Sydney R. and Elsa W. Mason Library | Johns Hopkins University
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
1740 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036
ph: 202-663-5900 | fax: 202-663-5916 | saislibrary@jhu.edu To learn about SAIS Library resources and policies, click on a topic or scroll down to read the full guide. We encourage you to contact the Library staff for help at any time.
The SAIS Library, also known as Mason Library, offers comprehensive library services to SAIS students, faculty and staff. Located on the sixth-eighth floors of the Nitze Building at 1740 Massachusetts Avenue NW, the collection includes about 110,000 print volumes in subject areas covered by the curriculum, as well as a wide variety of online resources.
For more information, see Access, Floorplan (pdf) and Library Mission Statement.
Library Hours
Hours of operation for the Library during the Fall/Spring academic terms are listed below. Consult Hours for seasonal schedules. 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Friday
10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Saturday
11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Sunday
Note that 15 minutes prior to closing, the Circulation Desk closes and elevators and doors allowing entry to the Library are locked.
Catalyst Catalyst, the JHU Libraries Catalog, is the main source for identifying SAIS Library materials, as well as the holdings of other Hopkins libraries. Circulation Policies To check out Library materials you will need your own valid JCard or, if you are working for a faculty member, a "proxy" card (proxy application). All Library materials must be checked out at and returned to the Circulation Desk. When the Library is closed, you may return materials to the overnight book drop in the Nitze Building lobby. All books in the SAIS main stacks (7th and 8th floors) circulate for six weeks, but are subject to recall after 14 days if requested by another borrower. You may renew a book as many times as you wish, provided no one else has requested it. To renew six-week books via the web, click here or "Login" in Catalyst. You may also renew via a Circulation Desk staff employee, call the Circulation Desk at 202-663-5900, or send an e-mail to saislibrary@jhu.edu. If a book is listed in the JHU Libraries Catalog as “available” at another JHU Library, you may request it online via the catalog. If the book you need is checked out, you can still request it online, or ask a staff member to recall it for you. Note that SAIS books listed in the catalog as "available" in the SAIS main stacks are retrievable (self-serve) from the stacks. If you cannot locate a book in the stacks, please fill out a search request at the Circulation Desk. We will search for the book, notify you if it is found, or, if it is not found within one week, we'll offer to borrow it from another library.
back to top Reserve Materials The Library tries to ensure that all required readings for each course are on three-hour print reserve or electronic reserve. As a general rule, reserve materials are not available in both print and electronic formats, although there are some exceptions. If you cannot locate a particular reserve reading, be sure to ask for help at the Reference Desk or Circulation Desk.
Electronic reservesoffer students 24/7 access to reserve readngs for their courses. SAIS Library posts as much required reserve material as we can in accordance with copyright law and fair use guidelines. To access electronic reserves, students should login to Blackboard, choose their course site(s), and click on Course Readings.
The print reserve collection is located behind the Circulation Desk. To find out which titles are on print reserve for the current semester, use the link to the print reserve catalog on the Course Readings page for your course OR: - Go to Catalyst, the JHU Libraries Catalog
- Click on Reserves
- Select SAIS Reserves
- Enter either course name or instructor
Reserve file materials are listed in capital letters. Note that articles are listed by title of article, and books or portions of books are listed by title of book. To borrow a reserve book: - Write down the SAIS Library call number (not the call number of another JHU library) on a request slip
- Submit the slip at the Circulation Desk
To borrow a reserve file (a title in capital letters): - Write down the title on a reserve request slip
- Write down the professor’s last name
- Submit the slip at the Circulation Desk
Please let a full-time staff member know if you think there are insufficient copies of reserve materials for a particular course. A form for this purpose is available at the Circulation Desk. We will do our best to provide sufficient copies of reserve materials that have shown consistently heavy use (i.e., at least three times per day) for more than twenty-four hours preceding the class. In addition to material included on reading lists, the Reserve Desk also houses current issues of many periodicals, foreign language dictionaries, and books in high demand for core exams.
Print reserve policies are as follows: Loan limit: One item at a time
Exceptions: One hour before the Library closes,
you may check out a second item for overnight use. | Overdue fines: $1.00 an hour | | Loan period: Three hours or overnight | Renewals: In person only | Overnight checkout time:
Sun through Thurs: 5:00 pm
Fri and Sat: 3:00 pm
Items due next day, 2 hours after opening | Holds: You may place a hold on a
reserve reading which is in use or
which you would like to borrow later
the same day (not for another day) | | ID card: Your JCard is your library card | |
Periodicals and Newspapers
SAIS Library subscribes to approximately 900 print periodicals and newspapers and has access to thousands more online. For a complete list of relevant databases, see Databases A - Z. The Library’s FIND IT Journal Linker is a quick way to find out if JHU has full-text electronic access to a particular journal. Bound periodicals are shelved alphabetically by current title in the 8th floor Periodical Room. Print newspapers are located in the Newspaper Reading Room on the 8th floor, with back issues of some papers and periodicals available online. Current issues of many, but not all, of the Library's periodicals and newspapers are on reserve. The JHU Libraries Catalog indicates the location of all periodicals. Periodicals and newspapers do not circulate, with the exception of those on reserve, which circulate for three hours at a time. They may be checked out for overnight use like other reserve materials. Research Services / Databases and other Resources The Library provides access to an ever-growing number of electronic resources, including databases for scholarly articles, newspapers, statistical data, dissertations and e-books. SAIS Librarians have produced a series of Research Guides that offer quick ways to search for books and articles, as well as recommendations for deeper research and links to the Library's suite of research tools: FindIt, RefWorks, and JHsearch.
For a comprehensive list of databases, see JHsearch Databases A - Z (or by Subject). Most of the Library’s electronic resources are available remotely to JHU users via Off-Campus Access. As always, please ask reference staff for help in selecting or using any of the Library’s electronic resources.
The Reference Desk is located on the 6th floor of the Nitze Building. Reference librarians are available Monday through Friday, 9 am - 5 pm. Appointments are welcome, but not necessary. You may also use Ask a SAIS Librarian. back to top
Maps and Atlases
Some atlases are shelved in the reference area on the 6th floor. Oversized atlases are in atlas cases on the 8th floor. The Government Publications/Maps/Law Library, at Eisenhower Library on the Homewood campus, maintains an extensive map collection, many of which may be borrowed on interlibrary loan, and provides numerous links on their home page to web sites with maps and geographic information.
Microforms The Periodicals Room on the 8th floor houses one microform reader. Microfiche sets for Annual Reports of the World’s Central Banks and statistical yearbooks from over 100 countries are also stored near the reader.
Milton S. Eisenhower Library The Milton S. Eisenhower Library - one of JHU's "Sheridan Libraries" - is the main library of the Johns Hopkins University, located in Baltimore on the Homewood campus. MSE Library's web page has a wealth of useful information, including research guides and links. As a SAIS student, you are welcome to use the MSE Library, but must present your valid JCard at the entrance. To borrow a book from them, or any other JHU library, you may submit an online request via Catalyst. Books are delivered Monday-Friday via a courier and may be returned to SAIS Library. Most titles in the MSE Library’s video collection are also requestable through the catalog. The loan period for videos is 7 days, with an overdue fine of $3.00 per day back to top Interlibrary Loan Material needed for research, but not owned by JHU Libraries, can usually be obtained from another library though Interlibrary Loan (ILL). Depending upon the item requested, this typically takes from about 10 to 14 days for books and much less for articles.
Washington Area Libraries
The Washington, D.C., area is home to a wealth of libraries and research resources. A guide to DC Libraries and Beyond describes resources of potential interest to SAIS students.
Services For Persons With Disabilites The SAIS Library serves patrons with disabilities by providing special assistance to facilitate the use of the Library and its collections. If you have a disability that limits your independent use of the Library, please consult a librarian for assistance. If your disability requires the use of assistive technology, the Library will make every reasonable effort to accommodate your needs; all such accommodations must be arranged prior to your use of the Library. Staff and faculty members should contact the Human Resources Office. Students should contact the Office of Student Services. For more information, see Library Services for Persons with Disabilities.
back to top MISCELLANEOUS Access Full use of the Library is limited to SAIS students, faculty, and staff. SAIS alumni are welcome to use materials within the Library at no charge, but must pay a fee for borrowing privileges [see our guide to Alumni Services]. Students, faculty, and staff from other divisions of Johns Hopkins University have access and borrowing privileges, but are expected to rely upon their respective divisions for interlibrary loan service and research support. The SAIS Library is not open to the public. Individuals not affiliated with JHU may consult Catalyst, the JHU Libraries Catalog, from off-campus and are welcome to request SAIS books on interlibrary loan through their home library.
Limited (same day only) access may be granted to visiting researchers who are not affiliated with a local university or research institution and who need to consult a resource not readily available elsewhere. To ask about access, contact Readers Services Librarian Linda Carlson at 202-663-5903 or call the Library Reference Desk at 202-663-5901 between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. Carrels Library carrels are for the use of all students. A limited number of carrels with cabinets may be reserved by Ph.D. students, but, when unoccupied, may be used by other readers. To guard against theft or loss, please take your personal belongings with you whenever you leave a carrel unattended, even if only for a few minutes. To help insure the availability of books and carrels, library materials and personal belongings left on carrels will be picked up daily. Personal belongings are held in the Library's lost and found drawer at the Circulation Desk for a limited time.
Change The Library is unable to provide change except to those who are paying fines or fees. A change machine is located in the Nitze basement. Fines The fine for overdue six-week books is 25 cents per day per book. The fine for overdue reserve material is one dollar an hour (or fraction of an hour). Because reserve materials are in such heavy demand, it is especially important that they be returned on time. Although overdue notices are sent as a courtesy, please remember that it is your responsibility to return Library books on time. Food And Drink You are welcome to bring food and drink to the Library as long as you exercise care. We ask that you not have any food or drink near the Library’s computer workstations. Group Study Rooms SAIS Library has four collaborative study rooms: two on the 7th floor and two on the 8th floor. One room is equipped with a SmartBoard and LED projector/screen; a cable and remote control for the LED projector is on reserve.
To reserve a group study room for a particular time, see the calendar posted outside each room. Note that these rooms are for groups of two or more SAIS students only, and that any given group may sign up in advance for a maximum of two hours a day. Laptops Laptop computers may be used anywhere in the Library. If you are unable to connect with a wireless card, you can use an Ethernet cable in the carrels in the Laptop Room on the 8th floor. Printing from laptops requires use of special software (see Printing instructions). Carrels are equipped with metal rings to lock your laptop if you need to leave it unattended.
Lost And Found Lost and found items are kept behind the Circulation Desk. Library staff will recycle or dispose of all unclaimed items at the end of each semester. Messages / Notices When possible, Library staff use email to communicate with students. Your JHED email will automatically be used unless you opt to register another address for Library notices via email. Phones To avoid disturbing others, we ask that you turn off your cell phone before entering the Library.
Preservation The SAIS Library collection represents a major asset of the School, and is an important part of the library collections of the Johns Hopkins University as a whole. Every Library user can assist in protecting the materials in the collections and insuring their usefulness for other readers by using Library materials in a non-damaging manner. Please: - Do not write or underline in Library materials.
- Do not fold pages or insert bulky materials inside bound volumes.
- Do not attempt to repair Library items yourself. Bring damaged materials to the attention of a Library staff member.
- Do not eat or drink near Library computer equipment.
Printing /Copying /Scanning
Printers are located on the 6th and 8th floors, with a cost of 8 cents per single-sided page, or 10 cents total for double-sided prints. Color printing is available in the Computer Lab on the 3rd floor of Nitze. SAIS students are allotted 1000 free print pages each semester. Unused prints do not roll over into the new semester and a double-sided page is considered two prints. Printing from the JHU Libraries Catalog is free at all times. To add money to your copy card account, please use the (cedit card only) vend station opposite the Library’s Circulation Desk.
Copy machines are located near the entrance to the 6th floor. Photocopies are eight cents each with your JCard. All copy machines have free scan-to-email capabilities. A machines for making paper copies from microfilm or microfiche is located in the Periodicals Room on the 8th floor. Microform copies are eight cents with a JCard or copy card. Staff
For a directory of SAIS Library staff, please refer to the Staff page. The Library also employs a team of student assistants each semester. Applications are taken throughout the year.
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