Things are much the same at the library, with just with some social distancing and other safety measures. We also have a robust suite of virtual services including online research resources, tutorials, research help in many forms, and research instruction in your courses.
Please note that both student and overall campus health are vital to keeping the library open! Library hours and services are subject to change based on local conditions.
Hours
The Library building is open for contactless book pick-up, computer/printer access, and studying. Visit “Hours” on our website for the most up-to-date information.
Need help with research or just have a question? Library faculty and staff are available virtually Monday – Friday from 8am-5pm, or by appointment. Learn all the ways you can reach us online to ask a question or schedule a research appointment.
Closed Stacks
Books may still be borrowed, but the stacks are closed for browsing during the fall semester. Materials are available using the “I Want It” feature of the library’s online catalog. Due to a mandated 96-hour quarantine of print materials, not all items may be available right away. Instead of the “I Want It” feature, you may see
Over 48% of the Penn State University Libraries print collection is currently available to Penn State students, faculty, and staff digitally through this Emergency Temporary Access Service, in addition to our already extensive online collections of books and journals.
Contactless Pickup of Requested Materials
After requesting library materials online using our “I Want It” button, library staff using safety protocols will retrieve your items and check them out to you. For your safety and ours, this process may take 1-2 days for locally available items and a week or more for items coming from other campuses.
You will receive an email or text notification when they are available for pick-up. All items will be bagged and labeled, then placed in the lobby for pick-up.
To update your notification preferences, see here.
Interlibrary Loan
Borrowing physical materials through ILLiad (PSU ILL Service), UBorrow (self-request books from Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) libraries), and EZBorrow (self-request books from other PA academic libraries) are available as usual.
Scans of articles and book chapters may also be requested through ILLiad.
Returning Books
Books can be returned to the library’s outside bookdrop at any time. During open hours, please place books in the colored plastic bins just inside the library entrance, on your right. Returned items will be quarantined for 96 hours before being handled by library staff and discharged off your library account.
Check My Library Account for your books’ due dates. A link may be found at the top of the University Libraries homepage. Please note that recalls remain suspended.
Computers & Wi-Fi
Computers are available on the main and lower floor of the library. On the lower level, there are 6 desktop computer workstations with cameras (Zoom Rooms). Please bring your own headphones or earbuds. If you forget yours, we have a limited supply of headphones without mic available at the front desk.
Wi-Fi is available throughout the library and around campus. There is a map of Zoom Rooms and the Wi-Fi Parking Lot on the Penn State Beaver website.
Printing and Scanning
Printing and scanning are unchanged, but you might not have known you can also print from a personal device!
All desktop computers in the library print to the black and white printer on the 1st Floor. You can also print from your laptop or phone using MyPrintCenter, then head to the Print Release Station next to the printer. See this article for more details.
Need a color printer? Visit the Student Activities Suite (SAS) (115 Student Union Building).
Research Help and Library Instruction
Schedule a virtual consultation with a Penn State Beaver Librarian. See here for details.
Ask a Librarian, a university-wide virtual research assistance service that offers live chat and email support, is accessible at https://libraries.psu.edu/ask.
Faculty: We anticipate most library instruction will be online. Please contact Frankie Checchio or Amy Deuink to discuss your needs and schedule in-person library instruction, course-specific research guides, or instructional videos.
Newspapers and Magazines
Our print newspaper and magazine subscriptions have been suspended for the 2020-2021 academic year. Full text is available online through Penn State University Libraries for the following, and many more, periodicals: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Bloomberg Businessweek, People, Sports Illustrated, and Time.
- Use NewsFinder to find online access for newspapers.
- To find magazines and journals, choose the E-Journals tab in the FIND box on the Penn State University Libraries homepage.
- Learn more about the Student News Readership Program (also available to faculty and staff).
Outreach: Reader’s Room Virtual Meet-up
This year we are starting a “Reader’s Room” virtual meet-up for readers (like us!) to find other people who like to read and want to talk books. Register to receive Zoom link.
