Access and Borrowing Privileges
The African Studies Library is open to all persons with research and information needs concerning Africa. ASL staff can respond to telephone, mail and email reference requests. For extensive research, please visit the library or consult the catalog on-line.
Most of the collections of the African Studies Library and the Africa related materials in Mugar Memorial Library and its branches are listed on the on-line catalog. There are some exceptions:
- African Government documents and publications acquired by ASL prior to 1982
- African Telephone Books
- African College and University Catalogs
- Pamphlets
- African Maps
There is a card catalog in the ASL for the older document collection. Consult ASL staff for help using the other uncataloged materials.
Borrowing privileges are limited to students, faculty, research fellows and alumni of Boston University and holders of a valid Boston Library Consortium card. Visiting researchers may apply for temporary borrowing privileges in advance at the Mugar Memorial Library Administrative Office (771 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215) by providing name, Boston area address and telephone number, reason for requesting borrowing privileges, and the dates for which privileges are requested. Most Africa related materials in the library can be borrowed via interlibrary loan. Reference materials, bound journals and documents generally do not circulate, although local and interlibrary loan exceptions can be made by ASL administration.