UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Some of Penn State University Libraries’ University Park locations are scheduled to reopen on Monday, Aug. 24, with service and space adjustments to enhance user and employee safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. A vast array of remote services and online resources remain available to support student, faculty and staff needs.
Pattee Library and Paterno Library’s ground floor and first floor will be available in a modified environment from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays; and closed on weekends, but open on Labor Day. Group study rooms will be available for individuals only. A limited number of employees will be on site to assist with checkout services. The Eberly Family Special Collections Library will be open later in the fall by appointment when possible for Penn State-affiliated patrons. Its website will list updates.
The following University Park branch locations also will open on Aug. 24 and will be open on Labor Day:
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Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library, access limited to providing requested material pick-ups 1 to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays;
- Earth and Mineral Sciences Library, pickup service and some study space available 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays;
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Engineering Library, pickup service and some study space available 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
The Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library will reopen later in the fall. Users are encouraged to check its hours webpage for updates.
Scheduled curbside service for online checkouts at University Park will continue at Paterno Library’s Curtin Road, and several campuses’ locations have added or plan to add this service. University Park borrowers also may pick up requested items at the first floor Pattee Library Commons Services desk.
All book returns should be made from outside book slots. Interlibrary Loan staff are processing requests as materials become available, dependent upon other libraries’ open status worldwide. Staff also are able to scan portions of physical materials to share electronically, in accordance with copyright law.
Commonwealth Campus Libraries’ hours and services may vary by location and will be posted on an individual basis. Users may check posted hours as they are finalized and reach out to their location for updates about reopening and availability of services and resources.
At all locations, library stacks will remain closed to the public for the health and safety of users and employees. Nearly half of the items in the Libraries’ collection will continue to be available digitally through the HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service (ETAS) and are linked within the Libraries’ catalog. Physical newspapers and magazines in the Ross Global News Center have been removed for user safety, but digital versions of many periodical titles are available for all Penn State users.
Physical titles in the University Libraries’ catalog not accessible digitally will be available for checkout and will appear with a visible “I Want It” user option in the Libraries’ online catalog.
Librarians are available to help users wherever they are located through the Ask a Librarian service, which includes virtual consultations via email, text message, phone and chat options and appointments for one-on-one Zoom consultations, all available 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
The Search Bar, which offers one-stop peer-to-peer research consultations, is now available for undergraduate students at all locations virtually. Its hours of availability and additional information are listed on its website.
Librarian instruction will be conducted primarily online, with expanding options, including a number of webinars to be held throughout the semester for basic through advanced researchers.
The University Libraries’ Media and Technology Support Services on the University Park campus has reopened its Wagner Annex location but requires all equipment rentals to be made by scheduled online reservation only. While walk-in service is not currently offered for the safety of users and staff, equipment checkout lengths are available up to a maximum of 20 business days.
The University Libraries COVID-19 Updates page will continue to post the latest information related to services, resources and changes to library operations.