User Access
Colorado School of Mines is dedicated to education and research in science, engineering and related fields in earth, energy and environment. Arthur Lakes Library, as an integral part of the academic process, is committed to excellence in supporting the information needs of the Mines community and of library users. In cooperation with the academic departments, the library staff provides services and develops collections that directly support Mines’ academic and research programs. The library maintains cooperative agreements with other organizations to provide additional access to materials not available here.
Library hours are posted at the building entrance and library website, and are available by phone. Hours vary based on the academic community calendar. Access policies for special collections are available on the library website. All library materials (excepting special collections) are available in open stacks for use when the library is open. Access for patrons with disabilities is available at the southwest entrance and throughout the interior of the building.
Although the library is open to the public, the Mines community has priority access to the collection and other resources. Hours for full reference service are posted in the library and on the library website.
Arthur Lakes Library is designated a selective depository for U.S. Federal Government publications and maps. Assistance and access to these publications is available to the public at large and, in particular, the residents in the Seventh Congressional District of Colorado. The U.S. Federal Government depository library logo is displayed at the library entrances to encourage the use of this collection. With the exception of selected materials in non-circulating collections, all government publications can be checked out. Knowledgeable staff members can assist users in finding information and refer them to other federal document depositories for items not in our collection.
Check-out of library materials is available to:
- Current Mines students, faculty and staff
- Mines Alumni Living in Colorado
- Library members
Public access computers are available to search and access library collections on site. Memberships are available for Alumni living in Colorado (free) and Colorado residents (paid). Licensing agreements determine how access is provided to e-resources (databases, e-books, e-journals). Only current Mines students, faculty and staff can access e-resources from off campus, or on personal devices.
Interlibrary loan services are available to the Mines community for material that is not available in the Arthur Lakes Library. Circulating material and copies from our collection are available to users of other libraries through interlibrary loan.
In addition to the library catalog, specialized search tools and reference service are available in the library. In addition to regular assistance, the library provides for-fee information research services using on-site resources. Availability of this service is dependent on current needs of the Mines community; contact the reference librarians for further information.
Updated 3/2022