NOIRLab Headquarters Library, Tucson - Collections

The NOIRLab Headquarters Library has an extensive collection of books, journals, observatory publications, and historical materials, which go back decades. We purchase, organize, preserve, and provide access to our collections in support of the research needs of all NOIRLab staff. Our resources include digital resources and physical copies.

The main focus in our collections is astronomy, but we also have collections of mathematics, physics, and engineering materials. The Library acquires materials at a research level, including monographs, periodicals, conference proceedings, and reference works without regard to place of publication, date of publication, or chronological period. Materials are primarily in English for the NOIRLab Headquarters Library. In general, we do not collect professional handbooks or textbooks. We do not collect popular works, with the exception of materials dealing with the history of astronomy and with diversity issues. 

Books and journals are purchased in accordance with our guidelines upon demand by staff. 

The Library is open 24 hours/day. For access to archival materials, please contact the Librarian. 

Holdings

Library Serial Holdings

Online Library Catalog - Sign in as NOIRLab for Library Name; no password required

Physical Collections

Call Numbers and Subjects

Materials in the NOIRLab Headquarters Library are arranged according to the Library of Congress classification scheme, which uses a combination of letters and numbers. Here are some guides to the LC classification system:

• Library Guide to Call Numbers and Subjects
• Library of Congress classification scheme for Q
• Library of Congress classification scheme for T

Main Floor of NOIRLab Headquarters Library

• Books and Journals
  • Astronomy (QB) 
• Reference Materials
• Writing Center (dictionaries, thesauri, writing books, style manuals) - main floor near tables
• Tohono O'odham History
• KPNO Instruments 
  • We have several small KPNO instruments on display in our library. They are listed in the NOIRLab library catalog (sign in as NOIRLab for library name; no password required; search for QB86.4 in search bar) with photographs and descriptions. 
• Organzational History and Publications (AURA Engineering Reports; KPNO Contributions (listing of Contributions with bibcodes for ADS records); KPNO R&D Technical Memoranda; NOAO and NOIRLab Newsletters)

Basement Floor of NOIRLab Headquarters Library

• Books and Journals
  • Education (L)
  • Geography (G)
  • History (E and F)
  • Mathematics (QA)
  • Optics (QC)
  • Physics (QC)
  • Psychology (BF)
  • Science, general (Q)
  • Statistics (HA)
  • Technology and Engineering (T)
• Historical  Collection
  We have a collection of historical materials, which are kept in a restricted area of the library. Some of these materials are listed in the NOIRLab library catalog (sign in as NOIRLab for library name; no password required; search for "physical archives" [no quotes] in search bar), while others are being cataloged and digitized.  Contact Sharon for information and access.  
• Observatory Publications
  Publications from observatories throughout the world have QB4 call numbers. In Tucson, some of these publications are located in the astronomy section on the main floor; others are in a separate restricted area. In La Serena, these publications have been placed in an archival closet. Contact Sharon for information and access.

Digital Archives 

• Digital materials created by the Tucson Headquarters Librarian are listed in the NOIRLab library catalog (sign in as NOIRLab for library name; no password required; search for "digital archives" [no quotes] in search bar). Some of these digital files are available within the library catalog and others are found on the NOIRLab science website (linked from the item record in the library catalog).