Watercolor image created by, purchased from, and granted permission to use by AU alumna Meg Sanders.
Thrift Library supports Anderson University’s mission by:
Providing access to an ordered collection of knowledge that supports Anderson University’s academic programs.
Facilitating the discovery of new knowledge through systematic research.
Fostering the development of self-directed, lifelong learners through multiple literacies.
The Thrift Library building is a three-story, 53,000 square feet, multipurpose building that includes the following services:
| Ground Floor | Main Floor | Second Floor | |
| Library | x | x | |
| AU Makerspace | x | ||
| Anderson Central | x | ||
| Books & Beans Coffee Shop | x | ||
| Information Technology Department | x | ||
| Post Office | x | ||
| Center for Student Success | x | ||
| Writing and Multimedia Center | x |
The Thrift Library building also includes several classrooms, conference rooms, and Vandiver Gallery, which are reserved through 25Live.
The library has open seating available for 176 students and 9 reservable study rooms with seating for groups of 6-12 students. There are 18 desktop computers (6 Apple Mac and 12 Dell PC), five reference computers, three black and white printers, and one color copier/printer available for student use. Wireless internet access is available throughout the Thrift Library building for students to connect their Anderson University-issued iPads and personal devices.
Students are allowed to eat (small snacks) and drink (preferably from containers with lids) in the library as long as it is not disruptive for others or creates a mess. However, full meals and/or food that could be disruptive (loud crunching, strong smells, etc.) must be consumed outside of the library.
Thrift Library’s collection contains over 72,000 physical volumes, more than 1.8 million ebooks, and approximately 200 electronic research, reference, and subject-specific databases that provide access to countless scholarly journals, periodicals, ebooks, digital images, and audio and video recordings. Thrift Library’s collections are greatly enhanced by resource sharing and collaborative licensing of digital resources through its membership in the state’s academic library consortium, PASCAL (Partnership among South Carolina Academic Libraries), reciprocal borrowing agreements with Atla and Association of Christian Librarians, and partnership with the Anderson County Library System.