The Teachers College Resource and Outreach Center (TROC) provides support for the educational needs of The Teachers College faculty, students and staff through the lending of instructional-related materials, the demonstration of technology equipment and the service of on-site and virtual outreach.

Our priority is to assist students and faculty in teacher education preparation programs.

• Our collection of over 20,000 materials includes picture books, young adult literature, graphic novels, award books, professional books, test prep materials, and other instructional resources to assist in the growth of knowledge about teaching.
• We are the “tech hub” for TTC with a greenscreen room, podcasting equipment, CriCut and t-shirt design equipment, lightboard, 3D printers, and more.
• Collaborative space is available for class and group activities. However, we have study spaces for individuals too.

About Us

Established in 1979, the Resource and Outreach Center (TROC), formerly known as the Resource Center was developed as "a model of inter-institutional cooperation." The center was designed to combine the resources collections of The Teachers College (TTC) and the special needs collections of the Flint Hills Instructional Materials Center, a division of the Flint Hills Special Education Cooperative (FHIMC), including seven school districts from Emporia and the surrounding area.

The Teachers College Resource Center experienced a major transition in 2018 as the partnership with FHIMC came to an end. Although the partnership is no longer part of TTC, educators are still able to continue to check out materials from TTC Resource and Outreach Center via our TROC Patron Program.

Additionally, the print collection includes hundreds of books from two generous donors: Gary and Barbara Bleeker. Gary and Barbara Bleeker, former professors at Emporia State University, were the recipients of children and young adult books each year. The Bleekers reviewed many of these for the Topeka Capital-Journal and used others in workshops taught throughout the state. These books were later donated to TTC Resource Center to be available for circulation to all and enjoyed by many. TROC's collection has over 10,000 books, with new books added every year.

In 2021, TROC merged with the Jones Institute of Educational Excellence, retaining JIEE's programs including the Great Plains Center for National Certification and Reading Recovery. The Resource Center was renamed "The Resource and Outreach Center" or "TROC," serving to provide instructional materials; utilizing some of the resources from FHIMC and adding new materials, resources, and technology, and offering professional development opportunities, based on the curriculum requests and the interests of The Teachers College faculty and students.