Last update April 8, 2021
Loyola University Chicago Libraries’ priority is to serve our students, faculty, and staff needs while protecting the health and safety of the community. We continue to provide services and are doing everything that we can to support learning, teaching, and research. While access to buildings and physical spaces are limited, our librarians and staff are always ready to help. Please contact us or check this page for additional information about the University Libraries’ current efforts and updates for the spring and summer terms.
What's New
All library visitors must comply with COVID-19 testing guidelines to use campus facilities, including the University Libraries.. All Library visitors will be asked to display the Loyola Health app on their phones when entering the building, and swipe in with their active Loyola campus ID card. This applies to ALL library visitors, including those who have been vaccinated for COVID-19. Please review the Return to Campus checklist before planning your visit to campus.
Beginning April 12, 2021, the Loyola Information Commons will begin using a reservation system for many of the spaces in the building. To ensure the availability of study spaces for students during the busy final weeks of the semester, all available individual study spaces on the 2nd and 3rd floor of the IC, are now reservable, including study rooms, study tables, computer workstations, and armchairs. Spaces on the 1st floor of the IC will remain open on a first come, first served basis. See the Reservations page to make a reservation.
Please note that capacity in the Loyola Information Commons is limited to 100 people at any given time, in order to allow for social distancing. When capacity reaches 100, signs will be placed at the IC entrance to indicate that the building is full. Library users who have reserved a study space or scheduled an appointment to pick up books or Digital Media equipment will still be permitted to enter the building to pick up their materials.
View a guide to get detailed help in all aspects of using the library during this semester: Library Services for Remote Learning
Spring Semester Hours and Services (Beginning January 19, 2021)
The Information Commons and Lewis Library are open to current students, faculty, and staff for individual quiet study and contactless pickup. Lewis Library will be closed weekends. Most library services will continue to be available online.
Information Commons hours and services
Individual study spaces (including reservable study rooms)
- Monday - Friday: 7am - 9pm
- Saturday - Sunday: 9am - 9pm
- Monday - Friday: 7am - 9pm
Lewis Library hours and services
Individual study spaces (including reservable study rooms)
- Monday - Friday: 8am - 5pm
- Saturday - Sunday: Closed
- Monday - Friday: 12pm - 5pm
Access will be restricted to current Loyola students, faculty, and staff. For health and safety reasons, the Libraries cannot provide study space or access to public computers to Loyola alumni and community members until further notice. Appointments will be considered only in exceptional circumstances and access is at the sole discretion of the University Libraries. Please email libraries@luc.edu to request an appointment.
Archival research is by appointment only. Requests for these appointments should be made directly with University Archives or Women and Leadership Archives (see below).
To decrease the handling of physical materials and limit in-person transactions, the library stacks will be closed to patrons during spring and summer 2021; print books and DVDs may be requested and will be delivered by staff to a designated pick-up location. Turnaround times on requests may be delayed due to material quarantine procedures.
Course reserves will be available online only.
All research assistance will be provided online through chat, email, or Zoom. See below for library services that continue to be available online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Information Commons and Lewis Library will reopen for the spring semester on January 19, 2021. Cudahy Library remains closed.
Hours
• Access is restricted to current Loyola students, faculty, and staff. All other users will be admitted by appointment only and with the approval of the University Libraries. Individual study spaces will be available by reservation or with a limited number of walk-in spaces.
• COVID-19 testing is required for everyone to use campus facilities, including those who have already been vaccinated for COVID-19. Please review the Return to Campus checklist before planning your visit.
• The Information Commons and Lewis Library will be open with reduced hours and limited on-site services.
Hours.
• Access to Cudahy Library is limited to library staff.
• For archival research visits, please contact them directly for an appointment:
University Archives and Special Collections; Congressional Archives in the Information Commons Visit Ask the Archivist
Women and Leadership Archives in Piper Hall Email WLArchives@luc.edu
• All study spaces, chairs, and workstations on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Loyola Information Commons must be reserved. Reservations can be made in advance, or on the spot, if seats are available. See the Reservations page to make a reservation: http://libraries.luc.edu/reservations
• Study spaces and chairs on the 1st floor of the IC are available without a reservation, on a first come, first served basis.
• Library users do not need a reservation to visit Lewis Library at this time, but that policy is subject to change.
• Library users at all library locations will need to schedule a time to pick up book requests.
Everyone must have COVID-19 testing to use campus facilities, including the University Libraries. Individuals who have already been vaccinated for COVID-19 will still need to comply with the campus testing requirement. Please review the Return to Campus checklist before planning your visit to campus.
If you do not have a Loyola campus ID card, or if you are having difficulties using your ID card please contact the Campus Card Office.
•The library print collections will be closed during spring and summer 2021 to decrease the handling of physical materials and limit in-person transactions.
•Print books and DVDs may be requested using the library catalog and will be delivered to a designated pick-up location, and picked up by appointment (full instructions will be available in the confirmation email). Turnaround times on requests may be delayed due to material quarantine procedures. For more information on how to request books or DVDs, see our complete guide.
•While the library buildings are closed, many of the print books held by our library system are available in a digitized format in the HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service (ETAS). Search HathiTrust. Instructions for accessing HathiTrust ETAS books are available here.
•Interlibrary loan (ILL) will be restricted to journal articles and book chapters delivered online. For help on Interlibary Loan, see our guide.
•Course reserves will be available online with expanded access and services. Please send your reserve lists as soon as possible using the Course Reserve Request Form.
•For assistance in acquiring online materials to support teaching and learning, contact your library subject specialist or or see our guides for Faculty Support and Student Support.
•The library is providing support to faculty for locating materials for online courses, but we face limitations in licensing many online textbooks. See our full statement here.
Even though access to the library buildings is restricted, our librarians and staff are available to help you in the following ways:
Submit questions via email
Schedule a Zoom appointment to meet with a librarian
Online chat with Loyola University Chicago Library staff (24 hours)
•To schedule an online (synchronous or asynchronous) instruction session for faculty, contact your subject specialist or submit an instruction request.
•All research assistance will continue to be provided online through our 24/7 chat service, by email and through Zoom appointments.
•All due dates for books during campus closures have been extended through June 19, 2021. You may also renew your books yourself online. Additional extensions will be made if necessary.
•If you wish to return your books, they can be deposited in the book returns at the following locations:
To the right of the west Cudahy Library doors (Lake Shore Campus)
In the lobby of the Information Commons (Lake Shore Campus)
In the lobby of Corboy Law Center (Water Tower Campus).
•You can mail books back to the library. Please address packages to: Cudahy Library: Access Services Loyola University Chicago 1032 W. Sheridan Rd. Chicago, IL 60660
•We will not be charging overdue fines and will waive recent fines. If you received an automatically generated letter regarding overdue books or fines, please contact us at cud-circ@luc.edu.
We are currently processing returns, but if you have questions regarding an item still on your account please contact cud-circ@luc.edu. No overdue fines will be charged at this time.
•For Loyola items, please login to your library account with your UVID.
•For Interlibrary Loan (ILL) items, login to your interlibrary loan account.
•Requests for articles and single chapters from books are still accepted, but some requests may not be filled, as all academic libraries are operating with limited staffing and resources.
•Questions about Interlibrary Loan can be directed to lib-ill@luc.edu.
•Using the links provided through the library website and catalog you can log in with your UVID and password to get access to electronic resources from any off-campus location. For more information, see our Remote Access guide.
•Our licenses with publishers and content providers do not allow the University Libraries to provide off-campus access to electronic resources for Loyola alumni and guests. Once campus fully reopens, alumni and guests will be able to visit library buildings to access library collections. Please contact cud-ref@luc.edu with questions.
•If you are a Health Sciences Division member, you must log in at the Health Sciences Library for off-campus access.
All due dates for books during campus closures have been extended through June 19, 2021. Additional extensions will be made if necessary. Questions may be directed to cud-circ@luc.edu.
Access is restricted to current Loyola students, faculty, and staff.
We are currently fulfilling requests from the Library Storage Facility on a case-by-case basis. If a user requests an item that is damaged (whether due to mold or another reason), requests will be cancelled and the user notified.
Summary of Services
Support for Teaching and Learning
Circulation and Course Reserves
HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service
Connecting with the University Libraries Community
Support for Teaching and Learning
- Librarians are available to support students and instructors in online courses. See list of resources and instructions for accessing them.
- Extended equipment loans (including laptops) are available through Digital Media Services.
Research Help
- Submit questions via email
- Schedule a Zoom appointment to meet with a librarian
- Online chat with Loyola University Chicago Library staff (24 hours)
- Monday - Friday 9:00am - 7:00pm
- Online chat for all other hours is covered by library staff at partner institutions. These librarians will be able to provide research support and help you access our online resources, but may not be familiar with questions that are specific to our library.
- Anyone needing assistance with Federal or State of Illinois government information should contact Eileen Black, eblack3@luc.edu.
- Questions about instruction and research support should contact Niamh McGuigan, nmcguigan@luc.edu.
Off-Campus Access
- Off-Campus access and troubleshooting information
- Information and Video tutorials for off-campus access
Archival Research
With all University Libraries' archives closed, archivists have limited access to the physical collections but will try to answer as many inquiries as possible.
Access Digital Archival Collections and Exhibits
- University Archives & Special Collections
- Visit the website for more information.
- Tour our Sesquicentennial Projects and Digital Exhibits
- View digitized yearbooks and student publications
- Explore the archive of Loyola University websites
- Ask questions using the Ask the Archivist form on our website.
- Women & Leadership Archives
- Visit the website for more information.
- Tour our Digital Exhibits
- View inventories of select collections
- Email questions to the Women & Leadership Archives
Circulation and Course Reserves
- All due dates for books due during campus closures have been extended through June 19, 2021. Additional extensions will be made if necessary.
- Library books do not need to be returned at this time. Interlibrary loans books that are due should be returned. If you wish to return your books, they can be deposited in the book returns at the following locations:
To the right of the west Cudahy Library doors (Lake Shore Campus)
In the lobby of the Information Commons (Lake Shore Campus)
In the lobby of Corboy Law Center (Water Tower Campus). - You can mail books back to the library. Please address packages to: Cudahy Library: Access Services Loyola University Chicago 1032 W. Sheridan Rd. Chicago, IL 60660
- We will not be charging overdue fines and will waive recent fines.
- Home delivery of books is suspended.
- If you have print items on course reserve that your students need to access remotely, we will attempt to acquire an online version.
- We are currently fulfilling requests from the Library Storage Facility on a case-by-case basis. If a user requests an item that is damaged (whether due to mold or another reason), requests will be cancelled and the user notified.
- Questions about book circulation and course reserves can be directed to cud-circ@luc.edu or LewisLib@luc.edu.
Interlibrary Loan
- Interlibrary loan for books is not available at this time.
- Requests for articles and single chapters from books are still accepted, but some requests may not be filled, as all academic libraries are operating with limited staffing and resources.
- We are no longer able to extend due dates for ILL books currently on loan. If you have ILL books that you need to return, please do so at your earliest convenience. We will waive overdue fees associated with any item once we receive it. You can deposit ILL books in the book returns at the following locations:
- To the right of the west Cudahy Library doors (Lake Shore Campus)
- In the lobby of the Information Commons (Lake Shore Campus)
- In the lobby of Corboy Law Center (Water Tower Campus)
- You can also mail books back to the library. Please address packages to:
- Cudahy Library: Interlibrary Loan
Loyola University Chicago
1032 W. Sheridan Rd.
Chicago, IL 60660 - Questions about ILL can be directed to lib-ill@luc.edu.
HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service
- The HathiTrust Digital Library is a collection of digitized books and other print materials from major research libraries. At any time, Loyola users can read and download out of copyright material that is archived in the HathiTrust Digital Library. While the library building remains closed, we have access to in copyright material, as well.
- The HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service (ETAS) permits special access for HathiTrust member libraries that suffer an unexpected, temporary disruption to normal operations, requiring the library to be closed to its patrons, or otherwise restrict print collection access services.
- All books in our print collection that are also are included in the HathiTrust Digital Library are available to Loyola users as part of the ETAS.
- For instructions on how to use HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access to books, see this online guide.
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