Yes.  Note that our library book stacks and collections are closed to the public to ensure safe handling of materials and reduce the spread of COVID-19.  

Current OHIO faculty (including emeriti), staff, and students can request items for self-pickup.  

Use the "Request" button in the ALICE Catalog.  You will be notified by email when your materials are ready, which will typically be within 5 business days for items from your home campus.  Items requested from other campuses may take 1-2 weeks to arrive at your home library.

Hours and directions vary by campus location and are listed in the FAQ below.

If you are picking up books from Alden Library, a valid OHIO ID is required to enter Alden during the Fall 2020 semester.  If you have lost your ID or your ID does not work, you will need to request a new ID card. 

Pickup Hours by Campus

Directions for Each Campus Library

Each campus has different pickup directions. 

Athens Campus - Alden Library

• Use your active OHIO I.D. card to swipe into 2nd floor Park Place entrance of Alden Library.  You cannot enter the library without your OHIO I.D. 

• Your items will be held on the shelves past the cafe.   Turn left as you enter the second floor and walk past the cafe. 

• Your items will have your name on them and will already be checked out to you. Items will be held for 3 business days. 

• Please observe social distancing if other patrons are picking up items.

• Masks are required when entering campus buildings, including Alden Library. 

Athens Campus - Music & Dance Library

• Choose Music & Dance Library for the pick-up location in ALICE
• You must have pre-existing card swipe access to Glidden Hall to pickup at the Music & Dance Library
• Items will be placed on a cart, already checked out, in the hallway just outside of the Music & Dance Library

Chillicothe Campus

• Call 740.774.7202 to schedule an appointment
• Pickup available Tuesday and Thursday 10 am-3 pm
• Your items will be placed near the Orange Book Drop on the porch of the building
• Email weaverb1@ohio.edu or call 740.774.7202 with questions
• Contact us if you need an alternate time for pickup

Eastern Campus

• Pickup available Monday through Thursday, 10 am - 2 pm
• Email Brad Cecil, cecil@ohio.edu or call 740-699-2519 with questions or to make an appointment for pickup

Lancaster Campus

• Your checked-out items will be placed on a cart in a bag with your last name visible.

• The cart will be inside the library entrance, M-Th 9am-4pm..

Zanesville Campus

• Self-service pick-up from 10am-2pm, Monday through Thursday, inside the south entrance of the library.

A valid OHIO ID is required to enter Alden during Fall Semester 2020.  You will need to request a new ID card. 

After being on hiatus since March, OhioLINK will resume borrowing services on August 10.

• Library staff and courier drivers will wear face coverings and gloves while handling materials. 
• Materials will be quarantined for 4 days upon arrival at the Libraries in addition to possible quarantine periods at lending institutions. This means that it will take 1-2 weeks to fulfill a request.  
• Library staff will automatically check out materials to patrons and make items available for no-contact pick-up. For more information see the FAQs above.
• We will be returning any materials to the lending libraries requested prior to the March closing; if these items are still required, please re-request.   
• Due to limited building access at many sites, Pick-Up-Anywhere service will be available only at some locations. Users should call ahead to ensure Pick-Up-Anywhere is available if they choose to pick up materials at a library that is not their home library.  
• The sustainability of OhioLINK borrowing services is primarily based on the number of member institutions able to staff the service.  This service will suspend again if institutions begin to close services or if the courier is unable to operate for any reason. 
• The Libraries’ have been automatically renewing all items currently checked-out and we will continue to do so until further notice.  If you wish, you are welcome to return any OhioLINK or Ohio University items to a local OhioLINK library if they are accepting returns.  Please contact your local OhioLINK library to be sure they are currently accepting items before doing so. 

If you have questions about OhioLINK borrowing, please email pcirc@ohio.edu.

Yes, items from the Annex and Music & Dance Library will be delivered to the pick up location in Alden Library.  We are unable to ship items from Athens to the regional campuses at this time. 

Yes.  You may request materials from other Ohio University campus libraries to be shipped to your campus library.

Materials will be quarantined for 4 days upon arrival at the receiving library in addition to quarantine at the lending library. This means that it will take 1-2 weeks to fulfill a request.

After being on hiatus since March, Interlibrary Loan will resume services on August 17. 

• Library staff  will wear face coverings and gloves while handling materials. 
• Materials will be quarantined for 4 days upon arrival at the Libraries in addition to possible quarantine periods at lending institutions.  
• Library staff will automatically check out materials to patrons and make items available for no-contact pick-up. For more information see the FAQs above.
• Note that our ability to borrow items from our interlibrary loan partner libraries depends on them being fully operational as well.

If you have questions about Interlibrary Loan, please email ill@ohio.edu.

Guided by the research findings of the REALM Project, University Libraries’ staff have developed safe handling protocols for library materials, including wearing gloves when preparing materials for contact free pickup. Additionally, we are quarantining new books and other acquisitions, items returned through the book drops, and materials as they move from one staff member to another during processing. Significant to overall safety, we are also limiting access to materials in the stacks to a small number of staff. Through these procedures we are endeavoring to mitigate the potential transfer of the virus for both our staff and users. As testing continues and our understanding of how COVID-19 is potentially spread via physical items, our protocols will be updated.

Guided by the research findings of the REALM Project, University Libraries’ staff have developed safe handling protocols for library materials, including wearing gloves when preparing materials for contact free pickup. Additionally, we are quarantining new books and other acquisitions, items returned through the book drops, and materials as they move from one staff member to another during processing. Significant to overall safety, we are also limiting access to materials in the stacks to a small number of staff. Through these procedures we are endeavoring to mitigate the potential transfer of the virus for both our staff and users. As testing continues and our understanding of how COVID-19 is potentially spread via physical items, our protocols will be updated.  Please use the ALICE Catalog to browse and request items.  If you need assistance identifying materials to be pulled or locating alternative materials, please contact us using our live chat service or schedule a consultation with your subject librarian.

Email library.borrowing@ohio.edu(opens in a new window) for assistance with Athens Campus materials.

 Email careynev@ohio.edu(opens in a new window) for assistance on the Lancaster Campus.

Email cecil@ohio.edu for assistance on the Eastern Campus.

Return the item in the nearest book drop or simply leave it on the pickup shelf.  

No, Faculty/Staff Delivery is not available at this time.  

Yes. The Libraries are pleased to be able to offer access to our collections, ILL and OhioLINK services through our contactless self-pickup service to the Emeriti community.  You will need an OHIO ID with a working swipe to enter Alden.  Materials requested through ALICE will be checked out to you and placed on the 2^nd floor for self-pickup.  Please see the FAQs above for details.  If you do not have an ID with a swipe, or if the swipe is damaged, you will need to visit Bobcat Depot during their open hours to get a new ID card for access into Alden.  If you have issues requesting items through ALICE, contact the Libraries at library.borrowing@ohio.edu for assistance.  Please note the stacks are closed as a safety measure and browsing is not permitted at this time.

No. Only current faculty (including emeriti), staff, and students may request library materials at this time via our self-pickup service. In order to help keep occupancy of our spaces at minimum levels, and given the limited numbers of staff working on site, we are prioritizing on-site services and lending in support of teaching, learning and research needs for currently enrolled students, faculty, and staff. We look forward to resuming access to our spaces, services, and technologies for all libraries users as soon as we can safely do so.

Please place your items in the book return drop at any Ohio University campus library.    You will not be charged late fees.   

If you are unable to return your books to a campus location, we ask that you please hold onto all Ohio university and OhioLINK materials for now and we will provide instructions for return at a later date.   All items you have checked out will be automatically renewed until further notice. You will not be charged late fees. 

For items you have borrowed from another library via Interlibrary Loan, please contact us at ill@ohio.edu.

There may be some delay in checking your books in as we are working remotely and not actively checking items in.   You will not be charged late fees.   

For items you have borrowed from another library via Interlibrary Loan, please contact us at ill@ohio.edu.

Yes.  The Libraries offer electronic delivery via PDF of journal articles and book chapters through our Document Express (from OHIO owned items) and Interlibrary Loan (from other libraries) services.

1. Place a request through Interlibrary Loan - ILLiad.
2. Library staff will scan the item for you or request a scan from another library.
3. You will receive an email when your PDFs are ready to view.

This fall, we are unable to provide print and other physical reserves services.  The very nature of that program is not compatible with safe handling protocols developed in response to the current pandemic.  Instead we encourage instructors to identify portions of printed works we can scan and make available in accordance with copyright law.  For complete works, we will purchase electronic access when possible.  Please note, the Libraries cannot purchase textbooks.  Instructors should check the Digital Course Materials program from OIT to see if the assigned textbook is available there.

 Requests for scans, to be placed by the instructor in Blackboard or made available by the Libraries through electronic reserves, should be made using the Content Request Form.  Since both purchasing and scanning can take time, requests should be made as far in advance as possible to ensure timely availability.

Instructors are encouraged to contact course reserves staff at reserves@ohio.edu with questions about course reserves and to contact their subject librarian if they have any questions or concerns about digital materials.

Contact your subject librarian with questions about locating content or use the Content Request Form to request electronic resources and/or scanning services.

Contact us  for assistance locating materials to fulfill assignments.  If your instructor has print course materials on reserve that you need, ask them to complete our Course Request Form to inquire about access to critical course materials for which we do not currently have electronic access.

There are some items in our collection that do not circulate and typically cannot be checked out.  However, these are extraordinary times, so please contact us with the details of what item you need, and we will do our best to arrange a way for you to use the item. 

If you are near an OhioLINK member library, you can use the pick-up anywhere feature to have items sent to that library for you to pick up. Some OhioLINK Libraries are not providing pick-up service at this time, so be sure to contact your local OhioLINK Library first. If you are not near an open OhioLINK member library or are outside of Ohio, your subject librarian can help you establish a relationship with a local library near you. Typically, it is easier and faster to borrow from somewhere close to you, but if that is not possible, we will work with you to get the materials to you.

Ohio University Libraries’ facilities on the Athens and regional campuses are open with modified hours and services during the Fall 2020 semester

You can still get live remote help during all hours of operation.  

All currently-enrolled students are able to swipe into Alden Library this fall. 

If you are a student living in Athens, but are not part of the Phase 1 or Phase 2 return to campus, you may come to Alden to study. 

We've reduced the number of study spaces, computers and printers for social distancing. We've rearranged furniture, computers, and equipment to meet social distancing requirements to keep users a minimum of 6 feet apart.

Note that our study rooms are now limited to one person at a time. 

The library will be cleaned regularly in accordance with the  cleaning protocols from the University's Facilities Management and Safety team.  

We will also provide self-cleaning supplies so that you can sanitize your workspace before and after you study.

Cleaning Protocols

Ohio University’s Facilities Management and Safety team continues use of its modified cleaning process, originally created in March, to keep our University community safe while ensuring spaces are fully sanitized.

The changes include using EPA-approved disinfectants that destroy the COVID-19 virus and focusing cleaning efforts on common spaces, restrooms, and high touch points. High touch points are areas that are frequently touched by individuals’ hands as they move through a facility, such as door handles and glass, handrails, drinking fountains, faucet handles, light switches, and elevator keypads.

When campus reopens for normal traffic, Facilities Management and Safety will continue to focus on common areas, restrooms and high touch points, and when in-person classes resume, staff will add additional in-depth cleaning and disinfection of classrooms on a daily basis, along with increased cleaning services in residence halls.

Once these cleaning tasks are complete, staff then move on to project work, such as detailed and restorative cleaning, such as floor refinishing, carpet cleaning, cleaning of light fixtures, and deep cleaning of restrooms. With limited functions returning to campus in recent weeks, more emphasis has been placed on cleaning of public spaces and less emphasis on project work.

In order to ensure 6-foot social distance, our study rooms are limited to one person at a time.  We recommend that groups should study in an outdoor space while maintaining social distancing. 

Yes.  All visitors and employees must adhere to the university's mask policy while inside the library and near outside entrances. 

University Mask Policy

Ohio University has implemented an interim policy that requires students, faculty, staff and visitors to any of our campuses to wear a mask or face covering. All students, faculty and staff will be provided with two washable masks by the University upon return to campus. Acceptable masks must cover the nose, mouth and chin. Masks must be worn:

• When entering, exiting, or waiting in line to enter any building on any campus of the Ohio University.
• While in any Ohio University building and in areas that are accessible to and are intended for the use of the public or by more than one person, including classrooms.
• In any public transportation on any campus of Ohio University, such as a bus or other public transit vehicle, a taxi or ridesharing vehicle, any other vehicle for hire, or at a transit stop or waiting area for any public transportation.
• In any outdoor space or outdoor place where or when a person is unable to maintain or does not maintain physical separation of not less than six feet from others who are not members of their own household. For students that live in Ohio University housing, a “household” consists of roommates of the same room or suite.

Masks will not be required for children under the age of 10 or while walking or exercising outdoors, so long as physical separation of not less than six feet is maintained or while walking or exercising outdoors with other members of the same household.

During Fall semester 2020, only the 2nd floor and 4th floor of Alden Library are available for study.  We will continue to analyze building usage and open additional spaces if needed.  

We've reduced our seating capacity as we removed furniture to maintain appropriate social distancing.

Unfortunately at times there may not be enough seats to accommodate all visitors.   

We will analyze building usage and open additional spaces when needed and as we are able.

We are also piloting a seat reservation service to allow visitors to book seats in advance. 

Baker University Center may be an option, as well as many of the Athens Uptown restaurants and shops that have open-air seating.  

We will continue to update this answer as additional university study spaces are available. 

We will not be open overnight at this time.  

Our Facilities Staff need the building completely empty during the overnight hours in order to clean thoroughly. 

In order to keep the book stacks and materials clean, the book stacks are closed at this time. 

Guided by the research findings of the REALM Project, University Libraries’ staff have developed safe handling protocols for library materials, including wearing gloves when preparing materials for contact free pickup. Additionally, we are quarantining new books and other acquisitions, items returned through the book drops, and materials as they move from one staff member to another during processing. Significant to overall safety, we are also limiting access to materials in the stacks to a small number of staff. Through these procedures we are endeavoring to mitigate the potential transfer of the virus for both our staff and users. As testing continues and our understanding of how COVID-19 is potentially spread via physical items, our protocols will be updated.  Please use the ALICE Catalog to browse and request items.  If you need assistance identifying materials to be pulled or locating alternative materials, please contact us using our live chat service or schedule a consultation with your subject librarian.

A valid OHIO ID is required to enter Alden during the Fall 2020 semester.  You will need to request a new ID card. 

Yes. You will need an OHIO ID with a working swipe to enter Alden.  If you do not have an ID with a swipe, or if the swipe is damaged, you will need to visit Bobcat Depot during their open hours to get a new ID card for access into Alden.  Masks must be worn at all times in Alden Library.

No. Access to Alden is limited, via OHIO ID card-swipe, to current faculty (including emeriti) and staff and students registered for Fall semester. In order to reduce occupancy and keep our spaces clean and safe, we are prioritizing access to Alden in support of teaching, learning, and research needs for currently enrolled students, faculty, and staff. We look forward to resuming access to our spaces, services, and technologies for all libraries users as soon as we can safely do so.

All lockers  will be closed and we are unable to take new locker reservations at this time. 

If you need to retrieve items from your study carrel or locker, please email library.borrowing@ohio.edu to schedule an appointment.  

The library will be cleaned regularly in accordance with the  cleaning protocols from the University's Facilities Management and Safety team.  

We will also provide self-cleaning supplies so that you can sanitize your workspace before and after you study.

Cleaning Protocols

Ohio University’s Facilities Management and Safety team continues use of its modified cleaning process, originally created in March, to keep our University community safe while ensuring spaces are fully sanitized.

The changes include using EPA-approved disinfectants that destroy the COVID-19 virus and focusing cleaning efforts on common spaces, restrooms, and high touch points. High touch points are areas that are frequently touched by individuals’ hands as they move through a facility, such as door handles and glass, handrails, drinking fountains, faucet handles, light switches, and elevator keypads.

When campus reopens for normal traffic, Facilities Management and Safety will continue to focus on common areas, restrooms and high touch points, and when in-person classes resume, staff will add additional in-depth cleaning and disinfection of classrooms on a daily basis, along with increased cleaning services in residence halls.

Once these cleaning tasks are complete, staff then move on to project work, such as detailed and restorative cleaning, such as floor refinishing, carpet cleaning, cleaning of light fixtures, and deep cleaning of restrooms. With limited functions returning to campus in recent weeks, more emphasis has been placed on cleaning of public spaces and less emphasis on project work.

Yes.  All visitors and employees must adhere to the university's mask policy while inside the library and near outside entrances. 

University Mask Policy

Ohio University has implemented an interim policy that requires students, faculty, staff and visitors to any of our campuses to wear a mask or face covering. All students, faculty and staff will be provided with two washable masks by the University upon return to campus. Acceptable masks must cover the nose, mouth and chin. Masks must be worn:

• When entering, exiting, or waiting in line to enter any building on any campus of the Ohio University.
• While in any Ohio University building and in areas that are accessible to and are intended for the use of the public or by more than one person, including classrooms.
• In any public transportation on any campus of Ohio University, such as a bus or other public transit vehicle, a taxi or ridesharing vehicle, any other vehicle for hire, or at a transit stop or waiting area for any public transportation.
• In any outdoor space or outdoor place where or when a person is unable to maintain or does not maintain physical separation of not less than six feet from others who are not members of their own household. For students that live in Ohio University housing, a “household” consists of roommates of the same room or suite.

Masks will not be required for children under the age of 10 or while walking or exercising outdoors, so long as physical separation of not less than six feet is maintained or while walking or exercising outdoors with other members of the same household.

We've reduced our seating capacity as we removed furniture to maintain appropriate social distancing.

Unfortunately at times there may not be enough seats to accommodate all visitors.   

We will analyze building usage and open additional spaces when needed and as we are able.

We are also piloting a seat reservation service to allow visitors to book seats in advance. 

Guided by the research findings of the REALM Project, University Libraries’ staff have developed safe handling protocols for library materials, including wearing gloves when preparing materials for contact free pickup. Additionally, we are quarantining new books and other acquisitions, items returned through the book drops, and materials as they move from one staff member to another during processing. Significant to overall safety, we are also limiting access to materials in the stacks to a small number of staff. Through these procedures we are endeavoring to mitigate the potential transfer of the virus for both our staff and users. As testing continues and our understanding of how COVID-19 is potentially spread via physical items, our protocols will be updated.

You can contact us with your questions via chat, phone, or text message.  You can also contact your subject librarian with question or to make a research appointment. 

We will try our best to answer quick questions.  

Due to social distancing requirements, we cannot provide in-person help for advanced research questions.

For more difficult or lengthy questions, we will refer you to our General Remote Help Services or to your subject librarian.  

We will try our best to answer quick technology and multimedia questions. 

Due to social distancing requirements, we cannot provide in-person help for advanced technology and multimedia questions. 

For in-depth multimedia help., contact Heaven Herrold to request an online appointment.

Of course!  Our subject librarians are available to help via chat, phone, or Microsoft Teams.  Contact your subject librarian for help or to make a research consultation appointment. 

Contact us via chat or email, or contact your subject librarian.  

Contact us  for assistance locating materials to fulfill assignments.  If your instructor has print course materials on reserve that you need, ask them to complete our Course Request Form to inquire about access to critical course materials for which we do not currently have electronic access.

Contact your subject librarian with questions about locating content or use the Content Request Form to request electronic resources and/or scanning services.

 We can scan your items, but we would prefer to scan a library owed copy or purchase an electronic version, if we can. Please complete the Content Request Form and indicate that you own the materials. Alternatively, you can scan text items using the scanners on the 2nd floor of Alden Library.

The Libraries are suspending Records services, both receiving and delivering, during this time.  If you have an urgent request, exceptions will require the Dean of University Libraries approval.  Please email justification for an exception to Bill Kimok, University Archivist. 

Yes, printers are available in Alden Library. 

We encourage you to print only essential documents, as the virus transmits on high-touch surfaces. 

Please wash your hands frequently.

Computers are available to use.

Many machines have be been removed or taken offline to ensure social distancing.

The Music & Dance Library is currently available by appointment only.  

Because COVID-19 transmits so easily on high-touch surfaces, library laptops are not available.