Library Access and Borrowing Materials

As part of a multi-campus institution, the staff at the Davis Library of St. John’s recognizes that many of our students and insurance industry clients may want to determine what we have on a specific topic or whether we have a specific item in our collection before using our facility.  Our on-line catalog  InsureCat  is a useful first step in searching the physical holdings of the Davis Library including current insurance industry information books and articles, government documents and archive material. Additional questions/answers about borrowing material and general access are listed below:

Q. Who may borrow materials from the library?
A. Eligible borrowers include: Students, faculty and staff of St. John's University with a valid STJ ID card;  Industry "fee paying"  members may use the librarywith proper identification from their place of employement (i.e., company ID or Letter of introduction). See borrowing status table below for  # of items and loan period.

Q. Circulation procedures
A. Once you have identified the material you would like to borrow, you can check it out at the Front Desk. 

Q. Returning items
For the convenience of others, borrowers are asked to return materials on time. Davis Library material must be returned to the Manhattan Campus. You may renew an item by telephone for (1) additional loan period if the item has not been requested by another user.

Q. Obtaining materials outside the Davis Library
A. To facilitate access to material not available at this library, we will coordinate Interlibrary Loan services for students, faculty and staff of St. John's University through the main campus ILL Department. You may also request items from other STJ campus libraries including Staten Island and Queens and we will have the items sent to our circulation desk. The turnaround time is generally 1 day. For materials availability and procedures, please contact the library staff.

Q. May Alumni of St. John's use the library?
Alumni of the university may purchase an access card at a reduced rate for the first year following their graduation. The cost of the first year is $25.00. Afterwards, they would need to purchase an annual subscription to the library.Q. How may items and for how long?
A. See Borrowing Status table below

Q Is the library open to the General Public?.
A. We are not open to the general public. Please contact your librarian for interlibrary loan information. We accept ALA interlibrary loan forms from other libraries. There is a $10 fee per item. The public may also purchase a "limited use"daily, weekly, monthly pass. Annual memberships are also available. 

The general public who need short term, onsite access may purchase access to the library on a daily basis. The cost is  $30.00 per day. Payment must be paid on the day of use at the Library Circulation desk, 3rd fl.. Manhattan Campus. We accept either cash or a check. Checks should be made payable to St. John's University.  For more details on longer term usage please click here for a membership application.

Borrowing Status

There are some additional exceptions and restrictions for individual items in demand, special collection items, and reserve material. Reference works, loose-leaf services and periodicals do not circulate.

Special Access requests are at the discretion of the Davis Library Director. Request can be sent to davislibrary@stjohns.edu or by calling (212) 277 5135.