The Hatfield Library serves the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Computing & Information Science, and the Atkinson Graduate School of Management. The Pacific Northwest College of Arts and the College of Law have their own libraries but the Hatfield Library supports their students, faculty, and staff as well. Overlooking the Mill Race and adjacent to Jackson Plaza, the library is centrally located in the heart of the campus.
The Hatfield Library offers the Willamette community a diverse, well-chosen physical collection developed over more than a century. Besides books and journals, the library's physical collection includes musical scores, sound recordings, and video recordings that provide support for courses across the curriculum. The library also provides access to a vast selection of electronic books, journals, databases, films, and music. Additionally, the library has unexpected materials available to our community such as white boards, chargers, light therapy lamps, jigsaw puzzles, games, and a whole lot more. A participant in the Federal Depository Library Program, the library has received selected government publications since 1969. The Hatfield Library also houses the wonderful University Archives and Special Collections.
The library's staff is committed to developing and maintaining services and collections to support the research needs of Willamette's students and faculty. Working together with faculty, librarians develop and teach course-related research sessions to ensure that students find the information they need and develop the skills required to locate and critically evaluate information. Students can get research help via phone, email, chat, or in person, and librarians offer individual research consultation appointments as well. The library also sponsors the annual Excellence in Research Award for sophomores and juniors.
The library is a founding member of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium of academic libraries in Oregon and Washington that provides a variety of services including expedited borrowing of materials for students, faculty and staff of member libraries. Participation in the Alliance enhances the local collection and the traditionally strong interlibrary borrowing services.
The Mark O. Hatfield Library is a vital public space on campus and includes many attractive areas suitable for study and reflection. Lectures, readings, and recitals are frequently held in the Mark O. Hatfield Room. The library contains numerous works of art and hosts a variety of exhibits throughout the year. A 24-hour study room equipped with vending machines provides student space during the hours the library is closed.
Mission
The Mark O. Hatfield Library fosters learning, critical thinking, scholarship, creativity, and personal growth within the spirit of the University’s mission, values and core themes. Through collaboration and our own endeavors, we:
Enable information and digital literacy through various modes of instruction.
Curate collections that support equitable access to a diverse range of information and viewpoints.
Provide expertise, physical spaces, and virtual environments that facilitate the creation and use of knowledge.
Preserve, make accessible, and encourage critical engagement with materials of historical value related to the University and the Pacific Northwest.