workshops.
Data @ Rice Workshop Series - Spring 2023
Learn beginning to advanced data skills at one of our Data @ Rice workshops.
Data @ Rice Workshop Series - Spring 2024
Learn beginning to advanced data skills at one of our Data @ Rice workshops.
Data @ Rice Workshop Series - Summer 2023
Learn beginning to advanced data skills at one of our Data @ Rice workshops.
Data @ Rice Workshop Series - Summer 2024
Learn beginning to advanced data skills at one of our Data @ Rice workshops.
Departmental and Teaching Support Consultations
Woodson staff members are available to discuss primary source materials held in the various collections of university archives and manuscripts for purposes of departmental historical research and teaching instruction.
Library Instruction
Fondren Library provides learning opportunities in many areas, from searching the research literature to creating multimedia presentations, using data, archival research and more.
Self-Directed GIS Training
Learn GIS software at your convenience.