Using the Library

To ensure the long-term preservation of our rare collections, the library observes the following guidelines:

Handling Guidelines

• Before handling rare materials, wash and thoroughly dry hands, taking care not to apply sanitizing gels or lotion.
• Keep all bound materials in a cradle during their use and photography. Cradles are provided at the circulation desk. 
• Unbound manuscripts and visual materials must remain flat on the desk.
• Items enclosed in a plastic sleeve must remain in the sleeve.
• Photographs and negatives unprotected by a plastic sleeve should always be handled with nitrile gloves provided by reading room staff.
• To turn a page, lift the top corner and gently slip your fingertips down the edge.
• Use book weights to hold pages open. Book weights are provided at the circulation desk.
• Avoid touching the surface of text, illustrations, or illuminations.
• Never force open a volume with a tight binding.
• Avoid leaning on or stacking materials.

Checkout Limit

Researchers may have at their desk:

• Rare Books: Three volumes at a time. If folio-sized, one at a time.
• Manuscripts: One box or one volume at a time.
• Visual Materials: One box or one volume at a time.
• Restricted Materials: One box or one volume at a time. 
• Different material types cannot be consulted together (e.g. a rare book cannot be consulted alongside a manuscript).

For more details on our Handling Guidelines, please see our Terms and Conditions page. 

How to Use a Book Cradle

General collections materials are non-circulating and must remain within the library.

Most general collections materials are self-serve. An item's shelf location within the library is noted in its library catalog record with an ON SHELF status. Refer to the Library Map for shelf locations.

• Materials must be checked out at the self-checkout kiosk located in the Donno Lounge or by using the Huntington Reader Services mobile app.

Closed Stacks

The East, South, North Wing Basements, and Botanical Library are currently closed. Materials are noted in the library catalog as PLACE REQUEST.

• Request materials in closed areas through your My Library account. Requests are retrieved according to the Materials Retrieval Schedule.
• Materials that are noted in the library catalog as CHECKED OUT can also be requested through My Library.
• Requests are delivered to the Holds Shelf in the General Collections Reading Room.

Materials may be returned to the Returns book trucks in the General Collections Reading Room and in the Reader Services office.

Shelves are available in the General Collections Reading Room to store your checkouts; speak with the attendant for a shelf assignment.

Checkout Limits

Readers and Short-term fellows may have 20 items checked out at a time, including 10 holds.

Need assistance navigating the stacks?

Sign up for a Library Tour! Tours are designed to help with wayfinding of our reading rooms, open stacks, and other facilities.