How to Use the Library

The NSS Library is a research library that contains information about cave and karst related topics.

The Library is open weekdays from 8 am to 5 pm. You can also contact the librarian to arrange visits after-hours and possibly on a weekend under special circumstances. If you visit the library in person, you can browse through the collection yourself and find the materials you need. Since the library only has a few copies of each item, you cannot check out books or other materials. However, you can make photocopies of anything in the library for ten cents a page. Contact the librarian for help with your research.

If you cannot visit the library in person, the librarian can help you with your research. The librarian will answer simple research questions, perform literature searches (usually resulting in a bibliography), and make copies of articles (for ten cents a page). Sometimes there are copyright restrictions on certain materials that prevent the librarian from making copies. In those cases, the librarian will contact you with information about the restricted publication.

E-mail: librarian@caves.org
Fax: (256) 851-9241
Regular mail: 2813 Cave Avenue Huntsville, AL 35810-4431
Phone: (256) 852-1300

The librarian prefers if you contact him in writing (email, fax or mail). Try to narrow down your area of research and be as specific as possible. For example, don't request all information on "Caves". Instead, try to narrow down your search to, for example, "West Virginia Caves".

Then search the on-line library Catalog and NSS publication Index for your topic of interest before you contact the librarian.

When you contact the librarian, be sure to include your name, your mailing address, your email address, your fax number (if you have one), and your phone number. Also specify whether you want information mailed or faxed to you.