Library FAQ

We welcome and encourage any suggestions.  Each one will be thoroughly considered.  Stop by the Reference Desk and speak with the librarian on duty.  Whether it's a new title you read about in a book review, or an old classic you think we should have, we'll buy it If it's right for our collection.  There's also a form you can use, if you want.  You do not have to be a faculty member.  library.cooper.edu/Collection%20Development%20Form.pdf

It's a new way for alumni, researchers, out of town visitors and people in the neighborhood to use the library or even borrow materials.  For more information, visit library.cooper.edu/friends

- Many were donated to the library.  Some donations are duplicates of books we already have.  Due to limited stack space, we rarely keep multiple copies of the same book.  In those cases, we keep whichever copy is in better physical condition.

- Some donations are not an appropriate fit for this library - those we sell or give away.  Sale prices are substantially less than the current market cost of that particular edition.

- Some for sale or giveaway books were withdrawn from our collection for a variety of reasons, e.g. multiple editions of the same work, too many books on the same topic, the book's physical condition, etc.  Our librarians take great care in making these decisions.  This evaluation process is ongoing and new additions appear regularly.

You can browse the collections virtually through Bobcat, the online catalog.  Use the tab for Cooper Library Catalog to narrow your search to our library.  Then, type in a generic keyword to pull a broad range of results, such as and, of or the.  We have found the largest number of results with this search, which should include anything published in the 19th, 20th, or 21st centuries:

18* OR 19* OR 20*

Once you have a large result set to work with, use the options on the left for Limit My Results. The dropdown for Library (Cooper Union) shows the number of items in the collections General Stacks, Closed Stacks, Mezzanine, Reference, Cooper Archives and Restricted Internet Resources. Choose one of those, then you can further limit by Subject for a particular field of interest, by Publication Date, by Author, and more.

Yes.  You can return Bobst, Courant, New School, NYSID and Dibner books to Cooper.  Overdue fines will cease accruing once the books are checked in here, no matter how long it takes for the books themselves to be delivered back to their home locations.  No renewals are allowed, and fines must be paid at the originating library.  We don't accept other libraries' Reserve books or DVDs.

Yes.  You can return Cooper books to any of the consortium libraries including Bobst, Courant, IFA, Dibner, NYSID and the New School List Center, University Center and Performing Arts libraries.  Overdue fines will cease accruing once the books are checked in at these locations, no matter how long it takes for the books themselves to be delivered back to Cooper Union Library.  No renewals are allowed, and fines must be paid at the originating library.  Return Cooper Union Reserve books or DVDs directly to Cooper Union Library.

The main reason is to assure that our valuable art, architecture and engineering books do not become damaged in the ensuing pile up and weight of returned books.  The library administrators are considering various options to serve our patrons in this regard.

Yes! Students, faculty, staff, and administrators at the Cooper Union use the same login process as at other campus locations. Consortium patrons, Friends of the Library members, and other visitors may get instructions at the Reference Desk.

No.  There are restrooms located on the second floor of the Foundation Building. 

Our goal is to make our collection materials accessible throughout the semester and not disappear for prolonged spells when they are most needed.  We encourage using system recalls to place holds on books that are currently checked out - this assures that the patrons currently holding the items won't be allowed to renew them.

Similarly, our goal is to make our collection materials accessible throughout the semester and not disappear for prolonged spells when they are most needed.  We encourage using system recalls to place holds on books that are currently checked out - this assures that the patrons currently holding the items won't be allowed to renew them.

Nothing.  It's an outdated classification.

This is a special collection apart from the main stacks.  Just bring the book's call number to the Reference Librarian who'll page it for you.  Some Mezzanine books may be checked out.  Others are for room use only and will require leaving your ID at the Circulation Desk.

These are rare, especially valuable or historically significant items housed behind the Circulation Desk.  Bring the call number to the desk and the book will be paged for you.  The desk will hold your ID and you'll be able to consult the book in the library.

After checking the online catalog, bring the call number to the Reference Librarian, and that person will page the thesis for you.  The Circulation Desk will hold your ID while you consult the thesis in the library.  Cooper Union theses prior to 2004 do not appear in the online catalog.  You will need to search the Archives card catalog (next to the Reference Desk) for Cooper Union Master's and PhD theses prior to 2004.

After 4PM every day during the academic year.

At 11AM, Monday through Friday

1PM on Saturday

and 3 PM on Sunday during the academic year.

At the end of the books with N call numbers in the third room on the right as you enter the library.  Oversize books are for library use only and may not be checked out.

These are bulky volumes that lay flat on shelves at the end of the books with N call numbers in the third room on the right as you enter the library.  FLAT books are for library use only and may not be checked out.

Generally, we will hold a book for you for the rest of the day.  We'll return the item to the sale the next morning if you haven't returned to pay for it.

You'll find a price symbol on the first page of the book opposite the inside front cover.  Consult the nearby posted charts for the corresponding price.

Yes, we do.  There are small slips near every online catalog terminal, and you'll find 8 1/2 by 11 sheets in the bin on top of the card catalog near the Reference Desk.

Yes, it's at the Circulation Desk by the network printer near the display materials.

Staplers (basic and heavy duty), a tape dispenser, 3 hole punch, miniature pencils, paper clips and facial tissues are all available at the Circulation Desk.

We're becoming a little more lenient on our food policy.  We're not a cafe, but you can bring small snacks in.  If we start seeing spills all over and garbage left behind,  we'll adjust our guidelines.

Only covered containers.  We won't object if you bring your coffee or tea in.  Please be mindful of all our valuable art, architecture and engineering books.

Yes, just send your document to the network printer at Circulation.  Printouts are now free of charge.  You can modify printing options for double-sided printouts.

The library no longer charges daily fines on overdue books.  We do charge $1.00 a day for overdue books that have been recalled, and $1.00 an hour for overdue Reserve books.

Cooper Union Library

Foundation Building

7 East 7th Street

New York, NY  10003

A total of $5.00 and over in fines at the consortium libraries will block you from checking out items.

At 50 days overdue, a book moves to Billed as Lost status.  A $100 replacement charge and $15 processing fee are automatically added to your account.  The $100 amount is adjusted by Cooper Union librarians to the current market cost for the item.  If you return the book, you only need to pay the overdue fines on it, which will not exceed $20 (for a non-recalled, non Reserve book.)