Services

The Gottesman Libraries offers a wide range of services, including reader, reference, technical, special and digital collections, and more to support  learning, teaching, and research at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Reading and Borrowing

Need to check out materials, have them paged (or retrieved), traced, or put on hold? We fulfill your needs in using the collections, and the Gottesman Libraries, in general, during all opening hours, 89 per week, plus extended hours during finals. We partner with Columbia University Libraries and New York Public Library to strengthen library privileges for our members and affiliated members, so you can access millions of books and other materials.

Ask a Librarian or Chat

Have a question or need assistance? Librarians can help you find research materials, readings for your courses, or other information and resources for your paper, thesis, dissertation, or other needs. Visit us at the First Floor Services Desk;  send us a support ticket; call (212) 678-3494; or chat using the blue bubble on our website.

Instructional Offerings and Research Consultations

Looking for an orientation, information session, or advice on research tools and strategies? Librarians tailor instruction for specific classes at Teachers College; host workshops on topics of enduring relevance; and conduct one-on-one research consultations by appointment. We provide extensive research guides for individual academic programs and enhance publishing with workshop and other self-guided materials through the Library Blog and news.

Technical Services

What about library materials for coursework or research? Librarians review, coordinate, and process timely access to requested resources, discoverable through EDUCAT+, the online catalog of library holdings at Teachers College, Columbia University, and through Course Resource Lists, reserve readings integrated with Canvas. We borrow materials not owned by TC or CU and also lend materials to participating institutions.

Rooms and Equipment

Want to reserve a group room or use technology? We enable self-booking of ten group study rooms and mediate bookings for two large classrooms. Each of the group rooms has a monitor and video camera for video conferencing. We provide open seating in three main floors and throughout the Tower Stacks, floors two through five, including split levels on each floor. In addition to a large designated quiet reading room (100 seats) on the third floor, we offer ample collaboration space on the second floor, and a first floor hub for workstations, monitors, and printers. There are four treadmills on the first floor, as well as printers and scanners on additional floors. 

Special and Digital Collections

Curious about historical collections and archives? Librarians address archival research queries and serve as advisors to the College in developing, organizing, describing, and preserving digital assets for long term institutional access. The Special Collections Reading Room accommodates onsite use, by appointment, of special and historical collections, including archival materials. Queries may be submitted via Ask a Librarian.

Education Program

Interested in expanding your thinking beyond the classroom? The Education Program comprises workshops, tours, talks, gallery exhibits, book and news displays, live musical performances, and other events to engage members with one another and the broad range of educational experts, while providing an understanding of work being done throughout the College. Learn more about upcoming events by visiting our website. For further information, or to plan or participate in an event in coordination with the Gottesman Libraries, please send us a support ticket.