Changes for Fall 2021
We’re very excited to welcome all faculty, staff, and students back to all our campuses this semester! We’ve changed a few things since our Libraries were last fully open in 2020. Please read on to learn about what’s new.
Mask Up
Despite our hopes of being done with this pandemic, the delta variant had other plans. As long as the University has a mask mandate, all users must wear a face mask at all times in all of our indoor spaces. All Libraries’ study spaces, book stacks, computer labs, group study rooms, and restrooms are considered “indoor public spaces.” Thank you for keeping yourself and your neighbors safe!
Updated Hours
VIEW HOURS FOR ALL LIBRARIES, ALL CAMPUSES
Alden Library
Late night hours in Alden are different this semester. Historical use of our overnight operations indicates that on average, only a handful of students used the building between 2 AM and 7 AM. Alden will open at 7 AM weekdays and close at 2 AM (Sun – Thur). Closing at 2 AM also allows custodial staff to more thoroughly and efficiently clean when the building is empty.
We’ve also expanded our building hours on weekends, opening 2 hours earlier on Sundays, to make sure the building is open and staff are available when more students are studying. We will continue to monitor building usage and adjust hours as necessary, as well as engage the University Libraries Student Advisory Board, the Student Senate, and the Graduate Student Senate in dialog about improving study spaces across our campuses.
After midnight, only the 2nd and 4th floors of Alden will be available for study. All other floors will close at midnight for cleaning.
Music & Dance Library, Athens Campus
The Music & Dance Library, located in Glidden Hall opened for all users on Monday, Aug. 16. While we gear up and train our new student employees, the library will only be open during weekdays. We expect weekend hours to be added no later than the first weekend in October. We appreciate your patience as well build back our student employee staffing.
Regional Campuses
Each of the regional campus libraries has determined hours based on perceived student needs. This includes extending hours until 6 PM M-F at Southern, until 7 PM M-H at Lancaster, and until 7 PM T&W at Chillicothe.
OhioLINK Transition Causing Delays
Ohio University Libraries, as well as all academic libraries around the state, are currently experiencing significant delays in receiving print materials via the OhioLINK lending service. Under normal operating conditions, books requested from other libraries generally arrive in 3 – 5 business days; however we are currently seeing delays of 2-4 weeks, and occasionally longer. We are working with OhioLINK and the new courier service to return to our expected level of service, though OhioLINK expects the delays to continue through fall semester.
Faculty and graduate students who need time-sensitive critical research materials are encouraged to submit an Interlibrary Loan request for the items. We will do our best to acquire materials for faculty and graduate student research needs.
Instructors who need course materials should contact their subject librarian.
Research Consultations Go Hybrid
Our subject librarians, archivists, and regional campus librarians got a lot of practice providing remote research consultations during the remote-work phase of the pandemic. Many students and faculty prefer online consultations, so we’ll continue to offer you the option of meeting remotely via Microsoft Teams. You’ll also have an option of meeting with your librarian in person. Simply click on the “appointment” link for your librarian and find a time and modality that works for you.
New Content in Honor of the University’s Juneteenth Celebration
Black Studies Center consists of scholarly journals, overview essays by top scholars in Black Studies, historic indexes, and The Chicago Defender newspaper from 1910-1975.
Additional Significant Purchases
Black Abolitionist Papers is a primary source collection detailing the extensive work of African Americans to abolish slavery in the United States prior to the Civil War. Covering the period 1830-1865, the collection presents the international impact of African American activism against slavery, in the writings of the activists themselves.
Black Drama 3rd Edition contains approximately 1200 plays from the mid-1800s to the present by more than 200 playwrights from North America, English-speaking Africa, the Caribbean, and other African diaspora countries. Some 440 of the plays are published here for the first time, including a number by major authors.
Look out for more new content coming soon - Indian Claims Insight, Disability in The Modern World, Race Relations in America, and Ethnomusicology.
Alden Library Self-Pickup of Materials Continues
We’re continuing the popular service of self-pickup of requested library materials. When you request an item from Alden Library, the Music & Dance Library, Annex, a regional campus, or OhioLINK, once received we’ll check your item out to you in advance. You’ll get an email when your item is ready to pick up at the self-pickup shelves located on the 2nd floor of Alden, just past Café Bibliotech.
You will still pick up your Interlibrary Loan items (requested through ILLiad) at the 4th floor service desk.
New Tech to Try in Alden
We’ve secured some new technology over the past few months and we’re excited for you to try it out.
Touchless Printing – Use the Pharos app to print your documents without touching the printer touchscreen.
Media Recording Kits for Instructors - Faculty, staff and graduate students may borrow and take home media recording kits to record themselves delivering lectures, spoken presentations, or other materials for instruction.
One Button Studio – Use our new space, available to all faculty, staff, and students to record yourself delivering lectures, spoken presentations, or other materials for instruction.
Visit your campus library soon. Athens campus students should attend Camp Alden to learn more!