About the Library

Van Wylen Library serves as a vibrant center of intellectual and cultural life at Hope College by assuming a significant educational role in a college community committed to excellence in learning and teaching. The library provides an inviting atmosphere, access to numerous print and digital materials, and innovative technologies and services to deliver information and scholarly resources to patrons.

Library Mission & Values

The Hope College Library connects students, faculty and staff to information in all forms and supports teaching, learning, scholarship and creative endeavors in a liberal arts community. Diverse resources, spaces and services are provided for all stages of the scholarly communication process. The library strives to be an engaging center of lifelong learning that inspires students to question, contemplate and create.

Library Values

• Offering a welcoming and inclusive environment that affirms the dignity of all persons as bearers of God’s image and where the full humanity of all may flourish.
• Providing varied spaces and services for students to read, research, write, collaborate and create.
• Educating students, faculty and staff to use and think critically about information, technology and digital citizenship.
• Providing access to information via quality metadata and systems so users can find the information they need.
• Preserving intellectual/cultural history and collections that support the undergraduate curriculum.
• Supporting faculty research throughout the scholarly communication process.
• Valuing and empowering employees so that they succeed personally and professionally.
• Practicing good stewardship of college resources.
• Collaborating with others to achieve the broader college mission, including through campus governance, relationships with faculty and bringing our expertise to bear on campus issues.
• Championing the professional tenets articulated by the American Library Association, the Association of College and Research Libraries, and the Society of American Archivists; the Library Bill of Rights and the principles of intellectual freedom.

Contact Us

• Chat or text: You can Ask a Librarian at any time the library is open.
• Walk-in assistance: Stop by the Research Help Desk on the first floor of the library.
• Schedule a research consultation: For in-depth help, we recommend that you schedule an appointment in advance. Individuals and small groups are welcome.
• Phone: Call 616-395-7904 to speak with a Research Help Desk attendant. Call 616-395-7905 to ask about your library account or to renew materials.
• Email: Send general questions to askalibrarian@hope.edu. For questions about library accounts, fines or overdues, contact circ@hope.edu.
• Liaison librarians: Faculty can contact their liaison librarian for research assistance, collection development suggestions and help in identifying resources to support their curriculum.
• Digital Media Lab: Provides a space for students to be creative, explore and engage with technology. For more information visit hope.edu/dml.

Staff Listings

• Staff directory
• Liaison librarians

Student Jobs and Internships

Jobs and internships at the Van Wylen Library and the Archives provide a valuable opportunity to work with Hope College professionals to acquire the latest knowledge, skills and hands-on experience in academic librarianship.

Explore the available positions 

Room Finder

To reserve a room, visit events.hope.edu and submit a request.

Granberg Room Library Teaching Lab (LTL) Curriculum Library

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Group Study Rooms

Study Rooms are for the use of Hope College students. Groups not affiliated with the college may not displace Hope College students. Study Rooms are not soundproof, and so those using the rooms should wear headphones and keep conversations at a low volume when studying on quiet study floors.

Most study rooms are available first come first serve. There are four lower level study rooms available for reservation in EMS. Since this is a conversation floor these are good spaces for scheduling online meetings or classes.

Floor Maps

Our materials are arranged by the Library of Congress call number system. Use the floor maps below to orient yourself and find particular subjects.

• Lower LevelCall numbers: P-PT, Q, R, S, T, U, V, Z
• Main FloorReference materials, plus new books and magazines
• Second FloorCall numbers: M, N, PZ, plus DVDs and CDs
• Third FloorCall numbers: E, F, G, H, J, K, L
• Fourth FloorCall numbers: A, B, C, D

Directions & Parking

Parking is available along 10th Street and along College Avenue. City parking lots are available along 9th and 7th streets. All parking is free of charge.

Driving directions from east of Holland

• From I-196, take exit 55
• Travel west on Business-196 for six miles
• Continue straight, road changes name to 8th Street
• Turn left on College Avenue
• Library is two blocks south on right

Driving directions from south of Holland

• From I-196, take left exit 44 for US-31
• In three miles, take left exit 47B (Downtown Holland)
• Follow Washington/Michigan/River avenues north to 10th Street
• Turn right on 10th Street
• Library is two blocks east on right

 

Policies

Van Wylen Library is guided by the following policies.

• Borrowing Privileges
• Challenges to Library Resources
• Collection Development Policy
• Computer Usage Policy
• Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy
• Display Policy
• General Library Policies
• Library Bill of Rights
• Library Classroom Policy
• Library Liaison Program
• Online Chat Policy
• Open Access Policy
• Academic Integrity Policy
• Use of Copyrighted Materials

Cup & Chaucer

The Cup & Chaucer provides an area to gather and study in a café-like atmosphere. It is located in the lobby of Van Wylen Library and managed by Hope College Dining Services. The Cup & Chaucer offers Simpatico coffee, bottled beverages, snacks and a variety of fresh-baked goods, including Good Earth bagels. Please see Dining Services for more information. You can reserve the room using the Event Management System.

A.J. Muste Alcove

On the second floor of Van Wylen Library, a study alcove has been dedicated to pacifist, labor leader and Hope College alumnus Abraham Johannes Muste (1885–1967). This alcove features two sculptures created by Hope alumni. One is by John Saurer ’89 called "Stop, Look, and Listen." The sculpture is made of a large cylinder, cube and pyramid that feature a chalkboard surface so that those in the campus community can cover them with their own musings and reflections. The second sculpture is a bust of Muste himself, sculpted in 2018 by Dr. Ryan Dodde II ’89.

Learn about A.J. Muste and the Muste Lecture Series 

Interesting Facts

• The library is named for Hope College’s ninth president, Dr. Gordon J. Van Wylen, and his wife, Dr. Margaret D. Van Wylen.
• Van Wylen Library has five floors (92,000 square feet) and seats 695.
• The project’s architect was the firm of Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott of Boston, Massachusetts.
• The building was completed in 1988 and received an Award of Excellence for Library Architecture from the 1989 Library Buildings Award Jury of the American Institute of Architects.
• The ACRL Excellent Library Award was presented to Hope College in 2004.
• The staff teaches an average of 185 research education sessions each year.