Monday - Thursday     9 am - 11 pm
Friday                9 am -  9 pm
Saturday             10 am -  7 pm
Sunday             12 noon - 10 pm

Collections 

Avery Library, one of Libraries' distinctive collections, is an open-stack non-circulating research library containing over 400,000 volumes and 1900 periodical titles. The Library is composed of three collections: Avery, Fine Arts and Ware. The Avery collection, one of the world's outstanding collections in the field of architecture, also includes materials on archaeology and the decorative arts. The Fine Arts collection represents the range of literature in art history. The Ware collection, the library's only circulating collection, is composed primarily of urban planning, housing and real estate development materials, as well as some core English language art and architecture books.

Locating Material 

CLIO, the on-line catalog, contains records and circulation information for all materials cataloged since 1981, records for all currently received journals, and records for on-order/in-process materials since 1983. The Avery Library card catalog is a union catalog for all art and architecture books and periodicals on the Columbia campus added until 1987. LibraryWeb terminals provide access to a variety of periodical indexes, reference tools, Internet resources, and catalogs from other universities.

If you are a Columbia affiliate, any in-process item may be requested for rush processing through the assistance of a reference librarian or online. If an item is not found in CLIO or the Avery Library card catalog, see a reference librarian.

The Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, part of of the Research Institute of the J. Paul Getty Trust, is an index to articles on architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, and urban planning in journals received at Avery Library.

A reference librarian is available for assistance during many of the hours the library is open.

Using Materials 

Avery and Fine Arts books and periodicals do not circulate. Assigned shelves and carrels are available for Columbia graduate students and faculty. Temporary hold shelves, for all other patrons, are available. Ware books may be charged out for a 4-week period (1 semester for MA & Ph.D. students), with renewals permitted.

Reserve materials for graduate and upper-level undergraduate courses in architecture, art history, urban planning, real estate development, and historic planning are shelved behind the Service Desk.  Reserve materials may only be used within the Library. There are no overnight loans.

Fines apply to Reserve books and Ware materials only.

Missing books will be searched as time permits. Search request forms are available at the Service Desk and online.

Special Collections 

Rare books are designated "Classics" in Avery Library. The "Classics" collection (Room 234) is open Monday-Friday from 10am-4:45pm. The books are paged from closed stacks four times per day (at 10:00am, 11:30am, 2:00pm, 3:30pm). Request forms must be received 15 minutes before the paging times.

The Drawings and Archives collection of Avery Library contains over 500,000 items including original architectural drawings and a variety of archival materials. The collection is open Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday from 9:30am-1pm, 2:00-5:00pm; Wednesday 2:00-5:00pm.  Drawings and Archives materials may be seen by appointment only (tel.: 212-854-4110).

General 

A valid Columbia ID card or library reader's card is required for entrance to the library. Non-Columbia users who wish to consult materials in Avery must apply for a reader's card at the Library Information Office, 201 Butler Library, (tel.: 212-854-7309) Mon.-Fri. 9am-6pm, Sat. 11am-6pm,-Sun. 12n-5pm.

Eating, drinking (any beverage),  smoking, and cellphone use  are not permitted anywhere in the library. 

Restrooms are located on the 200-level off the Graduate Reading Room and in the Wallach Study Center for Art & Architecture (this restroom is ADA compliant).

Public telephones are located on the 1st, 5th, and 6th floors of Avery Hall (outside the Library). A campus telephone is located in the vestibule of Avery Hall (outside the Library).

Photocopiers are available in rooms 226 and 227, in the southeast corner of the 200-level. Copying facilities are supplied by Print Services. Letter/legal size copies cost $0.10 per page; 11 x 17 copies cost $0.20 per page. Copies may be paid for using coins, University ID with Flex account, or a Flex card. A $5.00 bill must be used to purchase a Flex card initially. There is also a color copier which costs $0.50 per page. The library does not supply change for photocopying. Classics (rare), fragile, and oversize materials may not be photocopied.

A photographic copystand is available in room 224 for students and faculty. Patrons must supply their own cameras and film. Reservations for the use of the copystand may be made at the Service Desk. Use of the copystand costs $0.25 per hour and is limited to 2-hours per day.

A scanner is available in room 223 for scanning images. Reservations for use of the scanner may be made at the Service Desk. Use of the scanner costs costs $1.00 per half hour and is limited to 1-hour per day. Patrons must supply their own USB memory sticks or CDs.

Requests to publish reproductions of Avery materials should be addressed in writing to the Director of the Avery Library.

Personal security: Please keep a close watch on handbags, briefcases, cameras, laptops, and other valuables. Should you lose anything, please report the theft to the Service Desk or the Head of Access Services (Room 229) and to the Lost and Found at the University Security Office, 111 Low.