Once I've found materials in the catalog, where do I go to see them?
General Collections: Most of the Library's collections are in closed stacks in the Jefferson and Adams Buildings or are stored off-site. Once you request an item through our catalog online, we will retrieve it for you and deliver it to one of our specified drop-off locations within the Library. Delivery times vary, ranging from a few minutes to the next business day depending on where the book is coming from.
Special Collections: Special collections materials aren't requested through the catalog and must be used in the specified reading room that holds them. You should contact the relevant reading room through Ask a Librarian to submit your request directly with them and also find our more information on how to access and use the materials. You may also want to browse through individual reading room/research center pages as they often share additional guidance on requesting and accessing their specific materials.
All reading rooms also have a selection of reference books on open shelves for researchers to browse and retrieve themselves. These materials represent only a small fraction of the Library's holdings.