Visit Us

 Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
The Ohio State University
27 West 17th Avenue Mall
Columbus, OH 43210-1343
t 614.292.0538
f 614.292.9101

 Library Hours

Researchers must make an appointment in advance prior to visiting the library and are also required to do so during university breaks. Due to limited space in the reading room, researchers are limited to three at one time. Please see Planning Your Visit for further information. No appointments are necessary to view exhibits in the reading room.

By appointment during university breaks. Please check Library Hours for updated information.

The Library is closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day (observed July 3), Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Columbus Day (observed the day after Thanksgiving,) Christmas Day, and President's Day (observed the day after Christmas.)

 Locating Us

Directions to the Ohio State University can be found at the Visitors web site.  The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is located in the Northeast portion of the Wexner Center complex, north of the Mershon Auditorium. Entry doors are located in the walkway underneath the large, white, steel grid that runs north-south, parallel to High Street. After entering the building, take the stairs or elevator down one floor. The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is next to the Fine Arts Library. For a detailed map or to download a printable version see  Campus Map   

For area construction announcements that may obstruct traffic on the OSU campus and surrounding community, please visit GO43210

 Parking Services

Parking for the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is available at the Ohio Union South Garage, which is located on the west side of High Street and immediately adjacent to the north side of the Ohio Union with access from High Street and College Road.  This garage offers 800 visitor-only parking spaces, including accessible parking and main campus disability permit access.  Additional information for campus parking is available at the Visitors web site. 

 Area Accommodations

The Blackwell Hotel on the OSU campus

University Plaza Hotel near the OSU campus

Hyatt Regency Columbus downtown in the Arena District

Hampton Inn Suites Columbus-Downtown 

For information about other hotels and lodging around the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum and Ohio State University campus area see the Visitors web site.

Experience Columbus, the Greater Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau's web site, provides up-to-date information on hotels, motels, and bed-and-breakfast inns in the Columbus area as well as restaurants and activities to enjoy during your stay.

*Inclusion on this list in no way implies an endorsement or recommendation by The Ohio State University Libraries. This list is compiled only for informational purposes and is by no means exhaustive or comprehensive.

 Planning Your Visit

Please note that we are a special collections library so our stacks are not available for browsing.  Please also review our Policies Governing Use of Materials.

Make an appointment

Appointments are strongly encouraged as some materials are stored off-site and require a 48-hour notice to pull, some materials require significant time to retrieve, and the reading room may be closed periodically for class.

Send us a request list

Prepare a list of items you would like to view during your visit by completing the Materials Request Form or send us a request list to our email address: cartoons@osu.edu.   In the list, be sure to include each item’s call number, title, creator, date, and location.  See Find original art, books, and manuscript collections below.

Determine if you will need reproductions

If you plan to request photocopies or scans, you will be asked to mark items for reproduction with streamers and compile a corresponding list of the items to be reproduced.  You will be asked to supply the library staff with this list.  All photocopies will be completed by library staff. 

If you plan to take photographs with a camera, please send us an email at cartoons@osu.edu to inquire about procedures.

For more information, please see Photocopy Reproductions and Digital Imaging & Digital Reproductions below.

Procedures for the day of your visit

When you arrive, you will be asked to sign the guest logbook. We will ask that you place all personal belongings in the lockers provided (located just outside the library doors.) For a quarter, the locker keys can be removed, and your quarter will be returned when you remove your items. Extra quarters can be obtained from the front desk.  All food and drink must also be left outside of the library.

You will then be asked to fill out a Special Collections Research Application if you have not done so within the last year. At this time, the front desk attendant will ask to see a form of photo ID.

While you conduct your research, you may have paper and pencils, or a laptop computer at the table with you. No other materials will be permitted.  There are a limited number of electrical outlets in the reading room, so you may wish to bring a fully charged laptop. As a precaution to protect library materials, pens may not be used for note-taking during research

While using the library materials, you are permitted one item at a time.  As you finish with each item, you may return it at the front desk in exchange for another. If you would like to page additional items, there are request forms at the front desk. Once you have filled out the form, a library staff member will bring you the requested materials.

The temperature in the reading room is kept at 65°F (18°C) to protect the materials.

When you have completed researching for the day, please inform the library attendant if you will be returning to continue researching so, your items will be kept on the hold shelf or on a book truck until your next visit.

Computer access

A computer is available for researchers in the reading room.  In order to use the computer, you will need to have an OSU account login.  If you are not affiliated with the Ohio State University, you will need to have a temporary computer account created for you. 

Wireless access is available.

Proper handling of materials

Tear sheets, newspapers, books – For these items we ask that you have clean hands. There is a restroom across the hall where you can wash your hands before beginning your research.

 Fragile books, books with loose bindings, and extremely large volumes require extra support. If necessary, a library staff member will assist you to set the book on foam wedge supports.

Original Art- You will be provided a pair of gloves if you will be handling original art

 Reproductions

Photocopy Reproductions

If you wish to have an item photocopied, there are photocopy request forms at the front desk.  There are also place-holders that you will need to place in between the pages you are requesting.

If you would like photocopies from a folder of loose pages, please leave the items in their original order, and use the placeholders to distinguish the locations of your requests.

Photocopies for on-site patrons will require a 24 hour turn-around, and all copies will be stamped with a COPY stamp. Fragile items or items larger than 28 x 43 cm (11 x 17 in.) cannot be copied, however, these items may be considered for digital imaging.  For information about fees and shipping for photocopies and digital imaging, please visit the Research and Reproduction page.

Digital Imaging and Digital Reproductions

You may not photograph any material without obtaining advance permission.  Once permission has been granted, you will be required to follow the use guidelines and complete a camera use agreement.  The material used by the researcher may be protected by copyright law (Title 17 U.S. Code).  Note that same day approval is discouraged and may not be possible.

If you would like to have high resolution scans made of an item, please review the Research and Reproduction policies and complete the Digital Reproduction Order Form.

 Find original art, books, and manuscript collections

University Library Catalog: http://library.ohio-state.edu/search

You can search here for printed materials (books, journals, comic books, biographical clipping files, etc.) and collection- level records of manuscript and original art material. In the advanced search, the location code CGA indicates Cartoon Library & Museum materials. Some collection records link to finding aids.

• Items located in the OSU Book Depository or the CGA Remote Depository are also available, but must be requested at least 2 business days prior to the appointment date to ensure that they arrive in time for your visit.

Art Database: http://cartoons.osu.edu/database

This database includes records describing a portion of our extensive original cartoon art collection.

Finding Aids for Selected Collections: http://cartoons.osu.edu/search-tools/finding-aids/  

 Or http://ead.ohiolink.edu/  Search for “Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum”

 Additional digital finding aids can be found through the library catalog. 

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Topic Files: http://cartoons.osu.edu/search-tools/finding-aids/topic-files/

This link provides a list of files that contain cartoon clippings organized by topic. Contents of the files are not digitized so they must be viewed in the reading room.

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Subject Files: http://cartoons.osu.edu/search-tools/finding-aids/subject-files/

This link provides a list of files that contain cartoon and article clippings organized by subject. Contents of the files are not digitized so they must be viewed in the reading room.

Cartoon Image Database: https://cartoonimages.osu.edu/

Contains images of the cartoons that have been digitized to date (only a small portion of our total collection). Searchable by creator, title, keyword.