Rare Books and Special Collections occupies the 4th floor of the McLennan Library Building, 3459 McTavish Street, located on the lower downtown campus.

Women’s and men’s washrooms signage outside of Rare Books and Special Collections

Women’s and men’s washrooms signage outside of Rare Books and Special Collections

Books Arts Laboratory inside Rare Books and Special Collections

Books Arts Laboratory inside Rare Books and Special Collections

Colgate Room inside Rare Books and Special Collections

Colgate Room inside Rare Books and Special Collections

Entrance doors to Rare Books and Special Collections

Entrance doors to Rare Books and Special Collections

Lockers and area for hanging jackets inside Rare Books and Special Collections

Lockers and area for hanging jackets inside Rare Books and Special Collections

Main study area of Rare Books and Special Collections

Main study area of Rare Books and Special Collections

Highlights

  • The Reading room is open by appointment to consult the collections.
  • Display cases with rotating exhibitions.
  • Library events are held in the Colgate Room.
  • The Book Arts Lab is a small printing room located in Rare Books and Special Collections. 

Building access

Approach and entrance
  • Entrance to Rare Books and Special Collections is on the 4th floor of the McLennan Library Building (see Accessibility Guide p. 31). Accessible via 2 elevators and 1 staircase.  
    • Go through the first door to the right of the elevators and staircase, turn right and go down the hallway to find two additional entrance doors.
    • Between the two entrance doors it is narrow and there may not be enough space to use a mobility device.
    • None of the three doors have automatic door activation.

Washrooms and water fountains

Washrooms
  • Location: within the first door to the right of the elevators and staircase, to the left, and left again through a set of double doors. No automatic door activation.
    • Men’s and women’s washrooms: manual door that pushes inward; narrow stalls; no infant change tables or automatic doors.
  • Nearest gender inclusive and accessible washroom on the 6th floor of the McLennan Library Building (M6-37C).
Water fountains
  • Location: 1 fountain next to the washrooms
    • Approach: unobstructed, sufficient knee clearance for mobility device users
    • Bottle fill station: operated by sensor
    • Fountain operation: operated by push bars mounted on front and both sides

Study spaces and services

Service desk
  • Location: just inside the entrance.  
    • Features: height-adjustable standing or sitting desks with toe and knee clearance.  
    • Privacy: none (ask staff for alternatives)  
    • Sound level: talking 
Study spaces
  • Study spaces
    • open space with wooden tables
    • chairs with armrests
  • Stacks
    • small reference collection in a non-standard shelving unit with books located on a low shelf
    • other books are locked in cabinets and can only be opened by staff members
  • Sound level
    • quiet study
  • Flooring
    • smooth flooring in the hallway leading to the Rare Books and Special Collections room
    • carpeted within the room itself
  • Lighting
    • natural light from windows
    • overhead fluorescent lighting
  • Equipment
    • 1 book scanner that requires a USB key to operate
    • 1 computer workstation inside the entrance
      • workstation desk has limited knee clearance
Additional spaces
  • Reading room open by appointment to consult the collections.
  • Colgate Room where events are held.  
  • The Book Arts Lab is a small printing room located in Rare Books and Special Collections.
  • Additional features and services
    • lockers to store personal items
    • space to hang jackets