Reference and other library services are provided by the university's professional librarians during day, evening, and weekend hours via email, phone, chat, and the website.
After hours, the library participates in a chat-based reference service provided by a consortium of academic librarians. When Empire State University librarians are unavailable to chat, librarians from the consortium will respond to questions from Empire State University users.
Faculty and staff members wishing to request librarian presence at a university function, please submit requests to librarian@sunyempire.edu.
The online library provides access to a vast collection of online resources and services for research and study, including:
Alumni have free, lifelong access to the alumni library, which is a separate subset of the university's online library.
In 1971, Empire State College was chartered within the SUNY system as a distance learning college for adult and nontraditional students. Until 1997, our students relied on other SUNY libraries for research and learning support. In 1997, the online library and learning resource center was established and has continued to grow. On March 22, 2023, Empire State University became Empire State University following the growth of our programs in graduate studies.
We now have seven full-time library staff, five adjunct librarians, and a well-rounded collection of e-books, online journals, reference resources, and databases of images and videos. Our collections are entirely online and our services are delivered to our users wherever they are, online, or by phone.
The mission of the SUNY Empire State University Library is to develop and refine innovative and collaborative methods to provide support for creative and scholarly endeavors, teaching and learning, and organizational effectiveness throughout Empire State University. The library is a vital collaborator in providing high-quality, accessible, and affordable online learning and supporting individualized learning and research. As the library connects with all areas of the University, we seek to be well grounded in organizational efficiency through deep understanding of university processes and continuous improvement of departmental operations.
The SUNY Empire Library is a key partner in advancing SUNY Empire’s vision to provide high-quality, flexible, and affordable education. We are a core partner in developing and delivering collaborative and innovative support for the design and delivery of high-quality teaching and learning environments. The library supports the individualized and programmatic needs for research, career development, and lifelong growth of the SUNY Empire community through the design and delivery of user-oriented services. As SUNY Empire grows to be a leading public online University, the library will evolve to meet the growing needs of faculty and staff through the addition of expertise, staff, and services to meet the needs of high-impact researchers and high-quality online teaching and learning experts. In supporting the diverse Empire State community, the library seeks to facilitate access to diverse sources of information and deliver inclusive support and engagement.
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