E. S. Bird Library Tour Script

 

The Syracuse University Library consists of a number of locations:

• Bird Library
• Science and Technology Library
• Math Library
• Geology Library
• Architecture Reading Room

There are also other libraries that share the SUMMIT Catalog at Syracuse University. You can check books out from these locations with an SU ID:

• Moon Library on the ESF Campus
• Syracuse University Law School Library
• Martin Luther King Library
  

SU Library contains:

• over 2.8 million books
• thousands of journals and reference materials online and in print
• more than 100,000 rare books and 5.7 miles of manuscripts
• over 20,000 films, videotapes and DVD's
• audio tapes, cd, and records

Lower Level

Business Services Office
Media Services
Adaptive Technology
Electronic Training Center
DISC


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Business Services Office   offers the following services:

- Change as well as monetary adjustments for copies and copy cards.

- Payments for Library fines and fees.

- Payments for DISC and G-SIC services, including G-SIC print cards.

- Ability for faculty to purchase copy cards on departmental accounts using interoffice IDs.

- Books for sale ($2.00 for hardcover and $1.00 for paperback).

- First floor locker rentals

Media Services:

The Media Services Department provides resource assistance utilizing multimedia, digital, video, audio, and microform resources. It also operates the Library's microfilm scanning services.

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Departmental resources include:

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• Multimedia development computer workstations
• Computer workstations for accessing general and specialized library applications software
• Videocassette and DVD viewing stations
• Facilities for audio listening
• Microform viewing
• Slide viewing
• Adaptive technology resources for students with special needs
• Digital still cameras for 24-hour loan
• 16mm film viewing
  

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The Media Services Collections include:

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• Nearly 1,000 CDROMs and other electronic files
• Videocassettes and audio recordings
• Two million microforms

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The Media Services Department provides resources and services such as interactive computer sessions and video cassette viewing. Faculty may request videos or films from our collection to show in class sessions.

The Media Services Office will also try to locate and obtain for faculty, on a rental basis, video or film titles not owned by the Library through its Film and Video Distribution service. Media Services is home to a Television History Archive, managed by the Special Collections Research Center.

Electronic Training Center (room 046) is the computer training room for library research instruction sessions.

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DISC (Digital Imaging Services Center): Full-service imaging center with print capabilities dedicated to converting images, text, and other materials into digital formats to support the teaching, learning, and research activities of the University community. DISC staff also provide consultation and referrals for imaging and printing services.

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First Floor
Study Area

Service Area for Access, Reserves and Reference
New Book Shelf
Main Reference Collection
Laptop Loan
Lockers
Vendacard machines (Copy card) and copying

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Study Areas on the first floor, lower level and second floor remain open after the Library closes (often as late as 2am) and are open 24 hours during exam periods. There are spaces for both individual and group study.

Lockers may be rented. Ask at the Business Services Office. (Cost is $15 per semester).

Service Area:

• Ask general research and database searching questions (also available through e-mail and IM)
• Check out and return library materials
• Check out and return course reserve materials
• Register for a library access card (visitors only)
• Inquire about borrowing privileges and loan periods
• Borrow a laptop
• Borrow a computer key (visitors only)
• Renew library materials (also available online)
• Fill out a missing book request form

Computers

The Library's public computers located on the first floor and throughout the Library offer access to the web, allowing users to search SUMMIT, the online catalog of Syracuse University Library, as well as hundreds of databases, thousands of full-text journals, and other research resources. The computers also allow access to your print quota and Microsoft Office 2003. You can access these computers using your Syracuse University NetID. (Visitors must register at the first floor service area and check out a computer key to use the Library's public computers.)

Printing There is a charge (.05 per page) for printing in the library, but numerous databases allow free e-mailing of results to any destination.

Subject specialist librarians are available for in-depth research assistance. Ask at the Service Desk.

Loan periods are: Undergraduates-28 days, Graduates-one semester, Faculty-one year. For exceptions, check at the Service Desk.

New book shelves display recent arrivals.

Main collection of reference books is located on the first floor.

Laptop computers can be borrowed from the Service Desk (window facing study area) to use in the Library. Laptops must be returned three hours after checkout or one hour before closing, whichever occurs first, to avoid the late fee of $.25 per minute.


Photocopiers are located throughout the library. Most operate using a debit card (called a "vendacard"). To purchase a vendacard, go to the First Floor Copy Room (room 102).




Second Floor
Diana Statue
Library Administration
Current Periodicals and Current Newspapers

Soft Seating Area

Diana the Huntress statue (1932) originally stood in the Carnegie Library on the Quad. Students would rub the dog's paw for luck prior to exams. (This is no longer allowed.)

Student employment: The Library often has job openings for students who are eligible for Federal Work Study. Current job listings are posted on JOBNET from Student Employment Services.

Book collection is on floors 2 through 5. We use the Library of Congress call number system (with call number location maps near the elevators on each floor).

Current periodicals are the most recent issues of print journals. Magazines and newspapers are shelved on this floor. These journals are arranged in alphabetical order by title. There is also a soft seating area for reading and studying.


Soft Seating Area provides comfortable chairs and sofas to sit on and study in the Library.


Third Floor

Maps and Government Information (MGI) Reference Desk
Map Room
Geographic and Statistical Information Center (G-SIC)

SUL is a selective depository library for US government and New York State publications. This means we receive copies of most of what is published by these government entities, some of it in electronic form.

MGI Reference Desk provides specialized reference assistance to those working with maps, government information sources, social sciences and area studies.

The Geographic and Statistical Information Center (G-SIC) provides software, data, equipment, and assistance with statistical analysis and presentation, GIS, mapping, and imaging work. The lab is open to all SU (and ESF) students and faculty as well as members of the public working with government depository information.

The Map Room houses hundreds of thousands of maps in multiple formats: sheet maps, atlases, Sanborn fire insurance maps, aerial photographs and digital maps





Fourth Floor
Fine Arts Reference Desk
Limited Access Collection
Picture File
Listening Area
Slide Collection

BiblioGallery

The reference desk specializes in Art and Humanities subjects. The Fine Arts collection includes resources for programs in the visual and performing arts. The desk also provides services for the Belfer Audio Laboratory & Archive.

The Limited Access Collection contains high use items, often precious collections of photographs, musical scores and other items that circulate for a limited time period.

The "Picture File" is comprised of hundreds of images clipped from magazines and is located in the Limited Access Collection. They may be checked out for two weeks.

The Music Collection consists of CDs, audiocassettes and LPs (they are for use in the Fine Arts listening area only - with some limited circulation allowed for instructional purposes).

The Slide Collection contains over 350,000 slides covering architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, cinema, politics and more.

Bibliogallery is a small gallery and study space that displays works of student artist.




Fifth Floor*

Book Collection

Quiet Study Area

Book collection - The concluding portion of the Library's collection space (call number ranges P-Z).

Quiet study area: One of the best places in the Library for quiet study because there is no service desk.

*Note: This floor is often skipped on a tour.





Sixth Floor (Open M-F 9-5)
Special Collections Research Center (SCRC)
University Archives
Safire Room
Hillyer & Spector Rooms

Special Collections Research Center is home to the Library's manuscript and rare book collections. We hold the original manuscripts of individuals such as Margaret Bourke-White, Rudyard Kipling, Joyce Carol Oates, Francis Biddle, Gustave Flaubert, Leopold von Ranke and Benjamin Spock.

Rare books include original works by Sir Francis Bacon, Sir Isaac Newton and Thomas Hobbes, among others.

SCRC exhibits its collections in the Library; exhibits change frequently to highlight various collections.

University Archives contains historical records about the university (including back issues of the Daily Orange and the Onondagan yearbook), information about buildings on campus (past and present), as well as films and videos documenting campus life, faculty and sporting events. University Archives is separately administered from the Syracuse University Library.


The William Safire Seminar Room, donated by SU Alum, New York Times columnist, and former presidential speech writer, William Safire. The room recreates a 19th Century "gentleman's library" and contains books from Safire's private collection. The books all circulate. The room is available to all Library users for reading and study.

The Hillyer and Spector Rooms are used for library research instruction and other meetings. The Hillyer Room can be reserved by contacting Instructional Services.





Misc FAQ's

Hours
M-Th 8am-Midnight; Fri 8am-10pm; Sat 10am-10pm; Sun 10am-midnight
These vary during holidays and school breaks. Check web site or hours brochure for most recent hours. The sixth floor is open M-F 9-5. Hours of Science and Technology and branches vary.

No food is allowed in the library but beverages in secured containers are allowed throughout the building unless otherwise posted .


Seminar Rooms
Available on floors 3, 4 and 5. There are rooms in the corners of these floors that are open for group study unless they are reserved. To reserve a room, call University Registrar at x3-3756.

Printing from Library public workstations (black and white only). Cost: 5 cents per page and must be done with a vendacard.

Photocopying
Cost: 10 cents per page (via vendacard); 15 cents per page if using coin-operated machines

Wireless Network
A wireless network is available in E. S. Bird Library and all its branches.

 

12/3/07 smm; 1/21/08 aks