Library Services

The Robert W. Van Houten Library, NJIT’s university library, is located in the Central Avenue Building (CAB) and serves as the primary facility for researching, studying, and browsing physical materials and online resources. In 1997, the Van Houten Library created the Information Commons, a computer lab with over 120 computer workstations. Today, it also houses the Information Training Lab, the Leir Data Observatory,  and the IST Service Desk.

The Barbara and Leonard Littman Architecture & Design Library, a branch of the university’s library, is located in Weston Hall. It maintains a digital and physical core collection of materials on architecture, art, and design: books, journals, maps, architectural drawings, various media, and models. The Littman Library also houses the Digital Scholarship Lab, Mostoller Reading Room, and Materials Library, a collection of materials samples.

Collection

The library collection comprises over 592,000+ volumes of print books and electronic books, journals, media, dissertations/theses, and special collections/archives. The library spends over 95% of its materials budget on acquiring electronic resources accessible anytime and anywhere covering a variety of subjects. Example of selected online resources include ACM Digital Library, Academic Search Premier, Artstor, ASTM International Standards, Avery Index, Business Source Premier, Factiva, IEEE Xplore, JSTOR, New York Times Online, ProQuest Academic Complete Ebook Central, ScienceDirect, SciFinder, Scopus, SPIE Digital Library, Statista Expert, Wiley Online Library, and many more. Archival materials for primary source research can be found on our library website through Digital Commons institutional repository, by contacting the Archivist, archives@njit.edu. A centralized "search all" portal delivers a single search experience of most electronic library resources. Contact any of our professional librarians for help to navigate these general and subject-specific databases.

Learning Spaces

The library strives to help students do their best work by offering a variety of individual and collaborative study spaces throughout the NJIT Library, including designated silent study areas and group study rooms with large display monitors for teamwork. See more about library services. The Collaborative Study Space provides flexible and synergistic spaces for students to work on projects and discover challenges and solutions. The Leir Data Observatory provides a dedicated high-tech space for students and faculty to mutually study data science. The Lobby of the Van Houten Library houses an IST managed Laptop Lending Kiosk with laptops and chargers for students to borrow for four (4) hours use anywhere on campus using a library barcode.

Getting Started

Access to print and digital resources starts at the Van Houten Library or the Littman Library home pages. Access to literature in engineering, science, computer science, management, mathematics, architecture, design, and other subject areas is provided by various electronic databases, discovery portal (online catalog), journals, and research guides. Professional librarians are readily available to help students to navigate the research pathways. To borrow materials from our casual reading to academic resources, students are encouraged to obtain a library barcode at the Circulation Desk.

Research and Instruction

Professional librarians provide instruction and consultation in all subject areas to enhance the student, faculty, and staff’s ability to connect efficiently with needed information. Research help is available in person, by phone or via email, and through live chat or text during selected hours. If unsure of where to begin, patrons can check out our many research guides covering topics from “Starting Your Research” to course-specific guides.

Resources Beyond NJIT

Students, faculty, and staff may supplement NJIT library resources by borrowing free of charge materials from the New Jersey Academic Library Network (NJALN) via Primo Discovery, Rutgers University – John Cotton Dana Library and the George F. Smith Health Sciences Library, the Newark Public Library, and the other state colleges and universities in New Jersey. Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Services can also provide free of charge materials to the students and researchers from anywhere globally, fulfilling article requests within 24-hours.

Special Collections and Archives

Included among NJIT’s resources are the university’s historical archive for artifacts developed and manufactured by Edward Weston. He was a scientist, a prolific inventor, and a founding member of the university’s board of trustees. A collection of Dr. Weston’s books, papers, and drawings is housed in the Rare Book room and available to scholars and others interested in the history of science and technology.

Contact Us

Van Houten Library                            Littman Architecture & Design Library

Central Avenue Building                    Weston Hall
(973) 596-3206                                  (973) 596-3083
http://library.njit.edu                           http://archlib.njit.edu