Hekman Library, Calvin University

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Grand Rapids, MI
Hekman Library, Calvin University

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To nourish the Calvin community of learners so we grow as Christian stewards in society and creation.

Supporting the curricular needs and scholarship of the Calvin community, we maintain a relevant and expansive collection of easily accessible resources and offer knowledgeable research assistance and instruction in a hospitable environment. Please contact us with your questions - call, email, visit or use Live Chat on the Hekman Library website at library.calvin.edu

10/19/2026

Boo to you! 👻 It's a new library display for spooky season - find scary tricks or silly treats to borrow for your Halloween movie night from Hekman's media collection!

10/07/2026

How much do you know about book censorship? Take this quiz to find out more, from the most recent annual data reports compiled by American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom on book bans and challenges in the United States. Some of the facts may surprise you, but that's why it is so important to UNLEARN our assumptions about where book challenges come from or what they might mean to everyone in our reading communities.

Original data available through the Censorship Portal at the ALA's site for Banned Books.

10/05/2026

Did you know some of our favorite books - many award-winners, best sellers, and even featured highlights at our Festival of Faith and Writing - have been the targets of widespread book bans over the years? What's behind these challenges, how do we respond, and why does it matter? Banned Books Week is here to remind us of the power of story, the issue of censorship, and our freedom to read. Check out Hekman's Banned Book display and watch for more posts as we learn more this week.

10/01/2026

Did you know October is Theological Libraries Month? So check out our new book display or take a look on the 4th floor sometime to explore Hekman's theology and religion collection - there's plenty here to keep your October... Fully Booked! 😏📚

09/29/2026

Let's READ with Calvin University President Greg Elzinga! ❤️📖💛 Hekman Library is celebrating National Literacy Month with a series of photos in the style of the classic READ posters, featuring our own Calvin icons (original photo credit to Hailey Severn Hailey Severn - much thanks for your great work!).

Here's our Calvin president reading My Heart I Offer, a book of devotions written by Calvin alumni - he says this classic is one he returns to often for its thoughtful, uplifting reflections and deep sense of connection that brings the Calvin community, past and present, together. Of course, it's always fun to share a favorite read with a friend, and John Calvin himself is no exception!

Come check out this title for yourself from the library or find other fun reads to enjoy at Hekman - share your favorite reading recs below and comment who you'd like to see in future Calvin READs posts!

09/25/2026

Happy Maroon and Gold Day from your Hekman Library staff! ❤️📕📔💛

09/23/2026

It's officially autumn now, and we're all ready to cozy up with a soothing mug of coffee or tea and a good book! So what should you read with your next cozy beverage? Presenting, Peet's Pairings! Here are Hekman Library's reading recs for our favorite seasonal menu items:

🍁 Pumpkin Chai - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
🍁 Iced Pumpkin Matcha - All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot
🍁 Pumpkin Cold Brew - The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
🍁 Sparkling Green Apple Energy - Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
🍁 Pumpkin Latte - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
🍁 Carmel Apple Protein Smoothie - Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

Hope you enjoy, and comment here to share your own Peet's Pairings of books and beverages!

09/18/2026

At this week's Hekman event, Meet Your Public Libraries, we had a wonderful time learning more about the Kent District Library and Grand Rapids Public Library - not only did we get 25 Calvin students set up with free library cards (wow! 😃), we got to know more about the amazing resources and people at our local libraries! It's always fun to welcome library friends for a visit, but especially for KDL reps Sarah Fox and Anna Dyer who have a special connection here - they're Calvin alumni!

👩🏽‍🏫 Sarah says she worked at the East Grand Rapids KDL Branch while she was a Calvin student, "but I didn't realize until after I graduated that I could make a career of it!" Since then, Sarah has worked in an elementary school library, a college library and now the public library:"It's never boring, that's for sure!"

👩🏻‍🏫 Anna was an English major at Calvin: " I didn't necessarily know where I would eventually land. I didn't even go to grad school until I was in my 30's. But public library work is so valuable and meaningful to me now, and it's just icing on the cake to get to talk to current Calvin students about everything libraries have to offer."

So, thanks again to our visitors and all who came to our event! If you missed it or want to know more about public libraries or library careers, stop by Hekman to chat with our library staff; we also encourage you to visit KDL and GRPL branches to sign up for your free library card and get to know their staff, services, and resources more this semester.

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09/15/2026

Today marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month! ❤️🪅❤️ Come check out the new month's display on 3rd floor for recommended library titles to celebrate. We have books and movies, fiction fun and academic non-fiction, English and Español - something for everyone to enjoy!

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09/09/2026

Mark your calendars for Hekman's first event of the semester: Meet Your Public Libraries! Next week Wednesday from 11:30am-1:30pm, we're inviting you to stop by the 3rd floor of Hekman and meet our friends from the Grand Rapids Public Library and Kent District Library. They have such amazing collections and services, which are not only available freely to all who live locally but also all Calvin students on-campus! 📚😃📚 Service Learning will also be here to share how you can ride The Rapid public busses to get to nearby GRPL and KDL branches. We're so looking forward to this event, and we hope to see you there!

# CalvinUniversity

Address

1855 Knollcrest Circle SE
Grand Rapids, MI
49546

Website

http://library.calvin.edu/

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