Class Visits
Faculty and instructors can request a class visit to bring students to Western Michigan University Libraries for a hands-on experience using our unique collections or virtual reality. We can help you create an educational opportunity for your students that will encourage them to think critically about sources and ask new questions.
Archives and regional history visit
Some of the unique items available for class visits at the Zhang Legacy Collection Center include:
- Regional history manuscripts including letters, diaries, business records and more.
- Photographs depicting individuals and social, institutional and business activities of the region.
- Oral histories.
- Public records of 12 counties in southwest Michigan.
- Government records including tax records, court records and township minutes.
- Federal and state census records.
- WMU archives including yearbooks, photographs, catalogs, scrapbooks and more.
Special collections visit
Some of the items in our special collections available for class visits at the Zhang Legacy Collections Center include:
- Medieval manuscripts, facsimiles and secondary works.
- American women's poetry including artists’ books.
- World War II serials (German and Allied), photographs and ephemera.
- Children's literature.
- Miniature books.
- Highlights in book history and typography.
Virtual Reality Lab visit
From personal experiences with famous architecture to traveling the world and beyond, virtual reality offers significant potential in the areas of teaching, learning and research. Bring your class for a visit to the Virtual Reality Lab at Waldo Library and:
- Travel the world with Google Earth VR.
- Visit the Acropolis, Parthenon and Athenean Agora with Athenean Acropolis.
- Explore the civic center of ancient Rome with Rome Reborn: The Roman Forum.
- Experience life on board the International Space Station with Mission: ISS.
- Try one of our other VR titles.
Information literacy and research instruction
Our librarians also work with faculty and instructors to provide information literacy and research instruction into course curriculums.