Guide to Current Barnard Library Services

Barnard and Columbia University Libraries staff are collaborating to support Barnard and Columbia affiliates’ access to services and materials in person and remotely for courses, research, organizing, and enjoyment. We will share and update information here as we all evolve our practices and support for each other. For more information about all Columbia University Libraries, visit the Columbia University Libraries Status Updates page.

• Virtual Circulation & Help Desk chat with Barnard Library Access Services during open hours.
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• Ask-A-Librarian at the virtual reference service staffed by Barnard and Columbia University Librarians.
• Distance learning assistance by IMATS.
• Course Materials access by Barnard Library Access Services, including the Barnard FLI Partnership Library.
• Research support through consultations and instruction sessions by Personal Librarians.
• Research and teaching support on the Guide to Remote Library Services.
• Archival materials access by Barnard Library Archives & Special Collections.
• Zine access and research support by the Barnard Zine Library.

• Barnard Library at the Milstein Center Floors 1, 2, & 3 have limited seating available for reservation. (Circulating collections remain closed.) To reserve seats, visit Barnard Library Spaces for Studying & Collaboration.

• MLC Floors 4-11 remain physically closed. See below for information on connecting remotely with Library staff, services, and collections.

• Select Columbia University Libraries are open for study spaces for students by reservation. Find out more on the Columbia University Libraries Status Updates page.

• Barnard Library circulating collections are available to request for check out and pick up at Butler Library. Eligible items will have a “Pick-Up” link in the CLIO record. Please refer to the Columbia University Libraries Pick-Up Service page for instructions about how to request materials for pickup, how to pick up the materials, and how to return materials.
• Barnard Library regularly circulating materials have unlimited renewals (log into your account from CLIO) and do not incur fines.
• Materials can be returned to the Barnard Library bookdrop in front of the Milstein Center or to any Columbia University Library bookdrop.
• If you have left or are leaving the New York City area permanently and cannot return Barnard Library materials to the Butler Library or Barnard Library book bins, please email library@barnard.edu to make other arrangements.
• The Barnard Library physical stacks and Circulation & Help Desk are closed.

• Scanning of single chapters or articles is available from the Barnard Library collection. Eligible items will have a “Scan” link in the CLIO record. Reproductions of small portions will be made in accordance with the Terms of Service. For scans of Archival material, visit the Barnard Library Archives Service Changes page.
• Students, access eresources on Course Reserve through Canvas or see other options on our Course Materials page. There are no print Course Reserves at this time.
• Faculty, request items for Barnard Course Reserves with the steps on our guide to Setting Up Course Reserves as soon as possible. The Barnard Library Course Reserves Team will then be in touch with details on the availability of each required item. Where possible, we will purchase or lease and lend electronic versions of required materials. There are no print Course Reserves at this time.
• Access Barnard Digital Archives. Visit the Barnard Library Archives Service Changes page.
• Access Barnard Zine Library. Visit the Barnard Zine Library Covid-19 Research Services page.
• Read, watch, and listen online. We continue to build collections to support our communities remotely: you can see these lists on our Barnard Intersectional Feminist EBook Reading List, streaming media on Kanopy and Swank, in our eaudiobook collection, and in our growing Open Access resources collection. And you can search CLIO for eresources including databases, digital archives, ebooks, films, and audio across the Columbia University Libraries.

For questions not answered here, please email library@barnard.edu, or, during open hours, chat with us at the Barnard Library Virtual Circulation & Help Desk.