Welcome to the MSU Libraries! For visiting scholars who travel to MSU to use our collections, this guide gathers local travel information, along with suggestions for where to stay and where to eat.
The MSU Main Library is located at 366 West Circle Drive, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA.
Phone: 517-355-8700
The Special Collections Reading Room is located on the first floor of the Main Library, easily visible from both the north and south entrances to the building. Click the link below for a more detailed layout of the Library:
Universal entry to the Main Library is provided at the South (back) entrance, with power-assisted doors. Power-assisted doors are also available at the North entrance.
A virtual tour of the Main Library’s first floor is available to view before visiting:
A single occupancy restroom is available on the second floor (West). After exiting the main elevator on 2-West, turn left, then left again, and it’s on the immediate right.
Wheelchair accessible restrooms are located on the first floor (West), across from the Starbucks.
Materials from Murray-Hong Special Collections and non-circulating items from the Turfgrass Information Center are available for use in the Reading Room on the first floor of the Main Library.
The Reading Room is open by appointment only, Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm. Appointments must be made at least 5 days in advance. Materials must also be requested through the library catalog a minimum of 5 days in advance. We are unable to page materials on short notice since half our collection is stored off-campus.
See full information about appointments here.
Clicking MAKE AN APPOINTMENT on that page will take you to bookings.lib.msu.edu.
For a comprehensive or printable map see:
Use this interactive map for walking directions.
Our campus tree map shows the diversity of trees (over 20,000 of them!) on MSU's extensive campus.
International visiting scholars are responsible for obtaining the appropriate visa, which may have travel limits.
The closest visitor parking to the Main Library is Lot 62W. Visitors may park using only available “Pay By Plate” spots. The parking rate for visitors is $2 per hour or $10 for 24 hours, higher than the rates in downtown East Lansing. The machine accepts multiple forms of payment, including cash, coins, and credit cards, however it does not make change. You can also pay for and extend your time using the Spot On app.
Ramp 6 on West Circle Drive is the closest large parking garage to the MSU Library – about a 3 to 5 minute walk. Ramp 6 also has “Pay by Plate” spots.
Accessible parking is located on the east side of the Main Library, and at the south (back) entrance.
More information about on-campus parking may be found on the MSU Police website.
Bikes can be rented by the week. Please check with the bike office about the procedure for returning your bike and having your deposit refunded. More information can be found on MSU Bikes Service Center.
Michigan State University offers many forms of alternative transportation, from electric scooter rental to Zip Car to autonomous buses. For a more comprehensive list and more information, please visit MSU's Alternative Transportation website.
Michigan is in the U.S. Eastern time zone. Use the time zone map at timeanddate.com to find out our current time (Detroit is the nearest major city.)