Skip to content

We are in the final days of the Fall semester! Congratulations on completing the semester! As the semester draws to a close, we’d like to share some end-of-semester tips to help make life less stressful during this busy time.

Studying for Exams:

Himmelfarb Library is a great place to study and prepare for exams. We recognize that each person’s study needs are different. Some people need complete silence to focus, while others prefer being able to chat with others and bounce ideas off each other. Himmelfarb has a space for all noise level preferences!

1st Floor: The first floor of Himmelfarb is not quiet and is perfect for group study! You’ll find some tall tables and 4-person tables that are great for group study sessions. The numerous rolling dry-erase boards available on this floor are perfect for jotting down your study notes! The first floor also has comfortable sofas and chairs near the elevator where you can get caught up with your colleagues. 

If you need a study break, check out our Healthy Living Collection located near the sofas! During your study break, you can help finish the current puzzle on the puzzle table, get rid of some excess energy with our hula hoops, play a friendly game of chess or another board game, destress with some adult color books, or even use the yoga mats to get in some stretching after long hours of studying.

Picture of puzzle table with puzzle and adult coloring pages.

2nd Floor: Himmelfarb’s second floor is a silent floor reserved for graduate and advanced degree students. While there are 4-person tables on this floor, please don’t be tempted to talk or whisper with others while on the second floor. Silence is golden on this floor, and students seeking a silent place to focus value the pristine silence of this space. You’ll find open and closed study carrels on this floor to meet your silent study needs.

Librarian action figure making a shhhing gesture in front of a "No Talking - This is a silent floor" sign.

3rd Floor: The main portion of the third floor is a quiet study area. The Bloedorn Technology Center provides areas for collaboration including the Levine Lounge, which can be used for our BodyViz software, and the tables with anatomical models. The SMHS IT Help Desk is also on the third floor as well as computer labs with statistical software installed. 

Group Study Rooms

Himmelfarb has 28 study rooms available for use. Reserve your study room in advance to be sure you secure a room. Forgot to reserve a room in advance? No problem! Scan the QR code outside of the study room and reserve an available room when you arrive. Study rooms can be reserved for up to 4 hours at a time, and can be made a week in advance. All study rooms come equipped with computer monitors and dry-erase boards. While study rooms are a great place to study as a group, they are not noise-proof, so please keep conversations quiet. Study rooms are located on the silent second floor and the quiet third floor - so please be respectful of others while using these spaces.

Helpful Study Supplies & Technology

Himmelfarb has a variety of study supplies and technology that can be checked out at the first floor Circulation Desk, including:

  • Dry-Erase Markers
  • Remote Controls (for the study room monitors)
  • HDMI, VGA, VGA to HDMI Adaptors
  • MacBook and iPhone Chargers
  • Headphones

Earplugs are also available at the Circulation Desk.

Returning Library Materials

Before leaving campus for Winter Break, check your library account to make sure you don’t need to return library materials. You can return items to the Circulation Desk. If you have materials borrowed through Interlibrary Loan, check your Docs2Go account for due dates, and return items on time so we can ship them back to their home library.

Himmelfarb’s Winter Break Hours

Himmelfarb Library will close for the Winter Break at 8:00 pm on Sunday, December 22, 2024. Our building will be closed from December 23, 2024, through January 1, 2025. We will reopen at 8:00 am on Thursday, January 2, 2025. While our building is closed over the break, our databases, journals, and e-books are available from anywhere through our website! Visit our hours page to view our full hours and holiday closures.

Picture of a small pumpkin, coffee mug, and coffee beans. Text: "Happy Thanksgiving"

Himmelfarb Library will be closed during the Thanksgiving Holiday. Our hours this week are as follows:

Date:Day:Hours:
November 27, 2024Wednesday7:30 am - 6:00 pm
November 28, 2024ThursdayCLOSED!
November 29, 2024FridayCLOSED!
November 30, 2024Saturday9:00 am - 8:00 pm
December 1, 2024Sunday9:00 am - Midnight

We will resume normal hours on Monday, December 2, 2024.

Even though our building is closed, our electronic resources (including our databases, e-books, and e-journals) are still available during this time.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Scrabble tiles laid out on a wooden table with the word "loudness" spelled out in the middle.
Photo by Markus Winkler

Himmelfarb Library is a great place to study! Whether you’re looking for a silent study area where you can focus without distractions, a space for quiet conversations in group study rooms, or the creative buzz of collaborative spaces, Himmelfarb has a study space to suit your needs! And when it’s time to take a breather and rest your mind, we’ve got you covered with puzzles, hula hoops, yoga mats, and board games! 

Different floors serve different purposes at Himmelfarb. Knowing where to go to find your preferred noise level will help you find a study space that matches your study preferences and needs.

1st Floor: The Not Quiet Floor

Himmelfarb’s first floor is not a designated quiet floor. Our first floor is a great space for group study, collaboration, or just hanging out with friends. Filled with 4-person tables, rolling whiteboards, and comfortable couches, the first floor is a great space for both productivity and leisure. You’ll also find our popular high-top tables that can double as standing desks near the windows where you can soak up plenty of natural light! 

Photo of students studying at high-top tables on Himmelfarb's 1st floor.
Photo of high-top tables on Himmelfarb's 1st floor.

Need a moment to unwind? Explore the Healthy Living Collection, located near the printers. Join the communal puzzle-solving tradition and add a piece or two to the current puzzle! Or dive into our selection of board games, hula hoops, yoga mats, and light hand weights - because a healthy mind thrives in a healthy body, especially after intense study sessions.

Himmelfarb's Healthy Living Collection on the 1st Floor.
Himmelfarb's Healthy Living Collection on the 1st Floor.

2nd Floor: The Silent Floor!

Himmelfarb’s second floor is a silent floor for advanced degree students. This sanctuary for concentration and undisturbed focus will help you dive into your studies without distractions. No talking, whispering, phone calls, or other noise is allowed - just peaceful concentration! Take your pick from the ample open and closed study carrels, or choose from a study table near the window if you thrive in natural light.

Photograph of a sign with the text "You are entering a silent floor. Advanced degree students only on this floor."
Silent floor sign on the 2nd floor.

3rd Floor: The Quiet Study Floor

Himmelfarb’s third floor is mostly a quiet study space. You can choose from the many open study carrels, or a closed carrel near the windows for extra natural light. The Bloedorn Technology Center, also on the third floor, is a great space for quiet collaboration and the place where you’ll find computer software, anatomical models, skeletons, and bone boxes. The SMHS IT Helpdesk is also located on the third floor to help you troubleshoot any technical issues you may experience. 

Photograph of individual study carrels on the 3rd floor.
Individual study carrels on the 3rd floor.

Group Study Rooms

Himmelfarb’s group study rooms are available for advanced degree students and must be reserved in advance. Study rooms are designed for quiet conversation. While these study rooms are enclosed, they are still on silent or quiet floors, so please be respectful of others using the space around you. Occasionally, study rooms are used for exams, so please be particularly respectful of noise levels if you see signs indicating that exams are in progress. If you need a space where you can collaborate without worrying about your noise level, the first floor is your best bet! 

Network Maintenance: 7/13 No WiFi!

GW IT has scheduled network maintenance on the Foggy Bottom Campus on Saturday, July 13th from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm. Impacts to Himmelfarb Library, Ross Hall, and the Milken Institute School of Public Health include disruption of Wifi, network connections, and anything relying on network services will be unavailable. More information can be found at GW IT's Network Maintenance Schedule & Impacts.

Despite the loss of Wifi and network connections at Himmelfarb Library, the Library's website (https://himmelfarb.gwu.edu/) should remain accessible from other locations.

The image is a blue, buff, and white sign with the text "Have a safe WINTER BREAK!" There are snowflakes in the background.

Winter break is here! 

Himmelfarb Library’s building will be closed during Winter Break starting Saturday, December 23rd at 6:00 pm, but our online collections will remain open and accessible. The library building reopens on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at 7:30 am and resumes 24-hour operations. To see our complete hours, take a look at our website.

Himmelfarb Winter Break Hours:
Text in image is duplicated in post

Even though our building is closed, our electronic resources (databases, e-books, and e-journals) are always available from anywhere!

We’re taking a break from new blog posts during Winter Break. New blog posts will return on January 3, 2024.

If you’ll miss being in the library while we’re closed, here’s some library ambiance to tide you over:

The image contains text that says "Happy Thanksgiving" and "Himmelfarb Holiday Hours." The background contains leaves and acorns.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Himmelfarb Library!

The library will be closed during the Thanksgiving Holiday. Our hours during this time are as follows:

https://go.gwu.edu/himmelfarbhours
Happy Thanksgiving
Himmelfarb Thanksgiving Hours:
Nov. 22 (Wed)....Closing at 8pm
Nov. 23 (Thurs)...CLOSED!
Nov. 24 (Fri)....CLOSED!
Nov. 25 (Sat)...9am - 8pm
Nov. 26 (Sun)...Opening at 9am, Resume 24/7 hours

We will resume normal 24/7 hours after re-opening at 9:00 am on Sunday, November 26, 2023. 

Even though our building is closed, our electronic resources (including our databases, e-books, and e-journals) remain available from anywhere during this time.

Have a great Thanksgiving break!

Over the Thanksgiving break the library will be operating on a modified schedule. On Wednesday, November 22, 2023, the library will close at 8:00 pm.

We will resume normal 24/7 hours after re-opening on Sunday, November 26, 2023.

DayDateHours
WednesdayNovember 22, 2023Closing at 8:00pm
ThursdayNovember 23, 2023CLOSED
FridayNovember 24, 2023CLOSED
SaturdayNovember 25, 20239:00am - 8:00pm
SundayNovember 26, 2023Opening at 9:00am
Have A Happy Thanksgiving!

We're closed for Winter Break! Our e-resources are always available at https://himmelfarb.gwu.edu

We’ll be taking a break from new blog posts this week. New blog posts will return on January 2, 2023. 

Our building will reopen on Monday, January 2, 2023, at 12 Noon and close at 8:00pm. On Tuesday, January 3, 2023, we will open at 7:30am and resume 24-hour operations. To see our complete hours, take a look at our website. And don't forget that our electronic resources (databases, e-books, and e-journals) are always available from anywhere!

If you’ll miss being in the library while we’re closed, here’s some library ambiance to tide you over:

https://youtu.be/ItSSbtHXGK0

The Library's holiday hours are as follows:

Date Time
Friday, December 23, 2022 Closing at 6:00pm
Saturday, December 24, 2022 Closed
Sunday, December 25, 2022 Closed
Monday, December 26, 2022 Closed
Tuesday, December 27, 2022 Closed
Wednesday, December 28, 2022 Closed
Thursday, December 29, 2022 Closed
Friday, December 30, 2022 Closed
Saturday, December 31, 2022 Closed
Sunday, January 1, 2023 Closed
Monday, January 2, 2023 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Tuesday, January 3, 2023 Opens 7:30 am and resumes 24/7 hours
Library holiday hours

...continue reading "Himmelfarb Library Winter Holiday Hours"