Visitor Information
Learn more about services and resources available to those who are not current Notre Dame students or employees.
Directions
Hours
The Hesburgh Library (main library) and its collections and services are open to visitors. However, visitors will be asked to leave at 8:00pm, when the building becomes available exclusively for the academic use of current Notre Dame students, faculty, and staff.
Computers
Research Workstations
The Hesburgh Library has 13 research workstations that do not require a NetID login.
- You may use these workstations to search the Library catalog and for using electronic subscription databases purchased by Notre Dame.
- You cannot print from these computers.
- You will not have access to Microsoft Office or other software.
2 Workstations
- Lower Level
- 1st Floor
1 Workstation
- 2nd Floor
- 5th Floor
- 7th Floor
- 8th Floor
- 9th Floor
- 10th Floor
- 11th Floor
- 12th Floor
- 13th Floor
Guest Internet Terminals
We have two guest internet terminals on the 1st Floor of the library. PINs for 60 minutes of internet time, once per day, are available at the Ask Us Desk during the Ask Us Desk's open hours. Please prepare to show Ask Us employees your current photo id. These computers are for quick internet use only and are subject to our walk-in service and patron code of conduct guidelines.
There is no printing available from these terminals.
ND-guest Wireless Network
In the Library, you can access guest WiFi without a user name and password via the ND-guest wireless network. However, you will not have access to Notre Dame electronic subscription databases. Learn more about visitor access to Electronic Resources
Scan, Print, Copy
There are several overhead scanners available for visitor use within the Hesburgh Library:
- Lower Level: 1 overhead scanner
- 1st Floor: 4 overhead scanners
- 2nd Floor: 1 overhead scanner
You can send scanned files in color, greyscale, or black-and-white by email or save them to a flash drive.
Printing and copying services are not available to visitors.
Access to Electronic Resources
Many of the electronic resources listed on the Hesburgh Libraries website are provided through library-paid subscriptions.
- You may use these resources on-site at one of the research workstations.
- You may be able to email results from some databases.
- You may not be able to use all resources since, by license agreement, they are restricted to Notre Dame students, faculty, and staff.
- Only Notre Dame students, faculty, and staff can access electronic resources off-campus. You may, however, freely use electronic resources that are not subscription-based.
Notre Dame Catalog and Open-Access Resources
The online catalog is freely available from any location to anyone. The online resources will be shown in search result lists. However, these will not open without a NetID and password. Visitors can take the citations to their local library and request the material through Interlibrary Loan.
Many free databases are also included in the Hesburgh Library. Those do not require a NetID and password for access.
Borrowing and Reference/Research Services
Borrowing
Everyone is welcome to make on-site use of the Libraries and our collections. Those who do not have a current, formal relationship with Notre Dame or one of our partner libraries may be able to obtain a Special Borrower’s Card, which provides limited borrowing privileges for items in the circulating collections.
If you are visiting the Hesburgh Libraries, you can request library materials to be held for you to use onsite at the location of your choice. Please search ND Catalog to find item information and complete this request form at least three business days prior to your visit.
Research & Reference Services
Reference librarians and graduate student assistants are available at the Hesburgh Library Ask Us Desk (on the 1st Floor) during scheduled hours to help users locate answers and use library resources. Reference service is also available through email and chat through the chat service.
