Visitors

The Libraries are typically open to the public Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Only those with a valid SU or SUNY-ESF ID may be in the libraries outside of public hours. The Libraries Security Office monitors and checks for identification outside public hours.

Parking and Transportation

There is Visitor Parking Information available for campus visitors. There is also public metered parking available on the Waverly Street side of Bird Library. Pay parking is available in the Comstock Ave. garage at the corner of Waverly and Comstock Avenues, in the University Avenue Garage at the corners of University Avenue and East Adams and Harrison Streets, or in the Sheraton Hotel parking garage at the corner of University and Waverly Avenues.

CENTRO, the public bus transportation in Central New York, services from a bus stop located on the Waverly Street side of Bird Library. For information about bus routes that stop at this location, visit CENTRO. There is also a CENTRO bus stop located on College Place.

Syracuse University is east of Exit 18 from Interstate Route 81 (north-south), which links with the NYS Thruway (Route 90, east-west). Use Google Maps for detailed directions.

Accommodations

Food and lodging in the Syracuse University area

Information on Syracuse University's Accessibility Services.

Bird Library has ramps and curb cuts leading to both of its main entrances on the north and south sides of the building. These entrances are equipped with automatic door openers. Elevator service is available on every floor of Bird Library, and all elevators are equipped with Braille-encoded elevator buttons.

Carnegie Library has an automatic door opener on the east side of the building. A ramp inside this entrance leads to the first door, which also has an automatic door opener. An elevator is off of that corridor. The main service point is on the second floor. Elevator service runs to the 2nd and 3rd floors but is not available for the 4th floor storage area. Library staff retrieves materials from the 4th floor and mezzanine areas for students who cannot access this area.

Individuals may apply for a Guest Borrow account for a fee of $25/month, $50/semester or $100/year. You must register in advance to receive Guest Borrower Privileges to check out materials.

Free services to visitors include:

• You are welcome to use the Libraries' collections for research and study purposes. These materials include collections housed in library stacks; government documents; reference collections; current periodicals and newspapers; and microform collections.
• Users can access the library catalog through quick look-up stations located on floors 1-5 in Bird Library and on the 2nd floor of Carnegie Library. Depository collections of U.S. government publications and assistance using them are freely available to all visitors.
• With the exception of Federal Depository Library collections, SU Libraries may give priority in service to University-affiliated users and may limit visitors' access to selected facilities, collections and services.
• For access to resources in the Special Collections Research Center, please contact scrc@syr.edu.

Not Available to Visitors

• Interlibrary loan
• Course reserve materials
• Access to databases that require users login with an SU NetID and password
• Certain media materials
• Media Services workstations, except when viewing government publications
• Request and Hold service
• Locker pickup service

University research library collections and services are not designed to meet the needs of younger students or children. For this reason, visitors younger than age 18 should be accompanied by an adult.

Visitors are asked to use the campus wireless network, AirOrangeX, while in the Libraries. Personal hotspots interfere with the effectiveness of the campus network.

• Group tours of the SU Libraries and instructional sessions for students or groups of high school age or older may be arranged by calling the Instructional Services Department at 315.443.2730 at least two weeks in advance of the intended visit. The Libraries schedule such tours and sessions during times that do not conflict with campus academic needs.
• To schedule a tour or instructional session with Special Collections Research Center, please complete the online request form with at least three weeks notice. For further information, please contact scrcinstruction@syr.edu or call 315.443.2697.

Visitors can print at Bird Library and elsewhere on campus to the email-to-print printers, which print black and white, double-sided, after creating a guest Papercut account. For more information, see the visitor printing answers page.

Access to Special Collections is provided by appointment only in our reading room, which is located on the 6th floor of Bird Library. To schedule a visit, complete the Visit Request Form. We recommend making your appointment two weeks in advance, as most of our collections are housed offsite. Please request any audiovisual materials four weeks in advance to allow time for any necessary conservation treatment and digitization.

For more information, see the Visit SCRC page.

Visiting Scholars are formally associated with an SU department and should work with their sponsoring department to be assigned an SU I.D. for a defined period. Once an ID has been granted, apply for library privileges by completing and submitting a Visiting Scholar Access Form. Visiting Scholars are granted the following library privileges:

• Books can be borrowed for up to 1 year
• Compact Discs can be borrowed for up to 21 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games can be borrowed for up to 3 days
• Remote Access to Online Resources
• Interlibrary Loan
• Library Computer Use

Note: If you are a guest user who does not have a Syracuse University Account, and this is your first time signing in to Libraries Search, please contact circhelp@syr.edu.