University of Arizona Poetry Center, Poetry library in Tucson, United States
The University of Arizona Poetry Center is a specialized library housing tens of thousands of poetry volumes in English and many other languages within a purpose-built facility on campus. The collection extends beyond books to include recordings and videos that capture different ways poetry has been performed and shared.
The center was founded in 1960 when Ruth Stephan donated her personal collection of contemporary poetry books to establish the library's foundation. What began as a single person's gift grew into one of the nation's largest publicly accessible poetry archives.
The center serves as a gathering place for poetry enthusiasts, hosting readings where visitors can hear works performed directly by poets and emerging voices. It functions as a living space where the community engages with contemporary verse in real time.
The facility allows visitors to browse the open shelves directly, making it easy to explore and discover works without library restrictions. Plan your visit ahead since hours vary throughout the week and extended browsing benefits from knowing when staff are available to assist.
The center maintains the largest publicly accessible poetry collection in the nation where readers can freely browse open shelves rather than request materials through a catalog. This approach creates unexpected discoveries and lets visitors stumble upon texts they would otherwise never encounter.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
