Weekly Hours
NYU Special Collections is open for in-person research appointments. To schedule an appointment, please ensure you have an active Special Collections Research Account (SCRA).
Appointment slots do book quickly, so please schedule as far in advance as possible. We are unable to accommodate walk-in visitors
For NYU Cardholders:
Appointments must be scheduled at least three business days in advance, we will confirm your appointment via email. Appointments are scheduled via your Special Collections Research Account when you submit your research requests. We are unable to accommodate walk-in visitors.
For External Researchers (Without an Active NYU ID Card):
All non-NYU researchers must follow the instructions for researchers to request access to library buildings and services. Appointments must be scheduled at least three business days in advance. We will confirm your appointment via email. We are unable to accommodate walk-in visitors.
Guidelines For All Reading Room Users
- Reading room seats are limited, and appointment slots are often filled months in advance.
- Bookings are first-come, first served, and we cannot guarantee the availability of preferred dates.
- Prior access to Special Collections does not guarantee that we will be able to accommodate your preferred requests at the current time.
The NYU Special Collections Center co-locates services for all our special collections, including:
- Fales Library and Special Collections
- Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
- New York University Archives
Researchers can request materials from all three repositories and use them in one place. Learn more about what’s in our collections.
The Center offers our community new spaces to engage with the collections, including a shared reading room, dedicated classrooms, and enhanced gallery spaces.
Plan Your Visit to Our Reading Room
How to Get Started
Use of all Special Collections materials is by appointment only.
Please make appointments at least 3 business days in advance of your visit.
- Register online for a Special Collections Research Account (SCRA) before your visit.
- You can use this account to schedule appointments and request materials to be pulled for your visit. Please note there is a request limit of up to 6 boxes or books per appointment date.
Please email scra@nyu.edu for more information.
Reading Room Guidelines
- Lockers are provided outside the reading room to store your personal belongings while you are working in the reading room. You are welcome to go back and forth to your locker as needed.
- All cell phones must be on silent.
- Photography of collection material is permitted on a case-by-case basis. Users must review and sign our photography agreement.
- The flash on your camera or phone must be turned off.
What Can Be Brought Into the Reading Room?
Yes
- Pencils
- Laptops (without cases)
- Cell phone on silent with flash disabled
- Camera with flash disabled
- 1 notebook
- Personal reference books or material, after checking them with Reading Room staff
No
- Ink pens
- Food and/or drink (including water)
- Backpack, purse, or any type of bag of any size
- Coat, jacket, or umbrella
- Pencil case
- Laptop case
- Any type of liquid or gel, including hand sanitizer or moisturizer
Guest WiFi
NYU offers guest wifi access for non-NYU-affiliated researchers. Staff members at the desk can provide you with registration details.
Handling of Materials
Please follow staff instructions on handling the collection material. Some standard rules to keep in mind:
- Books will be served one at a time. If you are using a book, please keep it in the cradle it is served on at all times. Use only the weights provided to hold open the pages. If you need assistance using the book, please don’t hesitate to ask a staff member for help.
- Some manuscript material may be served one folder at a time. Others may be served a box at a time.
- Please keep all foldered material flat on the table and in the order you receive it in, turning the pages like you’re turning pages in a book.
- When archival collections are served in a box, please take out one folder at a time, and use an out card to mark your place. If the materials are housed in a binder, everything must stay flat on the table. Please do not take photographs or negatives out of the plastic sheets they are stored in. Binder contents must stay in the order that you receive them.
- You will be asked to wear gloves if you are handling unsleeved/loose photographs or negatives or some three-dimensional objects These guidelines ensure continued preservation and access to NYU Special Collections materials for future students, scholars, and researchers. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation regarding these policies.
Access to Special Collections for Class Visits
For more information about bringing a class to Special Collections, please contact special.collections@nyu.edu.
For further information about Special Collections classes, classrooms and galleries, visit our Special Collections Center page.