Knowing how to find and best utilize information are crucial skills for academic success and life in the 21st century. To aid graduate students in refining these skills the libraries of New School University provide a wealth of resources and services that support our institution's programs. Among the services we provide are individual consultations with skilled librarians who also provide general library orientations. Often at the request of faculty members, the librarians teach seminars in specific subject areas.

To provide additional access to the broadest range of subjects, the university is a member of several library consortia. One of these, the Research Library Association of South Manhattan, known as "The Consortium," includes New School University, New York University and Cooper Union. Matriculated students have full privileges at all the libraries.

BobCat, the consortium's online catalog, is accessible in the libraries or on our webpage http://www.newschool.edu/cover/library/library.html . The library webpage also provides access to electronic resources, including key discipline-specific indexes such as EconLit or Philosophers Index. The webpages also include well-developed subject resource lists - just click on one of the individual libraries to explore further and find library hours. Note that during exam periods library schedules are extended.

In addition to the consortium described above, a bilateral agreement gives all New School University students reading access to legal materials at the Cardozo Law School of Yeshiva University. Students enrolled in Cardozo courses may also borrow materials there. And through the METRO consortium, New School scholars can use the resources of over 300 other libraries in the New York City area. Anyone who lives, works or studies in New York City is eligible for a free New York Public Library card - sign up by bringing proof of address and a picture ID to your local branch library. These libraries provide extensive circulating collections and access to many online resources.

To elicit feedback on improvements to library services and collections, the University Committee on Libraries includes among its members administrators, faculty and students. In addition, the libraries actively encourage suggestions for purchase from students and faculty.

Raymond Fogelman Library
(New School University)
65 Fifth Avenue, between 13th and 14th Street, Lower Level
Telephone: (212) 229-5307
Website: www.newschool.edu/library/fogelman.htm

The Fogelman Library's 194,000-volume collection is strong in the social sciences, philosophy and literature, and helps to support study at the five divisions of the university. Its resources include materials in several formats - electronic, print, and microform; nearly 600 journal subscriptions; extensive reserve readings; and reference books.

Archives and special collections include materials pertaining to the history of the university such as the avant-garde Dramatic Workshop; faculty publications and archives, including those of philosopher Reiner Schürmann and anthropologist Stanley Diamond; the Edmund Husserl Archives of Phenomenology; and the NACLA Archive of Latin Americana, containing unique primary source material. Professional reference librarians are available to assist researchers in finding and using materials on-site and on the Internet.

Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
(NYU)
70 Washington Square South (4th Street at Laguardia Place)
Telephone: (212) 998-2520
Website: www.nyu.edu/library/bobst

Bobst Library's circulating collection contains almost 3 million volumes of journals and books, shelved in open stacks by subject. The broad collection spans the humanities, social sciences and sciences and contains material in many different formats. As well, there are many electronic indexes and abstracts to help locate information; most of these must be used on-site at
Bobst. The research value of Bobst's resources is enhanced by its special collections: Fales Library of English and American Literature - housing 150,000 rare books and 1,100 manuscripts relating to 19th and 20th century authors - and the Tamiment Institute Library, the nation's finest collection in labor history, socialism, anarchism, and American radicalism. Bobst also
contains a partial depository library for federal agency reports, beginning in 1967, and for U.N. publications since 1949. There are also historical documents from the League of Nations and other organizations.

The Microform Center, holding 2.3 million items, offers access to a variety of materials in many disciplines - from 19th century newspapers to periodicals, NYU dissertations, college catalogs, and selected U.S. telephone directories. The Avery Fisher Center for Music and Media is a rich resource with its substantial collections of videos and recorded music. Consult the Bobst library's webpage for more information.

Chutick Library
(Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University)
55 Fifth Avenue
Telephone: (212) 790-0220

A wide range of legal materials, including materials in international law, are accessible at this nearby library. Note, however, that certain online databases are restricted to full-time Cardozo students and faculty.

Adam & Sophie Gimbel Design Library
(Parsons School of Design, New School University)
2 West 13th Street, 2nd floor
Telephone: (212) 229-8914

The Adam & Sophie Gimbel Design Library supports art, architecture and design degree programs offered by the Parsons School of Design. These include graphic, product, fashion design, and decorative arts. Special Collections holdings number over 4,000, including many rare and valuable items. The extensive Picture Collection provides a variety of images for students to use. The Stephen and Anna-Maria Kellen Archives of the Parsons School of Design, also part of the collection, hold material pertaining to the history of Parsons and its alumni.

The Harry Scherman Library
(Mannes College of Music, New School University)
150 West 85th Street, 4th floor
Telephone: (212) 580-0210 x232

The Scherman Library supports undergraduate and graduate programs at the Mannes College of Music in orchestral instruments, piano, harpsichord, guitar, voice, composition, historical performance, conducting, and theory. Its strong supporting collection of circulating and reference resources include music scores, books, recordings and electronic indexes. Special Collections include the Carlos Salzedo Collection of Annotated Harp Music and the Leopold Mannes Manuscript Collection.

Cooper Union Library
(Cooper Union)
41 Cooper Square (7th Street and 3rd Avenue)
Telephone: (212) 353-4189
Website: www.cooper.edu/facilities/library/library.html

Strong in architecture, art and engineering, the Cooper Union Library
supplements the resources of the Gimbel Library. Many of the architecture
books are in open stack reserve and, although they do not leave the library,
they may be consulted on site.