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Research Guides

Access & Borrowing

GC Research Assistants - Library Privileges

On-Site Access Yes
Borrowing Privileges Yes
CLICS (Request Books from Other CUNY Libraries) Yes
Loan Period 16 weeks
Renewal Limit for GC Books 2
Renewal Limit for Other CUNY Books 2
Database Access On-site access; off-site access if network account is obtained
Interlibrary Loan Yes, ask your supervising faculty member to contact ILL
Printing $0.15/page; free if network account is obtained
Special NYPL Borrowing Privileges No

Information for Graduate Research Assistants and Sponsoring Faculty

Sponsoring a Research Assistant

  • GC faculty, administrators, and HEOs may sponsor up to 2 Research Assistants.
  • Library Research Assistants do not have to be affiliated with CUNY. 
  • Graduate Center Executive Officers may request access to the GC network and library resources for RAs by emailing IT Services (itservices@gc.cuny.eduand outlining the need, the faculty supervisor, and dates of affiliation, not to exceed 3 months.

Borrowing Materials

Research Assistants borrow materials on a sponsoring GC faculty member's library account:

  • Sponsoring faculty members fill out a Faculty Authorization Form at the 1st floor Circulation Desk. 
  • RAs must also obtain a photo ID from the Office of Security and Public Safety, if they do not have one.
  • RAs are extended Interlibrary Loan privileges with an ILL proxy account authorized by the sponsoring GC faculty member. See the ILL FAQ.
  • The sponsoring GC faculty member is responsible for all loans, fines, and fees incurred by RAs. 

Interlibrary Loan Proxy Accounts for Research Assistants

How it Works

  • Sponsoring faculty members set up an ILL proxy account for RAs to request, pick up, and manage ILL items.
  • The faculty member is the owner of the account and controls access. The research history stays with the account, and RAs may change. 
  • The faculty member is responsible for the items borrowed through RA accounts.

Setting Up a Proxy Account

  • Faculty members contact the ILL Supervisor (jcho@gc.cuny.edu) to authorize a proxy account.
  • Specify the RA name and email address for ILL notifications, emailed to either the faculty member or the RA.
  • The proxy account username and password are emailedto both the faculty member and the RA.
  • At the end of each semester, sponsors confirm that RAs continue to be active.

Useful Things to Know About Using the GC Library

Research Help

Research Guides recommend resources by subject, and Research Help explains how to get help from a librarian.

Technology in the Library

Technology in the Library Guide describes GC library computers, printers, scanners, microfilm readers, and equipment loans.

Reserves

GC instructors may place books and media on reserve, outlined in the Reserves Guide.

NYPL & MaRLI: Manhattan Research Library Initiative

GC researchers are granted special borrowing privileges at the New York Public Library research libraries. 

See NYPL & the GC Library and MaRLI: Manhattan Research Library Initiative.

Academic Works

CUNY Academic Works is an open access institutional repository providing worldwide access to CUNY scholarship and creative work.

Library News

Track library events, workshops, resources and news by subscribing to the Graduate Center Library Blog