The second floor is the Library's primary service floor. It is designed to accommodate various cadet and faculty needs: research assistance, group study, printing, and assistance with writing assignments. On reaching this floor, all cadets, faculty, and visitors are greeted by a Library staff member at our Help Desk. General questions about the Library can be asked and answered here. For more extensive research requests, patrons and visitors are referred immediately to an available librarian for assistance.
In addition, we offer a virtual reference service to those both on and off Post. It is available on the Library's homepage and is staffed 8 hours a day on weekdays during the academic year. Even if the Library is closed, if a cadet leaves their email with their question in the chat interface, a librarian will answer their question as soon as we reopen. It is a great way to ask a quick question, find out if the Library has a book, or troubleshoot a problem with an article or eBook.
The Library engages cadets, faculty, and staff with a variety of activities and events both in-person and online. This can be seen through the Library's Calendar of Events, Overdrive subscription for both leisure and academic reading online, and our numerous programs. Some, such as our whiteboard questions, puzzle table, and Lunar New Year paper lantern craft kits offer cadets the opportunity to engage in passive programs. Others, such as our D&D events, therapy dog visits, and Elf on a Shelf program are all in-person programs. Our next major programs in the fall will be Tiny Art and Night at the Haig, both back by popular demand. These programs are all designed to offer cadets opportunities to engage in ways that are still academically enriching while also being entertaining.
To see more information on our upcoming programs, click here.
Along the south wall of this floor is the Class of 1953 Recreational Reading Room, where patrons can find popular novels and non-fiction books.
Our collection of Government Documents and bound print periodicals, along with an extensive microform collection of historical and scholarly materials, is located on the southeast portion of the second floor.
The Reserve Room, centered on the east side of this floor, is where cadets can access books their instructors put on hold for their classes. Most are designated for Library use only, some are available for overnight checkout, and a few for a week.
Heavily used materials, such as testing study guides and other items placed on class reserve, are also kept in the Reserve Collection. The Reserve Collection is open and materials may be used there without checking them out.
In the northwest corner of the Library, you can see cadets forming up on the Apron during meal formations, the Plain, and the General George S. Patton statue.
Library Exhibit Space
A flex-use area in the northwest portion of the second floor can accommodate exhibits and, when not in use for such a display, is equipped with furniture that cadets can arrange to fit their study and collaboration needs.
Examples of past exhibits hosted here include:
In addition to the digital exhibits mentioned above, the Library has an ever-expanding collection of digital exhibits. You can explore them here.
Class of 1986 USMA Class Ring Case
The United States Military Academy Class Ring display is located on the northwest portion of the second floor. Given by members of the Class of 1986 on their tenth reunion, this case displays a ring from most of our graduating classes since the tradition of class rings began in 1835.
Included in this collection are the rings of Generals Douglas MacArthur (Class of 1903), Dwight D. Eisenhower (Class of 1915), and Omar Bradley (Class of 1915).
The tradition of class rings began at the United States Military Academy with the Class of 1835, which designed rings for graduates in their final year of study. There were no class rings in 1836, but the following year the practice was resumed and has continued since. In 1881, the rings began to show some uniformity of design. Prior to 1897, the stone was an engraved seal or signet with the class motto, although occasionally personal initials were also used. 1897 saw the change from an engraved seal to a purely ornamental stone. After 1898 only the Academy motto "Duty, Honor, Country" was engraved on the rings. By 1917 it had become customary to have the class crest on one side and the Academy crest on the other; a standard die design was instituted for each class so that individual preference was then limited to the stone which the owner selected.
Current policy states that the USMA Library will accept one class ring per class for classes graduating prior to the admission of women, and a ring from both a male and female graduate from each class for classes graduating after the admission of women.
Class of 1962 Ring Case for President John F. Kennedy's Honorary Class Ring
This honorary class ring was a gift to President Kennedy (1917-1962) from the class of 1962. President Kennedy was presented the ring and certificate designating him as an Honorary Member of the Class of 1962 immediately following his graduation address to the class. Cadet Kirschenbauer, President of the Class of 1962, presented the ring on behalf of the Class of 1962. The ring was reacquired by the Class of 1962 and presented to the USMA Library to display alongside the official USMA Class Ring collection.
The Library has also developed a digital exhibit that includes more information on the Class Rings and the donors of the rings. You can explore it here.
Mounger Writing Center
Located on the northeast portion of the first floor, the Mounger West Point Writing Center offers regular individual one-on-one consultations and periodic group workshops for cadets working on writing tasks for all academic courses. All sessions are led by Cadet Writing Fellows, who have been selected for participation based on their writing and teaching abilities.
The Mounger Writing Center is part of the West Point Writing Program, whose offices are located on the first floor of Jefferson Hall.
Next, head down the stairs or take the elevator to the 1st floor to complete the tour and go to the 1st Floor tab of this guide.
When descending the stairs to the first floor, several of Thomas Jefferson's quotations concerning military power and conflict are visible to the left while climbing. The Jefferson statue, crest, and quotations are gifts of the Class of 1968 - "No Task Too Great" - in memory of classmates who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.
