University Facilities

Major Academic Support Facilities

Libraries and Information Technology Services (LTS)

The University Libraries and Information Technology Services offer comprehensive library and technology support to the Brandeis community. For up-to-the-minute information on our services, please visit our Web site: http://lts.brandeis.edu.

Library Services

Traditional information resource collections can be found in the Goldfarb Library, the Farber Library and the Gerstenzang Science Library. We offer local collections of more than 1,000,000 print volumes, as well as a large and growing collection of music and film resources.

In addition to our physical resources, we make available more than 28,000 current serial and journal subscriptions in digital format, over 300,000 e-books and offer a wide variety of other digital resources and primary source databases. Check our online catalog, LOUIS, for information on books, databases, journals and other information resources.

In addition to our locally owned resources, members of the Brandeis community may take advantage of our membership in the Boston Library Consortium, which enables access to the collections of 18 academic and research libraries in New England. Learn more about Consortium activities.

The Brandeis Identification Card serves as a library card. Students must present this card in order to check out library materials. They may manage their library account online, as well as request interlibrary loan materials via our online system. Articles will be delivered in electronic format whenever possible. Document delivery service is also available.

Assigned reading, listening or viewing materials may be accessed in one of two ways: "traditional" reserve materials (print materials, music CDs, films) can be found in the library facilities for limited loan times. Electronic reserve materials (including streaming audio and video) are offered through the LATTE learning management system, which is used by over 500 classes a semester and is supported by the staff of LTS.

LTS staff offers instruction in research skills through several programs customized for undergraduate, upper-level and graduate students. The Research Consultation Service is an in-depth research assistance service available to all students, faculty and staff. Professional reference librarian assistance is also available online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year via our ASK 24/7 service, as well as via e-mail.

The LTS staff also offers assistance with technology used in teaching and learning. Students, faculty and staff interested in creating multimedia projects for their classes are invited to make use of the computers, equipment and software in the multimedia lab in the Farber Library. Staff can help with Web pages, graphic design, image editing, video creation and editing, audio recording and editing, streaming media, media compression, animation and more.

Technology Services

Our networking services provide high-speed connections, wired as well as wireless, throughout the entire campus and to the Internet. High-speed communication with other members of educational and research communities is facilitated through membership in Internet2. We provide e-mail services, host personal Web pages and offer centralized storage for staff, faculty and student files.

Brandeis students have access to public computer labs with networked Dell and Apple computers, laser printers, flatbed scanners, CD-ROM burners and other specialized peripherals. There are approximately 200 computers in eight classrooms and clusters located in the libraries, the Shapiro Campus Center and Shiffman.

Most classrooms and clusters are open up to 15 hours per day and some are open 24 hours. E-mail kiosks are available across campus for quick access to e-mail.

All residential rooms have cable TV service. More than 70 channels are offered, including 11 foreign language channels. LTS also offers TV services over the campus network, allowing students to watch selected television programming on any computer linked to the campus network.

LTS provides telephone service via the campus network as well. Each student is assigned a phone number, a personal voice mailbox and a personal billing number to place off-campus calls. The phone number and voice mail remain active whether the student lives on or off campus while attending Brandeis.

Desktop and laptop computing assistance is available for students, staff and faculty through the LTS Help Desk. Assistance is available by phone, walk-in or by appointment. LTS staff can help you with computer hardware and software issues and help your computer stay secure and virus-free.

LTS Facilities

All LTS facilities are fully wired for Internet access and offer network connections for laptop use. Wireless networking is available in all buildings and in many outside locations. Most of the electronic resources subscribed to are available via the campus network.

These resources may be accessed through the workstations provided as well as through any computer linked to the campus network, either on or off-campus. They are available on a 24/7 basis.

The Main Library comprises three connected buildings: the Bertha and Jacob Goldfarb Library, the Leonard L. Farber Library and the Rapaporte Treasure Hall. The Goldfarb/ Farber Libraries house resources and services supporting the humanities, the social sciences, Judaica and creative arts. The Rapaporte Treasure Hall is the site of many concerts and lectures during the academic year.

The main floor of the Goldfarb Library offers a variety of services. Students, faculty and staff will find research assistance here, as well as computer help services, borrowing services and traditional reserve services.

The University Writing Center is also a part of the Goldfarb information commons, as is the LTS Computer Repair Shop. The repair shop is an authorized Dell repair center and Apple service provider. It also services IBM, Compaq and other name-brand computers and printers. Dells and Apples may receive warranty service here. Products that are out of warranty are serviced for a labor fee plus the cost of parts.

The Judaica Library, located on the mezzanine level of the Goldfarb Library, contains one of the country's most important collections of reference materials and core texts in major areas of Judaic studies, the ancient Near East and the modern Middle East. The Judaica book collection includes more than 150,000 titles in Hebrew, Arabic and Western European languages.

The Robert D. Farber University Archives and Special Collections are located on the second level of the Farber Library. The archives house historical records documenting the origin, development and achievements of the university and its faculty, staff and alumni. The collection includes photographs, correspondence, rare film and other documents. The department also contains an outstanding collection of rare books and primary source materials, including works and papers of Shakespeare, Joseph Heller, Leonard Bernstein, Alfred Dreyfus and more.

The Media and Technology Services Department is located on the third level of the Goldfarb Library. This department maintains the university's technology-rich classrooms and provides loaner equipment such as overhead projectors, computers, data projectors, TVs and VCRs. Audio and video production, editing and conversion services are also available.

The Norman and Rosita Winston Creative Arts Center is located on the third and fourth levels of the Farber Library. The center houses more than 15,000 music scores and more than 35,000 sound recordings.

The Leo Gerstenzang Science Library, located in the Science Complex, houses print resources that support teaching and research in physics, chemistry, the life sciences, mathematics and computing science.

Residence Halls

There are 10 campus residence areas. First-year students are assigned to double rooms or lofted triple rooms on corridors with shared bathrooms-in either Massell Quadrangle or North Quadrangle (Leon Court).

The university cannot honor requests for a specific roommate or for a roommate with a particular religious or cultural background. Upperclass students choose accommodations at room selection held each spring.

Students are guaranteed four consecutive semesters of on-campus housing, unless they are part of the entering midyear class. Members of the midyear classes are guaranteed three consecutive semesters of on-campus housing.

In recent years, upperclass students not housed through room selection, who remained patient and flexible, found off-campus housing or were accommodated on campus through a waiting-list process. Entering transfer students are admitted with the understanding that they may not be eligible for campus housing.

Charles River Apartments

This apartment complex houses upperclass students and graduate students. Each apartment is equipped with a full kitchen, common areas, bath and a varying number of single bedrooms. Included in the facility is the Gornstein Commons Room, where community events are held.

This area includes the Max and Ann Coffman Building, the Ollie A. Cohen Building, the Morton May Building, the George I. Lewis Building and 567 South Street.

East Quadrangle

East Quadrangle houses undergraduate students in double- and single-student rooms, several offering views of the Boston skyline. Located in the Swig Student Center connected to East Quadrangle is the Intercultural Center, with study space and computer connection to the main library.

The East Quadrangle residence halls include the Henry and Marion Hassenfeld House, the Lawrence J. and Anne Rubenstein Hall, the Fred P. and Gerta Pomerantz Hall, the Hyman and Mary Krivoff House and Shapiro Brothers Hall.

Foster Student Living Center

This complex of undergraduate student housing features apartments built around a courtyard-duplex format. Each apartment can accommodate four to six students and is complete with living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom-study areas, baths and private entrances.

The Foster Center is made up of four clusters of nine units apiece, including the Frank and Matilda Casty Residences, the Ben Tobin Residence Hall and the Norman and Adele Morris Residence Hall. These units provide a total of 35 individual apartments and living accommodations for 182 students.

Massell Quadrangle

Massell Quadrangle consists of four buildings, overlooking a central quadrangle, with walks encircling the Anne J. Kane Reflecting Pool and the Albert Yakus Meditation Area. Each unit has fully equipped student rooms and common-area lounges for studying and community programs.

Massell includes the Mr. and Mrs. Morris Shapiro Hall, the Helen L. Deroy Hall, the Anna Renfield Hall, the Edyth and Irving Usen Hall and the George and Beatrice Sherman Student Center.

North Quadrangle (Leon Court)

The Adolf and Felicia Leon Court, also known as North Quadrangle, contains four residence halls, in addition to the Milton and Hattie Kutz Hall, which houses administrative offices. Each residence unit contains fully equipped student rooms and common-area lounges.

Residence halls in this quadrangle include the Ethel and A.W. Link Scheffres, the Maurice and Dorothy Gordon, the Robert P. and Fannie Cable and the Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Reitman Halls.

Ridgewood Apartments

Our newest residential area, the Ridgewood Apartments, consists of three residence halls that will provide 184 new beds in apartment-style housing, with all single bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms.

The northernmost of the three buildings includes the South Campus Commons, a 3,200-square-foot multipurpose space for events, dances, presentations and general student use, as well as a kitchen that will allow for larger-group meals.

Rosenthal Residence Halls

Adjacent to Massell Quadrangle, the Anne and David Rosenthal Student Residence Halls accommodate 181 upperclass students in eight-person suites with living rooms and private bathrooms.

Usen Castle and Schwartz Residence Hall

An imposing structure designed after medieval architecture and completed a decade before Brandeis was founded, the Irving and Edyth Usen Castle has been remodeled into single and double rooms and suites. Its ground floor houses the student-operated coffee house, Cholmondeley's.

On the second level of the Usen Castle is the Usen Commons, a circular, conservatory-style lounge, used for dances and social functions. Greater Boston spreads out in a panoramic view from the windows of the Usen Commons. Connected to the Usen Castle, Schwartz Residence Hall is composed primarily of single rooms.

The Castle has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Village Quadrangle

The Village is a state-of-the-art facility that houses 220 undergraduate students. With community kitchens, spiral staircases and quaint living rooms nestled in the corners of the building, the Village boasts the best of both worlds – independent living in a community atmosphere.

The Village includes a multipurpose room, a workout room and a lecture room used for classes or study groups.

Ziv Quadrangle

The Sy and Gladys Ziv Residence Quadrangle includes William Mazer Hall among the four residence halls. The four halls accommodate 330 undergraduate students in 55 suites.

Each suite has six single bedrooms, a living room and two bathrooms.

Student Facilities

The Three Chapels

The university's three chapels – the Leah and Mendel Berlin Chapel (Jewish), the Bethlehem Chapel (Catholic) and the C. Allen Harlan Chapel (Protestant) – serve the Brandeis community through services that take place here under the aegis of the Hillel Foundation, the Bethlehem Chapel Community and the Harlan Chapel Christian Community.

Traditional and innovative services are held regularly. Regular Muslim services, including weekly Juma prayers, are held in the Usdan Student Center.

Hassenfeld Conference Center

The Rita Dee and Harold Hassenfeld University Conference Center contains a banquet/lecture and six rooms for meetings and conferences.

Sherman Student Center

The ground-floor dining hall of the George and Beatrice Sherman Student Center serves over 1,000 students daily and includes the university's kosher food preparation and dining facilities. The upper level includes The Stein, the campus pub/restaurant and the Feldberg Lounge.

Benjamin H. and Mae Swig Student Center

The Swig Student Center is the home of Brandeis's vibrant Intercultural Center (ICC). Outfitted with a conference room, lounge, multi-purpose room, kitchen and library, the center houses 16 lively student organizations. Space is available for reservation.

Usdan Student Center

The Nathaniel H. and Suzanne Usdan Student Center complex incorporates student social, cultural and recreational facilities, as well as student and some administrative services. It is located close to teaching and residence facilities and houses an assembly and banquet hall seating 1,000 people, post office, mailroom, a convenience store (P.O.D.), campus cafeteria, lounges, game room and conference rooms for formal and informal student uses.

The Carl and Ruth Shapiro Campus Center

The Carl and Ruth Shapiro Campus Center, which opened in fall 2002, is the center of campus for the university community- students, faculty, administration, alumni and guests.

Located adjacent to the Hassenfeld Conference Center, the main administration buildings and Massell Quad, the center includes many group and individual study spaces; a state-of-the-art, 249-seat theater designated specifically for undergraduate theater production; a technology library; Einstein Bros. café; a television lounge; and the university bookstore. This center combines with the Usdan Student Center and the Intercultural Center in the Swig Student Center to represent a well-considered plan for community life at Brandeis.

The Division of Student Life maintains a broad program of cultural, social and educational events. The center also houses student clubs and organizations, social areas, Student Events (the major programming board), WBRS-FM (the radio station), the Justice and The Hoot (campus newspapers), the Waltham Group (community services organization), BTV (Brandeis Television), Student Union offices and much more.

Athletic Facilities

Opened in January of 1992, the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center is one of the largest multipurpose, indoor athletic facilities of its kind in New England. It is part of the Joseph F. and Clara Ford Athletic and Recreation Complex, which includes the renovated Abraham Shapiro Athletic Center.

The 70,000-square-foot Gosman Center houses the Red Auerbach Arena, seating approximately 2,500 for basketball and volleyball, as well as a 200-meter six-lane running track, seven squash courts, three multipurpose rooms, two weight rooms, a trophy room, concession area and department offices.

The Shapiro Center features three intramural/recreation courts as well as locker rooms, saunas, equipment and training rooms to serve the entire Ford Complex.

This combination of athletic facilities serves the varsity, intramural and recreational needs of the Brandeis community, as well as providing space for concerts, commencement, convocations, cultural events and major conferences.

Outdoor athletic facilities include the Celia and Samuel Gordon Field and running track, fully lighted for nighttime use, the Abraham Marcus Playing Field and the Goldie and Maurice H. Rieger Tennis Courts.

Dining Facilities

Student dining facilities are located in the Sherman and Usdan Student Centers. Kosher meal service is available in the Sherman Student Center, which shares a dining area with nonkosher meal service.

The Usdan Dining Center offers a number of dining options, including a snack shop and fast-food operation in addition to the normal meal plan service.

Light refreshments are also offered in Cholmondeley's, a coffeehouse operated by students in Usen Castle.  Graduate students should consult Dining Services for more details on the dining plan. 

The Stein

Located in the Sherman Student Center, The Stein is a restaurant that offers sandwiches, light meals, beer and wine. The Stein also serves as the campus pub. It is a popular gathering place for students throughout the academic year. 

Faculty Club

The Brandeis University Faculty Club is located in the Wien Faculty Center. The club offers membership to all in the greater Brandeis community and serves as a central location for formal and informal gatherings. Luncheon is served Monday through Friday from noon to 2 p.m. during the academic year.

Bookstore

Located in the Shapiro Campus Center, the campus bookstore is operated by a private, non-Brandeis agency.

The bookstore, through close association and coordination with academic departments and faculty members, offers students a comprehensive stock of textbooks and paperbacks related to the academic program. School supplies, computer supplies, clothing, health and beauty aids and gift items may also be purchased at the bookstore.

Post Office and Student Mailroom

The campus mailroom is located in the Usdan Student Center. All undergraduate-student mail is delivered to the campus post office, and a separate mailbox is maintained for each undergraduate student. All graduate-student mail is delivered to the graduate department, where a separate mailbox is maintained for each student.

All U.S. postal services are provided, including the sale of stamps and money orders, registry of mail, handling of parcel post packages and express mail delivery.

The Carl and Ruth Shapiro Admissions Center

While a new state-of-the-art admissions facility is being constructed at the foot of campus, the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Admissions Center has been temporarily relocated to the Bernstein-Marcus administration building.

The center serves as the focal point for prospective students and their parents. It includes offices for student interviews, a media presentation room and computerized workstations for processing applications and related documentation.

The new center is scheduled to open in October 2009.