LIBRARY POLICIES

General Information

• Email: library@mobot.org
• Phone: 314-477-5155
• Mailing Address: 4344 Shaw Blvd. | St. Louis, MO 63110
• Location: Bayer Research Center 4500 Shaw Blvd. | St. Louis, MO 63110
• Staff Directory
• Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Garden staff have additional access.)

Library Use Guidelines

• Alert staff if there is any book you cannot find, whether it is missing from the catalog or from the shelves. 
• Notify staff of any apparent misplacement of books on a shelf. 
• When finished, place books on the shelving cart in the stacks or on the cart in front of the circulation desk. 
• Books can be checked out but must be used on the Garden grounds and available for recall. 
• Scanners and a photocopier are available for creating PDFs or copies. Please consult with library staff before using the equipment. 
• There are several guest computers available in the library. Check with a staff member for assistance logging in.
• Covered drinks are welcome in the library, but food is prohibited to protect the collections.

Special Visitor Policies

• Visitors may use the library under the sponsorship of a Garden staff member or by appointment. 
• Books can be checked out with sponsorship of a Garden staff member, but books must be used on the Garden grounds and available for recall. 
• You are welcome to use the kitchenette and refrigerator with the provision both will be kept clean and with the counter kept clear. 

Library Online Catalog

• To explore the library's collection of books and journals, search the catalog.
• To search for articles in the library's online databases, search the discovery catalog.

Location of Materials

• Botanical reference indexes are located on bookcases just beyond the circulation desk. 
• General reference materials including MBG publications, foreign language dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc. are located on bookcases at the west end of the library. 
• The new journal displays and new books are located in the reference area. 
• The St. Louis Herb Society collection is located in the reading area opposite the circulation desk. 
• The general collection and the journals are located in the stacks. The general collection begins at the west end of the stacks. The journal collection follows the general collection; all journal call numbers begin with QK1. Books are shelved in call number order using the Library of Congress cataloging rules. Each shelving unit is labeled with call number ranges, subjects, or title range. 
• Map and atlas collections are located at the west end of the stacks. Maps are filed in map cases according to a numerical index, a copy of which is on top of the map cases.  Call numbers for the atlas collection are prefixed with ATLAS. 
• Request assistance if the location for a publication indicates it is Archives, Bindery, Folio, Pre- Linnean, Linneana, Rare Book, or if the status is “checked-out.” 
• With the exception of QK495.F, the second line of the call number is read as a decimal. For example, QK1 .L26 is shelved between QK1 .L2 and QK1 .L3. For QK495.F, the second line of the call number is read as a whole number. For example, QK495.F26 is shelved between QK495.F25 and QK495.F27. 
• Check with staff if you need assistance with the microfiche collections or reader-printer. 
• Library staff are here to help.