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SSW Students: Use Libraries on Placement

Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin Counties

Students living in the local area have full Smith and Five College library privileges including

  • Borrowing books
  • Using Request Item for Five College books
  • Submitting interlibrary loan requests

If you live outside these counties, but within a 60-mile radius of Smith (Enfield, Pittsfield, Brattleboro, etc.), you may choose either to use Smith and its services on site or to send requests to Smith via email.

Boston Library Consortium (BLC)

Please check the Boston Library Consortium website to see if your placement is close to any of these libraries in New England. If so, please register for a BLC card at the Neilson Library Central Service Point to get a BLC card before leaving Smith to go on placement. You will then need to register with any of those libraries using the card. All items loaned from those institutions will need to be returned directly to them.

Boston and Surrounding Towns

Via a reciprocal arrangement, SSW students have access and borrowing privileges at:

Make sure you contact these libraries before your first visit to arrange for a borrowing card. 

Residents of Greater Hartford

Via a reciprocal arrangement, SSW students have access and borrowing privileges at:

Make sure you contact this library before your first visit to arrange for a borrowing card. 

Other Areas

  • Contact the Smith College Libraries for assistance in identifying libraries near your placement site and determining what their policies are for outside users.
  • Please feel free to email sswreq@smith.edu with the titles of book from the Smith College Libraries collection that can be mailed to you while on placement.

Please note: College, university, research, and specialized (e.g., medical) libraries' policies for outside visitors vary widely. Some libraries will allow you to use materials on site; some will provide borrowing privileges; and others will charge hefty fees or won’t even let you in the door. If a library requires a letter of introduction for access or other privileges, please ask what specific information is needed in the letter and then contact libraryhelp@smith.edu or 413-585-2910.