Thanks to contributions from former CC Research Ambassadors, this blog can already provide you with useful information about the libraries’ resources and how those resources can enrich your studies as you move through the Core. As a former student employee at Butler Library, in this post I’d like to provide some more specific, concrete (post-pandemic) insights and tips for making the most of the libraries’ resources, be it for your Core projects, any research you may conduct, or your personal reading habit.
Construction of Columbia’s Butler Library, Photo Credit: Columbia University Archives (Via Stacked Magazine)
Firstly, how do you check out a book? This may seem extremely simple, and once you’ve done it a few times, it usually is. But if, like me, it can feel daunting to do something you can’t first visualize, I hope a more concrete guide can be of some use.
To find the book you’re looking for, you’ll first want to find its page on CLIO. For most materials, the quicksearch function will suffice, and if the libraries have a physical copy of the book, its location should be listed along with a call number. Usually, older books will follow the Dewey Decimal System and newer books will be in the Library of Congress format. Let’s say it’s at Butler, which is most likely. (Other libraries at Columbia operate in very similar ways and will have analogues for most of what I’ll describe.) You’ll want to make your way to the entrance to the stacks, which in Butler’s case is one floor up from the entrace and right behind the front desk. By the elevator, a framed guide should indicate which floors are designated for which call numbers. The first one or two letters of the call number should be enough to figure out which floor to head to, though some letter combinations are split between adjoining floors. I encourage you to appreciate order and embrace chaos at this and all further stages.
Once on the appropriate floor, another framed guide by the elevators should indicate which shelves have been assigned which call numbers. Orient yourself with respect to the elevators, which should be shown on the map. Once at the correct shelf, you’ll find that numbers and letters increase or move through the alphabet as you look downwards and righwards. Different editions can be distinguished via the last part of the call number, which is usually the date of publication. Your book should be right there in front of you, surrounded by similar-looking call numbers. Check out the book at the front desk, take note of the due date, and you’re set.
Sometimes, the materials you want won’t be located physically on the Morningside campus. In that case, you have a few options to choose from: borrows and requests, visiting affiliated libraries, and Columbia’s extremely rich Special Collections. Some require appointments—don’t be deterred!
If at any step of this process, you find yourself stumped—especially if you are looking for very specific and/or rare resources, or if you’re having trouble determining what resources you want to access in the first place and where—don’t hesitate to get in contact with a library employee. However, who to contact, and where, can sometimes be unclear. As a student worker at Butler, people often mistook me and my full-time co-workers for librarians, but not everyone who works at a library has a PhD or MLS. The front desk can help you if, say, the book you’re looking for isn’t where it should be, but if you’re looking for more specialized advice on which resources you might want and how to find them, never hesitate to reach out to librarians. At Butler, a librarian is often on standby across from the front desk at certain hours during the day. The Ask a Librarian live chat tool should also be a go-to resource. And in most cases, you will be able to find and make an appointment with a librarian specialized in the topic that interests you on this page. Finally, I encourage you to attend library workshops—usually there are a few each week—on anything from publishing and copyright to discipline-specific sessions. If you’re busy at the moment, get on the email list—the Libraries’ Workshops Digest is an absolute joy.