This post was written by Science Reference Specialist Sean Bryant.
After a COVID related closure of more than two years, spring is finally here for the Library’s Adams Building and its Science and Business Reading Room! On April 4, 2022, the Science and Business Reading Room and the Adams Building will reopen to researchers! We have expanded new hours: the reading room will be open from 8:30am to 8:30pm, Monday through Thursday, and 8:30am to 5:00pm, Friday and Saturday.
Appointments are changing too, and will no longer be required. Instead, capacity restrictions will be lifted and walk-ins with reader cards will be welcome (if you do not have a reader card or it has expired you can pre-register here).
However, appointments are not going away completely. Starting on April 4, researchers can go online to request appointments. For more information see the Library’s page for Onsite Researchers. To request an appointment for the Science and Business Reading Room go to our Researchers Scheduling page. We encourage researchers with requests for technical reports, standards, and other special materials to book an appointment with us to help ensure what you want is available when you want it.
Also, masks will be optional and researchers must follow all Washington, D.C. health and travel guidance requirements. Out-of-area researchers should also review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s travel guidance.
But wait, there is more. The Science and Business Reading Room has installed nifty self-service lockers. In the coming weeks researchers in the Science and Business Reading Room will be required to store their personal items in these lockers. Until we officially establish the required use of lockers, researchers will need to check restricted items in the Jefferson or Madison cloakrooms, but may bring the following into the reading room:
- a coat and/or sweater, sports jacket or similar garment
- a purse or pocket book smaller than 9.5″ x 6.25″
- one additional briefcase, knapsack or similar bag no larger than 18 x 13x 8 inches
Science and Business Reference staff remain eager to help with your research requests and you can call us at our Reference Desk at (202) 707-5639 during business hours. You can also use our Business or Science and Technical Reports forms to submit requests through our Ask-a-Librarian service. Researchers requiring an ADA accommodation for their visit must make a request at least five business days before their planned appointment by contacting [email protected] or (202) 707-6024.
Welcome back! We look forward to seeing you again in Science and Business Reading Room.
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Comments
This is terrific news!
For those of us with study rooms on the fifth floor of Adams, how can we get personal items into the building?
One solution is to give the names of researchers with study rooms to the guards who enforce the rules. Having our name be on that list would allow us to bring coats, briefcases and work materials in and out of our studies.
I am very happy that Adams is finally reopening.
Chris Brown