Renfro Library's main stacks hold over 85,000 books and bound periodical volumes. This general undergraduate collection is maintained in such a way as to reflect the Mars Hill College commitment to the Liberal Arts and the changing needs of college faculty. The book collection is arranged by Dewey Decimal classification number.

Inside the Renfro Library building, the main stacks are on the lower level and can be reached by going down the central staircase on the main floor of the library or by taking the elevator located behind the central staircase.

Call Bev Robertson, Library Director, x1561
Call the Circulation Services Desk x1518

The Curriculum Library maintains a collection of children's and young adult literature, and professional materials for use in the elementary and secondary school classroom.  The collection supports the Mars Hill College teacher education program.

The Curriculum Collection is located in Renfro Library.

Call the Circulation Services Desk x1518

Renfro Library subscribes to approximately 660 current periodicals and newspapers, selected to support the college's academic programs and to provide general and recreational reading for library patrons.  The library also provides access to the full-text of over 10,000 electronic periodicals.  Back issues of periodicals and newspapers are maintained in bound, microfiche and microfilm format.

With a few exceptions, periodicals may not be checked out.  Ask the reference librarian on duty for permission to check out an issue in order to have a slide or overhead transparency made at the Media Center or to use the issue in a class presentation.

Current periodicals: to the left of the Circulation Services Desk as one enters the library.
Newspapers: current issues in display racks near the south staircase; back issues shelved near current periodicals.
Film: against the wall behind current periodicals.
Fiche: behind the Circulation Services Desk.
Bound periodicals: in the library main stacks on the ground floor, immediately following the 900s; shelved alphabetically by title.

Call the Circulation Services Desk x1518

The Reference Collection in Renfro Library consists primarily of materials selected to support the college's academic program. These materials include atlases, bibliographies, dictionaries,directories, encyclopedias, guides, handbooks, indexes,and manuals and may be in print or electronic format.

Reference materials may not be checked out, and are, therefore, always available for use.

The Reference Collection is on the main floor to the right of the Research Assistance Desk as one enters the library.

Call the Research Assistance Desk x1468
Call Bev Robertson, Director of Library Services, x1561
(Click here for more about Reference Services.)

The Special Collections includes Appalachian material in the main stacks of the library and in the Appalachian Room.  Materials in the library stacks are available for circulation.

Notable among the manuscripts collection held in the Appalachian Room is the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Folk Music Collection, which includes scrapbooks, pictures, sound recordings, and other memorabilia.

Other special collections include the Southern Appalachian Photographic Archives, the Gertrude M. Ruskin Collection of Cherokee Indian artifacts and materials, the Long Collection of Baptist records including associational minutes and church histories, and the college archives including papers relating to the history of Mars Hill College.

The Appalachian Room is located on the lower level of the Renfro Library building, and can be accessed from the library parking lot on Bailey Street or from inside the library main stacks. The Appalachian Room is open from 1-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and is closed during school breaks. Please call ahead for an appointment.

Call Peggy Harmon, Special Collections Supervisor, x1394 for an appointment.
Call the Circulation Services Desk. x1518