Visiting Sutro

General Information

The Sutro Library is located on the campus of San Francisco State University at 1630 Holloway Ave, 5th floor. The library is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The Sutro Library welcomes SFSU’s academic community, visiting scholars, and the general public. Scholars using Sutro’s rare materials are asked to email us three business days in advance of their visit and make an appointment. Please arrive with a government issued or current student photo ID. All personal belongings, except those necessary for research (single sheets of paper, pencils, cell phones, and laptop computers), should be placed in the reading room lockers. This includes coats, backpacks, three-ring binders, spiral bound notebooks, and laptop cases. Legal pads and laptop cases will also need to be placed inside a locker. No food or drink is permitted in the Sutro Reading Room at any time.

Bringing Your Class to Sutro

We encourage San Francisco State University instructors and their students to use our rich and diverse collections. Instructors are encouraged to collaborate with a librarian in selecting Sutro materials for either a general or subject-specific class that enhances the educational goals of their students.

Using Sutro’s Classroom

Classes are scheduled Tuesday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Due to the classroom’s size, we can only accommodate classes of no more than 20 students. Larger classes will be divided and separate sessions scheduled. Given our staffing levels, please contact us 7 days before the date of your class.

Arranging to Use Our Collections

Instructors can arrange for a library class in the Sutro by completing the online form.

Preparing Your Students

There are a few simple rules that students will need to follow when using the Sutro classroom:

  1. Students should wash their hands before entering.
  2. Students’ backpacks and bags will be left just inside the classroom door.
  3. Only pencils should be used. Pens of any type or felt markers are not permitted.
  4. No food or drink of any kind is allowed.

Your assigned librarian will assist you with the physical presentation of the materials and provide instruction on handling materials as needed.

Room Amenities

Our classroom is equipped with a laptop projector, one tabletop dry-erase board, various sizes of foam cradles, and approximately 20 chairs.

Getting to Sutro Library

Disability Assistance

For those individuals who need assistance getting between the parking garage and the Sutro library, SFSU provides transportation. Call the Disability Programs and Resource Center at 415-338-2472 a day in advance to arrange a pick up. The driver picks up passengers near the pedestrian bridge on the top level of the parking garage (take the elevator to the top level of the garage). This service is available during campus business hours, Monday – Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

Circulation

Everyone is welcome to visit the public service locations of the California State Library, to include the Sutro Library, and access the Library’s collections and resources. With a State Library card, California state government officials and employees may also borrow most Sutro Library books, magazines and journals as well as remotely access the Library’s online resources. Members of the general public may request some materials from the Sutro Library through interlibrary lending at their local public library. Rare and fragile materials are not loaned and must be requested in advance and viewed in the Sutro Library.

Library Amenities

  • Wifi Internet access
  • Computers
  • Digital microform scanners
  • Book scanner

Note: Scanners can save and/or email scanned files of non-rare materials. Please bring a flash drive with you. For rare materials consulted in the glassroom, photography of collection materials without flash is permitted.

The Sutro Library is a green library. We are committed to saving valuable state and environmental resources by becoming a paperless library. Anyone wanting to make copies is encouraged to bring a flashdrive, email files to yourself, or use other cloud storage services.

Thank you for helping us save California’s resources.