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A Visitor’s Guide to the Mertz Library

Hours of Operation
Using the Library
Photocopying, Photography, Digital Images and Scanning
Fees
Security Regulations
Personal Computers
Accommodations

Hours of Operation

Tuesday through Thursday:   12 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Friday and Saturday:   12 p.m. until 5 p.m.

The Library is closed on Sunday, Monday, and holiday weekends.

During the summer months (July through mid-September) the Library is closed on Saturday and closes every weeknight at 5:00 p.m.

Recorded message for hours and information: (718) 817-8604

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Using the Library

The Library makes its collections available and accessible to all users. The collections, with the exception of the small Circulating Library, do not circulate except on campus to the offices of Garden staff and students in the Graduate Program and the School of Professional Horticulture. Many of the volumes as well as materials from other Library collections are fragile in nature and must be handled with great care. Photocopying is restricted for such items.

Library users are encouraged to search the online catalog by title, author, subject, or keyword, for books and journals they wish to use. A call slip can be printed out from the printers available at each public terminal. Printed call slips are the easiest and most efficient way for the Library staff to retrieve the correct material from the stacks. Users are asked to bring their requests to the Reference Desk and leave a form of identification (i.e. Student I.D., driver’s license) with the desk staff upon the receipt of the requested materials.

Online Catalog: The Library's online public catalog, CATALPA, features full bibliographic descriptions, subject headings, and author and title entries for all books and journals held in the collections. Terminals for searching CATALPA are located in the Library Reference Room

Applying for a Library Card: Garden Members wishing to borrow books from the Circulating Collection must have a valid Garden Membership card. An application form for Circulating Library borrowing privileges is available at the Circulation Desk. When approved, a Library barcode label will be applied to the Member’s valid Garden Membership card. It must be renewed annually.

Stack Access: The Library stacks are closed to the public. Garden staff and students in the Graduate Program and the School of Professional Horticulture may be given stack access, upon application and formal orientation. Orientation and Guided Tours of the Library for new users are given by appointment. Application forms are available at the Reference Desk.

Circulation: Books from the General Research Collection and the Pre-1850 Collection will circulate to Garden staff and students in the Graduate Program and the School of Professional Horticulture with offices at the Garden. Library materials may not leave the Garden’s premises. Materials from the Rare Book and Folio Collections, the Reference Collection, the Vertical File, the Seed and Nursery Catalog Collection and fragile materials in any format do not circulate.

Books from the Circulating Collection, which is housed in the Shelby White and Leon Levy Reading Room may be checked out by Members of the Garden for a three-week period. They may be renewed if no one else has requested them.

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Photocopying, Photography, Digital Images and Scanning

Photocopying: Only the Library Book Edge Copier may be used for photocopying Library books and journals. This machine is designed to copy bound volumes, page-by-page, while minimizing damage to the volume’s binding. The use of other office photocopying machines at the Garden for photocopying Library materials is strictly prohibited.

Large (oversize) and fragile materials: Folios, items of large size or unusual shape, volumes in wrappers, rare books, and volumes that are broken or contain fragile/acidic paper may not be photocopied.

Fold-out maps or plates, archival material and artwork may not be copied without consulting the Reference or Conservation staff.

Photography: Photographing of Library materials by users is not allowed. Arrangements for photography of Library materials can be made with the Reference staff. The Garden’s Photographer can provide, for a fee, color, black-and-white or digital images of both bound and unbound items, if the condition of the material allows.

Fine arts photographers may be called for special projects. Consult the Reference Librarians for further information.

Digital Images and Scanning: The use of hand held digital scanners, flat bed scanners, or digital cameras to copy Library material is not allowed. The Library has a Bookeye copier/scanner designed for book copy work. Arrangements to scan material from the Library should be made at the Reference desk.

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Fees

Photocopying Fees (Photocopies supplied by Library staff)
Student/Staff      $0.15 per page
General public      $0.30 per page

Printed Bookeye copies
Black & White      $1.00 / copy
Color      $2.00/copy
Minimum copying charge      $6.00 (includes first 6 pages)
Copies beyond the first five pages      $.50 per page plus postage and handling

Digital Images (300 dpi) for images scanned to disk
Images scanned to disk      $20.00 for disk + $2.00 per image (includes shipping)
Images sent via e-mail (under 3 images)      $10.00 for first image; $2.00 each additional

RUSH and Express Mail requests
Surcharge for all rush requests.      $8.00 per request
Additional express mail and postage fees will be added to Express Mail requests.

Postage Rates (for sending photocopies)
Pages 1-6      included in $6.00 Minimum Fee
Pages 7-20      $1.50
Pages 21-39      $2.00
Pages 40-60      $2.75
Pages 61+      $3.75

Other Fees
Librarian Research      $40.00 per hour for extensive reference service to offsite users.
Photographic Fees      Variable, depending on the specific needs of the user. This must be determined in discussion with a Reference Librarian.
Interlibrary loan fees      Books $12.00 per volume

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Security Regulations

No food or drinks (including bottled water) are allowed in the Library.

Lockers and a coat rack are located just outside the main entrance to the Library. Visitors entering the Library must leave their coats, briefcases, backpacks, umbrellas, oversized packages, or similar items in a locker. Use of a locker requires the deposit of one quarter, which is returned when reopened with the key.

Cell phone use in the Library is not allowed.

There is no smoking anywhere in the building.

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Personal Computers

Readers may use personal computers in the Reading Room. Electrical outlets and computer jacks are available at the study tables.

Policy on Public Use of the Internet: The Library provides a designated terminal for internet searching. Not all Library computer terminals are available for this function. Because of this limitation, the Library reserves the right to limit the amount of time a user may devote to using the internet computer station in a single session. Users may sign up for 45 minute sessions.

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