Visitor Resources

Schaffer Library provides a wealth of resources to the students, faculty, and staff of Union College. Many of these resources are also available to members of the greater community, including:

• Union College alumni.
• Retired Union College faculty and staff.
• Spouses/partners of Union College faculty and staff.
• Friends of the Library members.
• Union College Academy of Lifelong Learning (UCALL) participants.
• CDLC Direct Access Program (DAP) members.
• Local area residents.

Additionally, anyone can access our catalog, digital exhibitions, online repository, and more from the Schaffer Library website.

Please visit our borrowing and lending webpage for more information about our circulation policies.

Schaffer Library is located on Union College's campus, at 807 Union Street, Schenectady, NY. A Union College ID is required to enter the Schaffer Library building. Visitors must make an appointment. Prior to your visit, please review our Building Use Policy.

Make an appointment to visit the library

Visitor access to many of Schaffer Library's electronic resources is available through the computer workstations in the library building. Note that not all resources will be available without Union College credentials. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide remote access to our databases. To see what databases we have, please visit our A-Z Databases list.

The Library supports robust digital collections, with materials that can be accessed anywhere in the world. These collections include:

• ARCHES, the Archival Repository for Cultural Heritage, Education, and Scholarship
• Our Library exhibitions
• Union College's Permanent Art Collection and Mandeville Gallery
• The Adirondack Research Library
• Student honors theses
• The Concordiensis

For more information, visit our Collections & Exhibitions page.

Schaffer Library’s Special Collections & Archives preserve the College’s rare and unique archival and print collections. These materials are available for research by appointment in our reading room on the third floor of the library. The reading room is available for appointments Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Archival collections are described and available for searching at archives.union.edu.

Complete the form below and bring it to the Library Service Desk to register for borrowing privileges. Forms are also available at the Library Service Desk.

Please note: Borrowing privileges extend to Schaffer Library circulating materials only. Interlibrary loan and materials from our Special Collections & Archives are not included.

Borrower Registration Form

Schaffer Library is a critical part of the undergraduate experience at Union College, and contains a depth of tools and resources that support curricular and research endeavors. An investment in the Library is an investment in the future, touching all those who use its resources and the knowledge it shapes.

Gifts will directly support the Library's mission and vision, advancing critical goals on behalf of Union's strategic plan. Consider supporting the Library and impacting future Union students by making a monetary donation.

For information about donating physical materials (a “Gifts in Kind” donation) to the Library, please visit our Gifts in Kind webpage.