Making sense of the world of libraries...

Library of Congress

    First, let's look at some of our basic services available to you.....

Some of the most basic "public" services (i.e., services that allow the community to use the library) which you will find in any library are:

Circulation and Reserves Services: among academic libraries Circulation and Reserves services are usually co-located at the same service desk area allowing patrons to check out circulating library materials and other course related materials that instructors place "on reserve" for students. 

Reserve materials can be print readings (books, articles, etc.) or audiovisual materials available for limited time periods (usually 3 hours) or electronic files accessible 24/7 (see further discussion below).  See discussion below for further explanation of the purpose of reserves collections.

Interlibrary Loan Services:  through these services patrons are able to borrow books or get copies of articles not owned by our library from another library. Interlibrary loan is FREE and, as you may already have realized, gives you access to millions of items beyond our local collections!   What a wonderful service, eh?

Reference Services: you need help with your research?  You need to find the answer to a question you have? Library staff at the reference desk help you with your research project or questions you may have. You are not in the library? You may get direct help 24/7 regardless of where you are through our "Get a Live Answer!" service (see chat window on the left panel of the library page) or through our Ask a Librarian! link under "Library Assistance." Give it a try!