Welcome and welcome back to all of our students, faculty and staff! We are excited to meet students who are on-campus for the first time, as well as see some familiar faces. It is so great to have all of you here with us at GW!
Regardless of whether you are new to campus or returning, we wanted to provide information about navigating Himmelfarb Library onsite. Perhaps you've been wondering....where are printers located at Himmelfarb? Are there study rooms available to use? How do I find Room B103? For those of you who don’t know all of Himmelfarb’s nooks and crannies, we offer you a guide to navigating the library. Read on...
Library hours
Visit the Himmelfarb Library website for our current hours of operation. Our daily hours are always posted and updated on the Himmelfarb Library website. Presently we are open:
Mondays - Thursdays: 8am - 10pm
Fridays: 8am - 6pm
Saturdays: 12pm - 8pm
Sundays: 12pm - 10pm
We plan to return to 24/7 hours of operation in September.
Getting in and out
Entry gate
The entry gate is located just beyond the library lobby. A current GWorld card is required in order to get in.
Exit gate
The exit gate is to the right of the entry gate as you are leaving.
- The exit gate opens automatically as you approach it.
- No need to use your GWorld card when leaving Himmelfarb.
Getting around
Library floors and room numbers
Himmelfarb Library has four floors:
- Room numbers starting with 1 (for instance, Room 107), are located on our 1st floor.
- Room numbers starting with 2 (for instance, Room 202), are located on our 2nd floor.
- Room numbers starting with 3 (for instance, Room 305H), are located on our 3rd floor.
- Room numbers starting with B1 (for instance, Room B103), are located on the B1 level (one level down from the first floor).
Stairwells and elevator
- Himmelfarb has two stairwells, one on the library’s courtyard side (west) and one of the 23rd St. side (east)
- Staff at the Circulation Desk (located just beyond the entry gate on the right) can direct you to either.
- Only the courtyard-side stairwell takes you to the B1 level.
- Himmelfarb has one elevator, located to the right of the courtyard stairwell.
- It goes to all floors.
Places to study
Study rooms to reserve
We have small rooms that you may reserve for individual or group study on our 2nd and 3rd floors. Please make a room reservation (for up to four hours) prior to occupying the room.
Book and AV item locations
Books available for 3-week loan are housed on the B1 level. Reference books (in-house use only) are located on the 1st floor next to the Reference Desk. A smaller Reference collection is housed at the Bloedorn Technology Center on the 3rd floor. DVDs and audio CDs available for 3-week loan are also kept at the Bloedorn Technology Center.
Service desks
Circulation Desk
The Circulation Desk is located ahead to the right as you pass through the library’s security gate. The Desk is staffed during all open hours. Here, you can check out everything from books to iPhone/iPad chargers to dry-erase markers and erasers to use in our study rooms. This is also where you can check out items on reserve. Circulation’s phone number is (202) 994-2962, and their email address is mlbcir@gwu.edu.
Reference Desk
Himmelfarb’s Reference Desk is staffed Monday - Thursday from 8:30am - 8pm, and Friday from 8:30am - 5pm. You can reach a Reference Librarian via text, email, or chat. Or you can stop by the Reference Desk (located next to the Circulation Desk) to speak in-person with a Reference Librarian. Reference’s phone number is (202) 994-2850. They can help you with literature searches, citation resources, and much more!
IT Help Desk
The School of Medicine’s IT department is conveniently located at the Bloedorn Technology Center on Himmelfarb’s 3rd floor. IT offers assistance weekdays from 8am - 5pm, and they welcome walk-up questions. You may also call them at (202) 994-9400, or email them at casshelp@gwu.edu.
Technology
Computer workstations
Computers are available for use on the 1st and 3rd floors, as well as on the B1 level in Classroom B103 (depending on room availability). Just log in with your NetID and password.
Computer labs
Our largest computer lab is in Room B103 (on the B1 level). It is available to use except when reserved by departments for classes and exams. Our other computer lab is the Women’s Board Teaching Classroom (WBTC), located in the Bloedorn Technology Center on the 3rd floor. It is also free to use as long as a class or exam has not been scheduled.
Printing
Public printing is available on the 1st and 3rd floors of Himmelfarb. Three WEPA printing stations are located directly across from the Circulation Desk. An additional WEPA printer is located at the Bloedorn Technology Center’s middle computer lab. GW’s Colonial Printing website tells you how to print from various devices, and lists the cost of printing as well as how to pay.
Scanning
Flatbed scanners are available to library users on the 1st and 3rd floors. The 1st-floor scanner is located near the Circulation Desk. Scanners on the 3rd floor are located in the Bloedorn Technology Center.
Free writing consultations
GW Writing Center
The GW Writing Center offers one-on-one consultations for all types of writing assignments. Their main location is at the Gelman Library (Suite 221 on the entrance floor). The Center offers face-to-face appointments at Gelman throughout the week (hours listed below). Zoom appointments are also available, which is useful for those living off campus.
The Writing Center’s hours of operation are:
Monday - Thursday: 9am - 9pm
Friday: 9am - 3pm
Sunday, 5pm - 10pm
Visit WCOnline to schedule appointments. Once registered, you can sign up for up to three appointments per week, up to two weeks in advance.
If you are working on a long-term project, take advantage of the Writing Center’s Long-Term Project Program. This program allows you to partner with a single consultant on a major project for up to a full semester.
Restrooms
Restrooms for men and women are located on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors of the library in the southeast corner (23rd Street side of building). A restroom for women is also located on the library’s B1 Level, as well as a Lactation Room. Ross Hall offers a nearby gender-inclusive restroom, located next to Room 101.
Restroom foot pull door openers
All restroom doors are equipped with no-touch foot-operated door openers.
Hand sanitizing stations
Two hand sanitizer dispensers are currently located at Himmelfarb Library: one in the library lobby and the other near the first floor, courtyard-side stairwell.
