Access to the Caltech Library is reserved for the students, faculty, staff, and affiliates.

Caltech Library locations are not open for the general public.

Affiliates

• Caltech students, staff, faculty, postdocs, alumni, associates, family members, retirees, visiting summer students, and guests of current Caltech students, staff, and faculty.
• JPL staff and retirees.
• ArtCenter College of Design students, staff, and faculty.
• City of Hope professional staff.
• Thirty Meter Telescope staff.
• Huntington Library staff and fellows.
• Affiliated college and university students and staff.

Building Access

Caltech Library affiliates are welcome to visit and use the Sherman Fairchild Library after completing our visitor form and with the appropriate ID. 

The visitor form must be completed every visit.

Both West and East facing doors are locked at all times. Use the doorbell to notify the Information Desk attendant for entry.

Technology

Building access does not include access to computers, printers, scanners, bookable study rooms, or equipment.

Laptops and e-devices carried in by affiliates may be connected to the Internet by applying for access to the Visitor wireless network maintained by Caltech IMSS. 

Due to our licensing agreements, access to electronic resources to non-Caltech individuals is restricted. 

• Incidental access to library-licensed resources is not controlled by the Caltech Library but by our vendors who provided the correct internet address ranges for authorized Caltech users.

Library Services

Reference service and research assistance is not available to affiliates. We reserve the right to decline requests for research or technology assistance.

If interested in a specific book, affiliates can send an email to library@caltech.edu ahead of their visit.

• An email notice will be sent when the book is ready at the Information Desk.
• A requested book will be held for 7 days at the Information Desk.
• Unless otherwise noted, all books will be in-library use only.

The complete list of Caltech Library affiliations and respective library privileges can be found on the What Can I Access page.

Visitor Form