Collections

The specialized holdings of each collection include a wealth of books, journals, scores, sound and video recordings (feature films, television programs, and musical performances), archival materials, rare artist’s books, and visual images that are available to the university community (archival collections are also available to the general public).

All materials are discoverable online through the library catalog (BobCat) search portal on the Libraries and Archives’ homepage.

In BobCat, offsite items can be requested. Offsite items are generally delivered in 48-72 hours. The New School Libraries & Archives subscribe to electronic databases that include such digital content as e-books, scholarly journals, newspapers, magazines, musical scores, sound and video recordings, and images.

Currently-enrolled students, faculty, and staff may access databases on-campus or off-campus signing into MyNewSchool.

Detailed guides to the archives’ collections will be found on the Archives & Special Collections page, and digital materials from the archives accessed on the Digital Collections site.

Services

The Libraries & Archives offer faculty and students assistance with and instruction in research methodologies and information literacy through:

• One-on-one appointments
• In-class instruction sessions
• Workshops
• ASK US, a 24-hour virtual reference service
• Online Research Guides
• Designing research assignments

The New School Libraries & Archives also has a robust course reserves system in Canvas. When necessary, library staff are available to work with faculty to secure copyright clearance. Learn more at About Reserves.

Spaces

During the semester, library branches are open 7 days a week, with 24-hour service at the University Center Monday-Thursday. The archives is open for research visits by appointment Monday-Friday. Please check our Hours & Locations for exact hours.

In addition to our own materials and spaces, as a member of the Research Library Association of South Manhattan, New School faculty and degree-seeking students are also able to check-out physical books at NYU’s Bobst Library and the Cooper Union library, and are able to read books on-site at other libraries such as New York School of Interior Design and Cardozo libraries.