Barnard Library is open for seating and access to stacks for Barnard and Columbia students, staff, and faculty. Masks are required in the library. Read more about our hours or current Barnard Library services.

How to Find & Borrow Library Materials

1. Search for a Library Item

Here are a few catalog CLIO search tips, and you can also get help with CLIO searches at the CU Libraries Ask-A-Librarian Service.

2. Find the Library Item

There are 4 ways to get an item (even if it's not in CLIO):

Pull the item from the shelf yourself. Here are the Barnard Library Maps & Stacks Guide.
- For help finding books, visit us at the Circulation & Help Desk - virtually or in person.
- Barnard Course Reserves are located behind the Circulation & Help Desk and available for 4-hour checkout during Library Service Hours.
Request a Scan using the Scan link in the CLIO record for the item, and you will receive an email with the scanned chapter/article/zine.
Request Pick-Up using the Pick-Up link in the CLIO record for the item, and we’ll email you when it’s available to pick-up at the Circulation & Help Desk.
- Barnard Alum Pick-Up available in CLIO on Barnard Library materials, which are available for Barnard alums to check out for free. Welcome back!
- FLI Pick-Up available in CLIO on Barnard FLI Partnership Library materials for undergraduate students who identify as first-generation and/or low-income students.
Request items not in CLIO: If the item is not in CLIO or is in CLIO but unavailable with no Pick-Up option, request through ILL (Inter-Library Loan), and you’ll receive an email when it’s ready for you to pick up at the Circulation & Help Desk.

3. Checkout the Library Item

There are 2 ways to check out Barnard Library materials:

In person at the 2nd floor Circulation & Help Desk during Library Service Hours
With the Barnard Library Self-Checkout App
- Download from Google Play or Apple App Store to checkout any time from any floor with your phone & UNI
- Or use the 2nd floor self-checkout station any time

Circulating Collection

Circulating books, zines, films, and other items from Barnard Library and any other Columbia Library may be checked out for a semester with unlimited renewals (renewals can be blocked if the item in question is recalled or requested).

Course Reserves

All Course Reserves can be checked out for 4 hours at a time. Course Reserves cannot be renewed. Course reserves may go out until 10:00 AM the following morning if checked out less than 4 hours before closing during weekdays. There are scanners available on floors 2, 3, and 4 if you'd like to make scans for your personal use.

Barnard FLI Partnership Library

Barnard and Columbia undergraduate students who self-identify as first-generation and/or low-income may fill out the online FLI Partnership Libraries Access Form to have additional access. After you fill out this form, we upload your information so that when you check out materials from the Barnard or Butler FLI Partnership Libraries you will have a semester-long checkout period with unlimited renewals.
Materials in the Barnard or Butler FLI Partnership Libraries are available for anyone with a UNI to check out for 2 hours with no renewals.

Barnard Library materials do not incur fines; our priority is to support student access to library materials. We forgive all past fines incurred on Barnard Materials before our change in policy (we cannot do so for other Columbia Libraries). If you need to have Barnard Library material fines forgiven (including for transcript/diploma blocks), email us at library@barnard.edu.

Virtual Circulation & Help Desk

2nd Floor Circulation & Help Desk

library@barnard.edu