Do you need to take a peaceful break from the demands of school and work? Come visit the new Reflection Room at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Library. It provides a private, quiet and comfortable space for reflection or meditation and is available to UA students, faculty, residents, fellows and staff.

The Reflection Room is the result of a partnership between the UA College of Medicine (COM) and the Health Sciences Library. The COM had a longstanding request from students to identify a location for them to perform daily prayer. Some students used areas between the stacks in the library for prayer. Subsequently, the COM Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) approached the Health Sciences Library to see if they could provide this space. 

Annabelle Nuñez, Associate Director of the Health Sciences Library, explained how this was a perfect collaboration to meet student needs: "We had also started talking about ways to integrate programming or services that address health and wellness." 

The Reflection Room is furnished with mats, a yoga bench, a meditation pillow, serene imagery, and shelving. Funding was generously provided by Ellen Melamed, Lecturer in the COM Medical Humanities program. It is the first Reflection Room at UA Libraries and one of the first on campus.

Academic libraries across the country have opened reflection rooms to make their spaces more equitable and to support the mental and spiritual well-being of their visitors. As a part of the UA Libraries strategic map, we are also creating welcoming spaces and designing inclusive experiences for all. 

The Reflection Room is located on the second floor of the library in room 2101D. It is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and reservations are not required. 

Learn more about the Reflection Room, see directions to the library, and contact Annabelle Nuñez if you have any questions.