Community Resources

Schaffer Library provides a wealth of resources to the students, faculty, and staff of Union College. Many of these resources are also available to members of the greater community, including:

• Union College alumni
• Retired Union College faculty and staff
• Spouses/partners of Union College faculty and staff
• Friends of the Library members
• Union College Academy of Lifelong Learning (UCALL) participants
• CDLC Direct Access Program (DAP) members
• Local area residents

Additionally, anyone can access our catalog, digital exhibitions, online repository and more from the Schaffer Library website.

Schaffer Library is located on Union College's campus, at 807 Union Street, Schenectady, NY. As of April 28, 2025, a Union College ID is required to enter the Schaffer Library building. Please call (518) 388-6280 to find out more information about accessing the building as a community user.

• Directory and maps of the building
• Campus, transportation, and parking maps
• Check the library's "Hours" page for open / close times

Community access to Schaffer Library's electronic resources is available on the public workstations in the library building. Please stop by the Library Service Desk to obtain a guest login. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide remote access or distribute the guest login information to off-campus researchers.

To see what databases we have, please visit our A-Z Databases List.

The library supports robust digital collections, with materials that can be accessed anywhere in the world. The collections include:

• ARCHES, the Archival Repository for Cultural Heritage, Education, and Scholarship
• Our digital exhibitions
• Union College's Permanent Art Collection and Mandeville Gallery
• The Adirondack Research Library
• Student honors theses
• The Concordiensis

For more information, visit our Collections & Exhibitions website.