Visiting the University of Chicago Library

The majority of the Library's collections are located in open stacks, meaning that they are accessible to any visitor during our normal business hours. However, the Library has several unique collections that require staff assistance for use, which may have different hours and policies.

Please check Library Hours before you visit to confirm that specific collections are open and available. 

If you have questions about accessing a specific collection, please contact Ask a Librarian. 

The Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, located in Regenstein Library, is home to the Library's rare books, manuscripts, University Archives, and the Chicago Jazz Archives. The collection is open to the public, however, appointments are required.

Items in the Mansueto Library are stored below ground in our automated storage and retrieval system and must be requested. Items only take a few moments to be retrieved.

If you are a Library visitor and would like to use items in Mansueto Library, please ask for assistance at the Mansueto Circulation Desk.

The East Asian Collection, located on Regenstein's 5th Floor, contains materials primarily in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, as well as a sizable archival collection of rare books in these languages and in Tibetan, Mongolian, and Manchu. While most of the materials are available during normal hours, some materials may require assistance or appointments. 

The Map Collection Reading Room is located in Room 370 of Regenstein Library. It includes over 475,000 maps, 10,000 air photos, 2,000 books, and hundreds of gigabytes of spatial data. Normal hours are Monday-Friday 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. but please confirm hours before visiting. 

The Microforms Collection on Regenstein Library's 3rd Floor is open during regular business hours.