Location: Ground Floor Barton Hall (walkup window in main hallway)

Hours: Monday—Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Phone: 607.255.7197

Email: lostandfound@cornell.edu

Lose your cell phone, keys, or watch? Find someone else’s? Turn in found items 24/7 at Barton Hall. All campus buildings have one or more lost-and-found locations—check them out, too.

If you do lose property, you can fill out a lost-and-found report, available at the Barton Hall office. Please know that all items turned into Lost and Found that have a less than $50.00 value are only stored for a three-month time limit. Any item above $50.00 that is received by Lost and Found will be held for an extended time limit based on the value of the item. Once an items time limit has expired the item is either placed in a public auction, donated, or discarded.

Items under $20.00 such as water bottles, umbrellas, lanyards, and other low-value items should not be dropped off or forwarded to CUPD Lost & Found.

If any valuable property is found after normal business hours it can be dropped off at the drop box at the Lost & Found public window.

Before your item is lost:

For items that have identifying numbers, record MAKE, MODEL, and/or SERIAL NUMBER along with WHEN and WHERE purchased.

All items that can be carried, such as electronics, computers, folders, books, notebooks, etc., should have a full phone number and/or e-mail address on a small piece of paper placed on the back of the item. Cover the paper with clear tape if needed to keep the information protected.
 

If your item is lost:

If you are affiliated with the University (meaning we have access to your contact information) and you lose property with your name on it, we will contact you when it is turned into the Barton Hall Lost & Found. If you are not affiliated with the University, please follow the steps identified below.

For property of value with no contact information, or for non-affiliated individuals, follow these steps:

1. Send an email to lostandfound@cornell.edu with a description of the property and your contact information

2. Depending on the type of property you may receive a link to an iCloud album of similar property held by Lost & Found. Review the album for your property, the iCloud albums are updated daily, and you may continue to review the albums for your property as items are added.

3. If you recognize your property you should come to the Barton Hall Lost & Found window during business hours to claim your property or contact Lost & Found via email if you are not able to come to the office.

Claiming Property

Be certain you bring proper identification, typically a CU ID, driver’s license and passport or similar government-issued ID is all that is required. Please be certain you can provide adequate proof of ownership of the property.

Confiscated Property

Confiscated property pertains to items that are unlawful to possess, either by law or University policy, may be confiscated and not returned. Some items received that are not typically returnable, fictitious identification or identification of another person, controlled substances, and prescription medications without a valid prescription.

Temporary Lost & Found Locations

The Barton Hall Lost & Found is the primary lost and found location on campus and has no control over temporary locations and their respective storage or transfer procedures. Found items may not immediately be transferred to the Barton Hall Lost & Found office.

Here is a list of temporary lost and found areas outside of Barton Hall.

When you find something:

Please bring the found items to the main Barton Hall Lost and Found Office. All items received will be stored, by law, for a minimum of three months beginning from the date they are received by Lost and Found.

NYS PERSONAL PROPERTY LAW, Article 7-B, SEC. 252, requires that all items found on campus with a value of over $20.00 be turned over to the main Lost and Found at G-8 BARTON HALL within 10 DAYS of being found. By making the return of property to the appropriate agency a legal issue, this law expedites the return of property to the rightful owner.