Information Services

Do you have questions or need help with your research? Information Services reference librarians are available to assist you at various service desks in the Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL).

McGraw Information Services Desk

The McGraw Information Services Desk is located on the lower level, in the Research Library area of SIBL. Librarians are available to answer questions, find information, and provide guidance for doing research in the broad areas of business, industry, government information and science. We recommend search strategies and assist you in locating the most appropriate resources, including print books and journals, electronic databases, and Internet Web sites.

We can also assist you in making the best use of our open-shelf ready-reference collection of over 50,000 volumes, and in searching our online Catalogs. Printed helpsheets are available at the McGraw Desk to assist you in beginning your research, and additional resource guides are available on the SIBL Web site.

On-site Research Consultations

Our librarians are available for on-site research consultations. Research consultations provide identification of appropriate resources and search strategy guidance, as well as referrals, for research inquiries related to SIBL's collecting areas. Make an appointment in advance at the McGraw Desk, or call 212-592-7000, or send e-mail to sibleref@nypl.org.

Cullman Desk

The Cullman Desk is located on the street level, in the Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Circulating collections reading room. If you are looking for materials to borrow in the fields of science, industry or business, including books, audio tapes or videotapes, and CD's, librarians and technical assistants at this desk will assist you.

Cullman Desk staff can also provide instruction and guidance in catalog searches or database and Internet searches, and answer general questions about library resources

The Electronic Information Center (EIC)

The Electronic Information Center Desk is located on the lower level, in the Elizabeth and Felix Rohatyn Electronic Information Center. All of SIBL's electronic databases are accessible in this area. Over 100 different electronic databases are available free-of-charge for use within the library. Through these databases, library patrons can access company directories, financial and marketing information, government resources, statistics, scientific indexes and thousands of full-text articles.

In addition to a staff of technical and students assistants, a librarian is available in the EIC to recommend the most appropriate information resources, and provide hands-on assistance with searching and search strategies.

Getting Reference Questions Answered

Are you too busy or unable to come in? We offer several options for using the Library offsite:

Call us:

SIBL's Telephone Reference 592-7000. Monday-Saturday 10:00 to 5:00. This service is limited to questions about the library's holdings, and to quick questions which can be answered in 5 minutes or less.

You can also try:

Telephone Reference at (212) 340-0830. This is the main Telephone Reference Service of the New York Public Library. Research time is limited to five minutes per call, and call-backs and faxing are not done. Telephone Reference can answer many questions related to SIBL's subject areas.

You can write to us :

We answer ready reference letters and E-mail ready-reference questions. We limit our replies to requests about Library holdings and other inquiries that can be quickly answered in subjects covered by SIBL. Reference letters and email requests requiring further research can be directed to the Library's fee-based information service, NYPL Express.

Address your letter to: Reference Letters, The New York Public Library, Science, Industry and Business Library 188 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10016-4314

SIBL email ready-reference. Fill out our e-reference form to ask a question. We answer questions about SIBL's holdings, and ready-reference questions in topics which SIBL covers, which can be answered quickly. Questions that require research are not answered, but may be referred to NYPL Express, the Library's fee-based information service.

NYPL Express research and document service:

NYPL Express is The New York Public Library's fee-based research and document delivery service. NYPL Express is designed to help companies, organizations, and individuals with their information needs, and it' s easy-to-use, prompt, and confidential. Information specialists can answer your research queries or supply you with a needed document. You can phone NYPL Express at 212.592.7200. For general information about NYPL Express research and document delivery services, click on the link.