Classics Library Access

The world-renowned UC Classics Library aims to be a welcoming place for students and scholars of classical antiquity. Because of its unique special collections, there are some rules to be respected to gain access and use the Library, similar to the rules of special collections at other institutions, including at UC, for example, the Archives and Rare Books and the Winkler Center libraries. Unlike many special collections libraries with unique, rare, and old materials, the UC Classics Library welcomes users, also non-UC affiliates, to browse and select books without staff intervention, so-called open as opposed to closed stacks. This privilege comes with responsibilities:

• To access the Library's Stack floors, please ask the Circulation staff to unlock the door after leaving your ID with them and any bags in lockers. 
  
• To study in the Reading Room or the Circulation area or to print or to use the Library's workstations, you do NOT need to leave your ID in Circulation or bags in lockers.  
• The Library's books have safety tags that must be desensitized. If the alarmed gate sounds, please return to the Circulation desk and show any bags, including handbags, and coat pockets to the Circulation staff.
• For everyone's safety and to protect the collections there are cameras in the Library. 
• Food and drink should be consumed outside the Library, except for water which is OK to bring in a sealed container to the reading room and circulation area and kept on the floor or in a bag to protect the large tables in the reading room. Water, food, and all other beverages are not allowed in the stacks. 
  Many of our books are in poor physical condition and we must take steps not to have them deteriorate even further. Also, tables with coffee cup stains and the like have been refinished, costing the Library thousands of dollars. There are seats in the Lobby where you can eat and drink.
• If you are visiting the Library, please note that the Circulation Area, the main Reading Room, and the Palaeography Room are wheelchair accessible. However, the Mezzanine and the book Stacks on the lower floors are not. For those areas, material retrieval services are available. Please consult Circulation staff for assistance or call 513-556-1315. Most UC libraries are wheelchair accessible, though not all. Please contact each library directly to inquire about accessibility and available services. See a complete list of libraries.
• Sensory-friendly spaces. For those desiring a quiet space without computer workstations and talking, the Classics Library's three-floor book Stacks are available. On the other hand, the lighting in the Stacks is not ideal as there is no natural light. The Library's main Reading Room does offer plenty of natural light thanks to huge windows although the ceiling light is not optimal. You could turn off the ceiling lights and instead use a table lamp. There are no computer stations in the Reading Room and there is no talking or cell phones allowed;  however, voices from the adjacent Circulation area can sometimes be heard. The Circulation area does allow talking and there are round tables for group study/discussion there. For more privacy, peace, and quiet as well as natural light, the Library's Group Study/Seminar Room (room 412) is an option. If available, you may reserve the space for group study/discussion/teaching/learning.      

Thank you for your cooperation.