If you walk into Founders Memorial Library on a Tuesday afternoon, you’ll probably see exactly what you’d expect at Northern Illinois University. There are students hunched over laptops, the faint hum of a printer struggling for its life, and the smell of old paper.
But there’s a weirdness to this place that most people miss.
It’s not just a giant box of books. Honestly, it’s a five-story architectural time capsule that almost didn't happen because of a lawsuit over bookstacks. Yeah, really.
The Secret History of Founders Memorial Library
Most students think the name is just some generic tribute. It’s actually personal to DeKalb. The library honors four specific guys: Isaac Ellwood, Joseph Glidden, Jacob Haish, and Clinton Rosette.
These were the "barbed wire barons."
Back in 1895, they basically flexed their wealth to make sure NIU ended up in DeKalb instead of some other town. When the library finally opened on January 10, 1977, it was the biggest thing on campus. It cost about $13.5 million, which was a massive chunk of change in the seventies.
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There's a famous story—well, famous if you're a library nerd—about the carpet. When the building opened, it had this wild, aggressive yellow-and-black striped carpeting. One administrator called it "astonishing and disorienting." It stayed there for 28 years. Imagine trying to study for finals while the floor is literally screaming at you.
That Closed Walkway
Ever noticed the bridge connecting Founders to Swen Parson Hall?
It’s been closed since 1980. For a few years, students used it to cart books back and forth. But then NIU installed an electronic book detection system because they were losing over 10,000 volumes a year to "accidental" borrowing. They couldn't afford to staff the bridge exit with a guard, so they just shut it down. Now it’s just a ghost hallway.
Why the Floor Plan is Kinda Genius (and Kinda Confusing)
If you’re new here, you will get lost. It’s a fact of life. The building was designed by Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum using a "modular" system. Basically, the architects wanted it to be flexible. Almost no walls are permanent.
The layout is spread across five main floors, though technically there are six levels if you count the basement "compact shelving" area that was added later.
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- First Floor (The Hub): This is where the action is. You've got the circulation desk, the Scholars’ Den, and the new Contemporary Children’s and Family Collection. If you need a coffee or a loud place to chat, this is usually it.
- Second Floor: This is actually the "entry level" from the main campus elevation. It holds the government publications, the Writing Center, and a lot of the heavy-duty research help.
- Third Floor: Home to the Digital Convergence Lab and more specialized tutoring.
- The High Floors (4 and 5): This is where the stacks live. If you need total silence and the smell of 1970s dust, head up here.
One thing you shouldn't miss is the original school seal. It’s a mosaic from 1899 that says "N.I.S.N.S." (Northern Illinois State Normal School). It was almost thrown away in a dump truck in 1968, but someone saved it, and now it’s reset in the Founders floor.
The Weird Stuff in the Basement
Founders Memorial Library is a bit of a hoarder in the best way possible.
They have the "Nickels and Dimes" collection. It’s a massive digital and physical archive of 19th-century dime novels. These were the trashy paperbacks of the 1800s—Buffalo Bill stories and "Tip Top Weekly."
They also house the February 14, 2008 Memorial Collection. It’s a heavy part of the university archives, kept for scholarly research to document the campus tragedy and the healing process that followed. It’s not just a place for books; it’s a place for the school’s collective memory.
Real Talk: How to Use the Library Without Losing Your Mind
If you’re actually trying to get work done, don't just sit on the first floor. It’s way too loud.
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Go to the fourth floor. Find a carrel near the windows. The library has about 1,600 seats, but the good ones go fast during finals week.
Also, use the "AnywhereLabs" and "AnywherePrints" tools. You can literally send a document to the library printers from your dorm bed and pick it up later. It saves you from that panicked 5-minute sprint before class.
Actionable Tips for your Next Visit:
- Check the 1st Floor for New Tech: They’re constantly updating the Scholars’ Den with new collaborative gear.
- Visit the Rare Books Room: It’s on the 4th floor. You can see things that aren't on the regular shelves, but check their hours first because they aren't open as long as the main building.
- Use the Subject Specialists: NIU has librarians who specialize in specific topics like music, business, or history. They aren't just there to tell you where the bathroom is; they can literally find sources you didn't know existed.
- Look for the "Kissing Bench": It’s near the building (technically closer to Swen Parson). It’s a 1903 senior class gift that’s part of the local campus lore.
Founders Memorial Library is basically the brain of NIU. It’s big, it’s a little bit brown and blocky, and it has a weird history with lawsuits and striped carpets. But once you figure out which floor has the best Wi-Fi and which corner is the quietest, it’s easily the most useful building on campus.
Next time you're there, look down at the floor. That mosaic seal has been through more drama than most of the people walking over it.
Plan your visit around the peak hours. Mid-morning is usually the sweet spot before the lunch rush hits the first-floor lounge. If you need a specific rare book, email the Special Collections staff at least 24 hours in advance. They’re great, but they need time to pull the fragile stuff from the temperature-controlled areas.
Grab a map at the front desk. No, seriously. The "subject cluster" arrangement makes sense to librarians, but to a normal person, it’s a maze. Having a physical or digital map on your phone will save you from walking in circles on the third floor for twenty minutes.