The George Washington University

Facilities and Libraries

Outstanding resources and facilities on The George Washington University campuses complement the excellent research and cultural institutions available in the Washington metropolitan area. Our laboratories, libraries and arts and cultural centers nurture a vibrant academic community for inquiry-based research, critical thinking, creative expression and civic engagement.

University Libraries

Students, faculty and staff can take advantage of five exceptional libraries on GW’s campuses.

• The Gelman Library, among the top 100 national research libraries, has extensive collections of Jewish literature, Washington and African-American history, and Slavic, Eastern European and Asian publications.
• The Jacob Burns Law Library is among the United States’ largest and most prestigious academic law libraries, with more than 600,000 volumes and equivalents.
• The Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library is designed specifically to meet the needs of the George Washington University Medical Center community: students enrolled in medical, nursing, health science, public health and health services programs.
• Libraries on GW’s other campuses include the Eckles Library at Mount Vernon Campus and the Virginia Campus Library on the University’s campus in Ashburn, Va.

GW also is a member of the elite Washington Research Library Consortium, which gives students and faculty access to more than 7 million volumes housed at eight area universities and colleges.

Fine and Performing Arts Spaces

GW’s rich array of artistic and cultural venues supports our own exhibitions and productions as well as those of visiting artists and performers. On the Foggy Bottom Campus, Lisner Auditorium is the second largest performance venue in the District of Columbia, hosting productions ranging from Rita and Her Band to CNN’s “A Presidential Forum on Faith, Values and Poverty.” Other performance sites include the Charles Smith Athletic Center, the Mount Vernon Athletic Complex and the Morris Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Conference Center.

GW is home to two educational art galleries: the Luther W. Brady Art Gallery and the Dimock Gallery.

• The Luther W. Brady Art Gallery in the Media and Public Affairs Building is a professional showcase for art at GW. It features six to eight exhibitions each year, often with a focus on the Washington area. Through its varied schedule of temporary exhibits and special events, the gallery contributes to the cultural life of Foggy Bottom.
• The Dimock Gallery offers a hands-on experience. It provides a forum for students in the fine arts and art history departments to curate, display and critique their creative efforts. It is an environment in which students can organize exhibitions and learn about exhibition design with the advice of faculty and curators.

Computing

Academic Technologies (AT) enhances teaching and learning, not only through its computing labs and technology classrooms but also through support services for graduate and professional students. An array of computing spaces—featuring an assortment of applications, high-speed Internet access and public printing services—and GWireless access points are available on the Foggy Bottom, Mount Vernon and Virginia campuses.

A G1 account login ID and password to access technology in each classroom and lab, as well as free end-user training, are available in instructor-led workshops focused on a variety of software (such as MS Office Suite, Listserv, HTML, Dreamweaver and the Windows operating systems). Additionally, in-depth courses in computer technology, from preparatory to information technology certifications, are offered through GW’s Web-based computer training system, NetG.

At the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL), faculty and graduate teaching assistants can use our multimedia lab to enhance pedagogical practice in course design, assessment strategies and the use of instructional technologies.

Language and Media Labs

Facilities at the School of Media and Public Affairs are equipped for high-quality video conferencing, data and panel presentation, and full TV production, either for tape or to transmit live anywhere in the world. The Language Center, under the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, offers a media room with state-of-the-art computers and software and media dedicated to language studies. It also has two fully equipped media classrooms.