The Manuscripts and Special Collections Research Room is now on the 3rd floor of the Cultural Education Center. Closed for New York State legal holidays . Because of possible donor or legal restrictions or fragile physical condition of the materials, access to all holdings cannot be assured. Librarians are responsible for the determination of which materials may be available for use. Access There are card catalogs and the Library's on-line public access catalog, Excelsior , with bibliographic records of the Library manuscripts and rare books collections, manuscripts, maps, prints, broadsides and sheet music collections and detailed finding aids to many collections.
Federal maps are accessible through the on-line catalog.
Because of the great variety of subjects and formats of material in Manuscripts and Special Collections, it is advisable to discuss your research with a librarian to ensure that you have discovered all potentially important material related to your subject. You should call ahead to request that material be placed on reserve for you. Material may be reserved for as long as two weeks. Some collections are stored off-site and may require several business days to retrieve. Arrangements should be made prior to visiting the Library.