It’s hard to believe that it’s already December and that the Fall semester is almost over. Congratulations on completing the semester! As the semester draws to a close and your well-deserved Winter Break approaches, we’d like to share some end-of-semester tips to help make this month as stress-free as possible during this busy time. This post includes information for students about studying at Himmelfarb, returning and renewing library materials, faculty end-of-semester tips, and Himmelfarb's Winter Break hours.
Studying at Himmelfarb Library
Himmelfarb Library is a great place to study and prepare for exams! We recognize that study preferences and needs vary from person to person. Himmelfarb has space for all noise level preferences! Here’s an overview of where you can find the perfect study space to suit your needs:
Silent Study Space:
Silence is golden on Himmelfarb’s second floor. This silent floor, reserved for graduate and advanced degree students, is the ideal location for those seeking absolute silence while they study. Our new table dividers will help you resist the urge to talk or whisper with others at your table. The second floor also has both open and closed study carrels to meet your silent study needs.
Quiet Study Space:
The main portion of Himmelfarb’s third floor is a quiet study area where quiet collaboration is accepted. This floor is generally quiet, but does not have the pristine silence of the second floor.
Collaborative Group Study:
If you’re looking for a place to study with friends, Himmelfarb’s first floor or group study rooms are a great option for you! The first floor is an ideal space to study with friends. It’s not a quiet floor, and it has a range of furniture options, including four-person tables, high-top tables that can serve as standing desks, and comfy couches.
Himmelfarb’s 28 group study rooms are another great option! Reserving a study room during peak exam periods will guarantee you’ve got the perfect space for your group. Forgot to reserve a room in advance? No problem! Scan the QR code outside an available study room, and make the reservation when you arrive. Study rooms can be booked a week in advance and reserved for up to four hours at a time. Most study rooms can accommodate up to four people, and have large computer screens and dry-erase boards. Dry-erase markers and erasers are available for checkout at the service desk located on the first floor. Study rooms are located on the second and third floors, which are silent or quiet. Please keep conversations at a low volume as study rooms are not noise-proof.
Study Break Space:
When it’s time to take a well-deserved study break, check out our Healthy Living Collection located on the first floor near the sofas. You can unwind and relax on the comfortable couches, help finish whatever the current puzzle is on the puzzle table, get in some movement with our hula hoops, yoga mats, and light weights, play a friendly game of chess or another board game with friends, or destress with some adult coloring.
Helpful Study Supplies & Technology
Himmelfarb has a variety of study supplies and technology that can be checked out from the service desk on the first floor, including:
- Dry-erase markers and erasers
- Remote controls (for study room monitors)
- HDMI, VGA, and VGA to HDMI adaptors
- MacBook, iPhone, and Android Chargers
- Headphones
Earplugs and scrap paper are also available at the first-floor service desk.
Returning or Renewing Library Materials
Before leaving campus for Winter Break, check your library account to check due dates for any items you have checked out. If you’d like to renew items, log in to your library account, stop by the first-floor service desk, or call (202)994-2962. 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.
Faculty End-of-Semester Tips
Embedded Librarian Service
If you’ll be teaching in the Spring 2026 semester and want a Himmelfarb Librarian to be embedded in your Blackboard course, email us at himmelfarb@gwu.edu to make arrangements!
Course Reserves
Don’t forget to submit your Course Reserves Requests for the Spring 2026 semester!
Linking to Electronic Resources
When finalizing your course syllabi or linking to resources in Blackboard, remember to create durable links for Himmelfarb resources (i.e., journal articles, books, streaming videos, etc.) to ensure your students have seamless access to these resources. Using Himmelfarb’s Quick Tool to generate durable links is an easy and efficient way to get durable links. For help with creating durable links, contact himmelfarb@gwu.edu.
Himmelfarb’s Winter Break Hours
Himmelfarb Library will close for the Winter Break, starting at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. Our building will be closed from December 23, 2025, through January 3, 2025. Visit our hours page to view our full hours and holiday closures.
While our building is closed over the break, our databases, journals, and e-books are available from anywhere through our website!
