Gelman Library

The Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library is the largest library on GW's Foggy Bottom campus. During the academic year, Gelman library is open 24/7! The building serves as a campus hub for academic support and resources, housing Academic Commons, the GW Writing Center, the Instructional Technology Lab, and more.

The Gelman Library also houses the Winston Churchill Leadership Center which is a forum for the GW community to engage with the local, national, and international community to debate and discuss issues relating to global leadership. Through reflection on Churchill’s legacy, it engages current and future leaders in politics, business, industry, and academia to facilitate a greater understanding of leadership in action.

The CREATE digital studio, located on the first floor of Gelman Library, assists students, faculty, and staff with the tools and expertise to expand their ability to create high-quality videos, podcasts, interactive experiences, and data visualization. CREATE is open and available to everyone at GW - regardless of major or department. Professional staff provide workshops and individual consultations to help everyone at GW use digital storytelling to effectively communicate their research and ideas in the online world.

Gelman Library also houses the National Security Archives. The National Security Archive combines a unique range of functions: investigative journalism center, research institute on international affairs, library and archive of declassified U.S. documents ("the world's largest nongovernmental collection" according to the Los Angeles Times), leading non-profit user of the U.S.

The GW Writing Center offers free, peer-based support to students and faculty from across the university. Clients participate in one-on-one sessions with student consultants on their projects at all stages of the writing process. Our conversation-based approach helps clients strengthen their abilities as writers and become stronger editors of their own work. The center welcomes undergraduate and graduate students at all levels, from all schools, as well as staff, and faculty seeking feedback on assignments and their own writing projects.

Academic Commons is a “one-stop shop” for academic resources and services across the university. GW offers a wide range of academic support, offered by a variety of departments and divisions. Supporting the academic experience, LAI connects students to the resources and service they need to succeed.

Libraries and Academic Innovation offers a host of free workshops and events to any GWorld card holder on topics including workplace skills, data gathering and analysis, geographic information systems, programming, and design.

The basement of Gelman Library also houses a Starbucks which GW students lovingly call Gelbucks!