Practical Matters

Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8:30–5:00
Saturday: 9:00–Noon
Closed on Sundays and on major holidays.
Holiday Closings

Please note that on the first Wednesday of each month, the Library holds a staff meeting and does not open until after 10 a.m.

Registration:
All researchers are required to register. Two forms of currently valid identification, including either a driver's license or a passport, must be presented. As a rule, college identification cards and reader’s cards from other institutions are not acceptable as primary identification. Foreign nationals (except Canadians) are required to present their passports. Graduate students and independent scholars are required to present a letter of reference from an established university scholar.

Brown University Library:
Access to the Rockefeller Library at Brown University may be arranged at no cost. The “Rock” has a large general collection of secondary materials.

Copies:
We do not photocopy rare books. Readers who want a copy of a rare book should request microfilm. Photocopying of reference materials may only be done with the approval of the Reference Librarian. Copying decisions are based upon the condition of the work to be copied. Readers are not permitted to copy JCB materials themselves. Photographs, slides, and microfilm can also be ordered.

Getting to the Library:
The John Carter Brown Library is on the Brown University Green on the corner of George and Brown Streets. Once you are on the University campus, the Library is easy to find. When asking directions locally, you are more likely to get an informed response if you ask for Brown University, not the John Carter Brown Library.

By Air:
The T.F. Green Airport (401-737-4000) is twenty minutes away in Warwick and serves the Providence metropolitan area. Shuttle vans depart frequently from the airport to the Brown Campus for $9.00 one-way. (Airport Van shuttle, 401-737-2868). Taxi fare is approximately $25.

If it is more convenient to fly to Boston, a direct Bonanza bus regularly runs to Providence from Logan Airport’s International Arrivals Terminal. The round-trip fare is $34 (one-way $19.00). Bonanza has a free shuttle bus that runs from its Providence bus terminal (located near exit 25 on route I-95) to Kennedy Plaza in downtown Providence. From the Plaza there are buses to College Hill on the East Side where Brown University is located. The Library is within walking distance of Kennedy Plaza, but the walk requires a climb up a steep hill. It is not recommended in inclement weather or if luggage is carried.

By Train:
Providence is on the northeast corridor Amtrak (1-800-872-7245) line that runs from Virginia to Boston, and five or six trains arrive daily. Taxis are available at the station.

By Car:
For auto travel I-95 connects Providence to Boston and New York; I-195 connects Providence to Cape Cod; US 6 runs west to Hartford, Connecticut; US 146 runs north to Worcester, Massachusetts.

On-street parking is permitted for 2 to 3 hours at a time. An all-day parking permit can be obtained from the Parking Office, 75 Charlesfield St. (401-863-3157) Parking is quite difficult around the Brown University campus and a car can be a liability. In the vicinity of Brown, most needs can be met by walking or by using public transportation.

Where to Stay:
Researchers who plan to work at the Library for more than a few days should write or call the Library and ask for a list of possible lodgings. Rates are seldom less than $200 a week.

Private hotels are another possibility,
but the rates are high:

Courtyard by Marriott
32 Exchange Terrace at Memorial Boulevard
(401) 272-1191

Holiday Inn Providence
Atwells Avenue Providence, RI 02903
(401) 831-3900
(About a mile from campus in the downtown area.)

Providence Marriott
Charles and Orms Streets Providence, RI 02903
(401) 272-2400
(About 1 1/2 miles from campus.)

Biltmore Hotel
Kennedy Plaza Providence, RI 02903
(401) 421-0700
(About a mile from campus in the downtown area.
Located a block away from the downtown buses.)

Radisson Hotel Providence Harbor
220 India Point Providence, RI 02906
(401) 272-5577
(About a mile from campus located on the East Side.)

What to Wear:
Providence’s climate is quite variable. Mark Twain once observed that there is no climate here, only weather. Another wit remarked that the only two seasons in New England are winter and August. The most fickle seasons are spring and summer. A sweater and other warm clothes could even be needed between April and September. July and August, however, are typically hot and humid. Freezing temperatures should be expected during the winter through March.

Please address correspondence to:
The John Carter Brown Library
Box 1894
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: (401) 863-2725
Fax: (401) 863-3477
E-mail: JCBL_Information@brown.edu

Please note that an extended version of this document is available as a printed brochure; contact the address above for more information.

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