Access to the John Hay Library
The John Hay Library is open to all members of the Brown community and to the general public; any researcher presenting a valid personal identification card with photo is welcome to use the collections A virtual orientation with images is available for first-time users.

A reader registration form must be filled out by users who are not affiliated with Brown University or the Rhode Island School of Design (renewable each year). Please sign the Register located at the Reader's Services Desk each day that you use the library. Non-Brown IDs are retained at the Reading Room monitoring desk while library materials are in use (For information on access to other Brown Libraries, see Use of the Brown University Library.)

Reading Rooms
The John Hay Library's main Reading Room is available for quiet study (space permitting) as well as for research using Library materials. A separate Reading Room is available for users of University Archives.

Handicapped Access
Available at the rear entrance of the John Hay Library, facing the List Art building on College Street. A buzzer next to the door summons Reader's Services staff, who will escort users to the main floor by means of the elevator. Handicapped rest rooms are available on the lower level and are accessible by the elevator. The Lownes Room and the Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection Gallery and other museum rooms on the top floor are also accessible to the handicapped by elevator.

Access to Materials at the John Hay Library
Special Collections materials are housed in closed stacks and do not circulate outside of the building. All readers are asked to comply with Reading Room regulations designed to protect rare and fragile materials. See Paging Materials

Computing and Internet Facilities
Personal computers are welcome at the John Hay Library. All tables in the main Reading Room are equipped with power surge protectors. Hand-held scanners, because they require actual contact with materials, are not permitted.

Wireless access is available in the Reading Room, the University Archives, the Lownes Room, the Reader's Services area, and the Bruhn Room. Any Brown student, faculty or staff member who has activated his or her account (http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/CIS/activate/) is eligible to use the wireless service. A cluster of networked workstations (including one in the main Reading Room) affords access to the Library's online catalog, the internet, subscription databases, and electronic journals.

Lockers
Secure lockers for coats and personal property are available in the Reader's Services area on the main floor of the John Hay Library.

Personal Reserves
Paged materials will be held on personal reserve for one month; arrangements may be made for longer reserve periods. Request personal reserves when you submit paging requests, or notify the Reading Room monitor when you return materials.

Reproduction Services
Photocopy, photographic, microfilming, and digital scanning services are available to the extent that physical condition, copyright restrictions, and equipment limitations permit. See: Reproduction and Publication of Special Collections Material for more detailed information.

Reference Assistance
Reader's Services staff, curators, and subject specialist librarians at the John Hay Library are available to answer reference questions about the collections. Readers are encouraged to ask for help in using Josiah, the Library's online catalog and other electronic resources, and to ask questions about the collections at the John Hay Library, not all of which are recorded in the online catalog. Students are especially urged to seek advice on integrating Special Collections materials into term papers, theses and dissertations.

Research Consultations
In addition to on-the-spot assistance for individuals, Special Collections staff offer specialized consultation services. All researchers are encouraged to take advantage of the staff's in-depth knowledge of the John Hay Library's collections: from undergraduates in need of primary sources, to thesis and dissertation candidates in search of untapped research opportunities, to faculty desiring to utilize new technology in their teaching and research, to independent researchers on the trail of fresh material for a project. To request a research consultation or ask a reference question, consult our list of subject librarians, e-mail hay@brown.edu, or call 401-863-3723.

Tours
Tours of the John Hay Library are available for students, faculty and the general public. Please call 401-863-3723 or e-mail hay@brown.edu for to schedule a tour. Several times during the year (Parents' Weekend, Senior Week, for example) public tours of the John Hay Library are announced.

Class Sessions
Class sessions to orient students to John Hay Library procedures and give an overview of the Library's resources are readily available. For more specialized class sessions on particular topics or collections, Library curatorial and subject specialist staff will work closely with faculty and interest groups to identify and assemble materials for hands-on examination in a classroom setting within the Library. Sessions can also include an introduction to relevant electronic resources. Request a class session by using the Library's online form: Request for John Hay Library Class Session, by e-mailing hay@brown.edu, or by calling 401-863-3723.

Course Reserves
Faculty may request that John Hay Library materials be placed on course reserve for their students' use. The amount of material that may be placed on reserve is necessarily restricted by space constraints, and is at the discretion of Library staff. Online catalog records for John Hay Library course reserve materials will appear in the Library's OCRA system, along with materials for the course held on reserve at the other libraries.

Course Web Pages
Special Collections staff are eager to assist faculty in linking library and other research resources to their course syllabi or web pages. Curatorial and subject specialist staff will work with faculty to link library resources to existing course web pages, to create online subject guides, or to develop new course web pages. See the Library's guides to resources by course and by subject for current examples.