FAQs for Visitors and Friends

Below are answers to some questions that are frequently asked by visitors to the Lafayette Libraries. If your question isn’t answered here, please contact a librarian at 610-330-5155 or refdesk@lafayette.edu.

Access to Lafayette Libraries

May visitors use Skillman and Kirby Libraries?

Visitors are welcome to use our buildings and our collections. Special permission is not needed to enter the libraries during regular library hours.

Borrowing Materials

May alumni or visitors borrow materials?

There is a Guest Borrowing Program which provides borrowing privileges for $50 for one year. For recent alumni (graduating in the last 10 years), $25 provides borrowing privileges. Due to licensing restrictions, the Guest Borrowing Program does not include remote access privileges to the Library’s electronic resources or access to interlibrary loan.

Electronic Resources

May alumni or visitors access the libraries’ subscription to JSTOR?

The Friends of Skillman Library provide alumni with access to JSTOR, a digital library of back issues of scholarly journals. Use the following steps to connect to this content

  1. Go to https://www.jstor.org/
  2. Click ‘Log in’
  3. Click ‘Find My Institution’
  4. Type ‘Lafayette College’ in the ‘Search for your institution’ box
  5. Click on ‘Lafayette College’ in the search results
  6. Sign in using your alumni Network ID (an alumni Network ID is required; to obtain your Network ID, visit http://help.lafayette.edu/it-services-for-alumni)

Note that access to some of the content in JSTOR is available to users who are not Lafayette alumni through JSTOR’s Early Journal Content and Register and Read programs.

May alumni or visitors access the libraries’ other electronic resources?

Alumni also have access to the digital Loeb Classical Library. An alumni NetID is required for this resource as well. Access to Loeb is courtesy of a gift from Jeffrey E. Fiddler ’63, in memory of the late Professor W. Edward Brown.

Alumni and visitors who wish to use electronic subscriptions other than JSTOR and Loeb should consult a Lafayette research librarian. Access to these subscriptions is limited to in-library use only.

Internet Access

May visitors access the Internet in your library?

Internet access is available to community users on a limited number of machines in Skillman Library, but access to the majority of computers is restricted to current faculty and students. Computers available for use by visitors have Web browser applications but no document creation or editing applications. Printing is not available. The Lafayette College wireless network is available only to current employees and students of the college and their invited guests.

For visitors from participating institutions, the eduroam wireless network is available. eduroam enables visiting students, faculty and staff of participating institutions to easily gain secure network access using their home institution credentials. More information about connecting to the campus network >>

Does the library issue guest accounts to visitors so they can use wireless on campus?

No. Invited guests of the college should request guest access through the party or department being visited.

LVAIC Faculty and Students

May LVAIC faculty and students use Lafayette’s libraries?

Current faculty and students at LVAIC institutions may borrow materials with their valid college ID, but privileges do not extend to use of restricted computers or the campus wireless network. LVAIC faculty and students who wish to use Lafayette’s electronic resources because their research need cannot be met with their home institution’s resources should consult with a Lafayette research librarian.

Software

Does the library have PCs with Word, Excel, or other software that I can use?

No. Computers available for use by visitors have Web browser applications but no document creation or editing applications.