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Important Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Library building CLOSED until further notice.
See COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) Updates and Resources

COVID-19 Library Updates and Resources

May 2:03pmThis web page will be updated regularly. Please note that all information is subject to change, and we are reviewing our approach to Library operations on a weekly basis.

Last updated May 26, 2020 @ 2:30 p.m.

FAQs

The Claremont Colleges and Library closed in March for the protection of Claremont students, faculty and staff. We recognize that everyone is impacted by these changes, and the decision to reopen will be guided by public health experts with the safety and health of TCC students, faculty, and staff at the forefront. We will update this page as soon as we have more specific information about plans to reopen.

As of 3/26/20, the library has obtained e-versions of approximately 80% of all course readings for which we have a record. To find out if your course readings are available, search Course Reserves on the library’s website, using the instructor or course name.

If you don’t see an e-copy of your course reading, you have a few options:

Yes. Effective May 5, 2020, those who want to return books they’ve checked out from the Library or via Resource Sharing may do so in the book bins located outside the Library building (Map of TCCL External Book Drop Locations).

Yes, you can mail books to this address: Attention Library Circulation, 800 N. Dartmouth Ave, Claremont, CA 91711.

Starting on 5/8/20 we will be reaching out to undergraduates who have Resource Sharing books checked out and all 5C seniors with TCC and/or Resource Sharing books checked out to offer to send pre-paid Fedex labels so that books can be easily returned. If you don’t receive an email from us by 5/15/20, you can contact us (libraryusers@claremont.edu) to request that we send you a pre-paid Fedex label.

If you plan to return to campus in the fall please feel free to hold onto library books you have checked out. All TCC due dates have been renewed until 9/30/20.

Yes, effective May 1, 2020, the library is now offering a pick-up service.

TCC faculty, staff, and students who live nearby and are willing to come into the library building may request an unlimited number of books for pickup. (Although the library is closed, staff will pull an check requested books out to patrons and leave them on a book cart in the South Entrance hallway near Connection for them to be picked up). Depending on the demand for this service and our staffing capacity, the turnaround time for providing items for pick up may vary. Please keep in mind that the more items you request, the longer it may take us to collect them and make them available to you. 

Please submit requests to pick up books via the Resource Sharing Book Request form or via the “Get this Item” button from within Library Search, which will fill in the Resource Sharing form for you. When the form prompts you to answer the question “How would you like this item delivered?,” please be sure to select “Library owns a print copy I would like to pick up” from the options in the drop-down menu. Once the requested books have been pulled you will be notified and provided with a link to make an appointment to come in and pick up the requested book(s). 

Please note that availability of this pick-up service is subject to change without notice due to developments in the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information we advise you to consult the State of Emergency issued by California Governor Gavin Newsom on 3/19/2020 and the “Safer at Home” policy for LA County that went into effect on 3/20/2020.

Yes, however, we will first try to obtain an e-version or suitable e-alternative.

As of March 31, 2020 we have a limited number of staff working on site in the library to scan and mail items that are only available in print.

  1. We will always try to provide an e-copy of a requested book if it is available. 
  2. If we are not able to find an electronic copy of a book or of a suitable substitute, but we have the print book in our collection and it is not a course reading, we may be able to mail it to you.
  3. TCC faculty, staff, and students residing within the continental United States may request up to five books each to be mailed to them. Please be advised that, depending on demand and staffing capacity, we may not be able to fill requests as quickly as we typically do.
    • Submit requests for mailing via the Resource Sharing Book Request form or via the “Get this Item” button from within Library Search, which will automatically fill in the Resource Sharing form for you.
      • When the request form prompts you to answer the question “How would you like this item delivered?,” select “E-copy if available, if not home delivery of print is fine” from the options in the drop-down menu. Then add your mailing address to the box below this.
    • Please note that our ability to mail items may change without notice due to the evolving events related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, we advise everyone to consult the State of Emergency issued by California Governor Gavin Newsom on 3/19/2020 and the “Safer at Home” policy that for LA County that went into effect on 3/20/2020.

Contact your subject librarian or use the purchase suggestion form.

Yes

Requests for scans of print books can be submitted through the Resource Sharing “book chapter” request form. Please keep in mind that we currently have a limited number of library staff working on site to provide scans of print materials. We will do our best to fulfill your requests as quickly as we can. See the news update for more details, Access to Course Materials for Remote Teaching.

Yes, when we can. Use this link.

For the foreseeable future, requests for copies from the collections will be queued, to be fulfilled when we are able to access the collections once more.

Yes. In order to reduce the COVID-19 impact on students, faculty and staff, some publishers and database vendors are providing temporary access to resources that typically require the library to pay for access.  Visit the Educational Resource Offers Guide to see what is available. We will be keeping this guide regularly updated.

If you haven’t heard from us already, please contact us to determine your options for retrieving these items. If you can wait to access these items until the library reopens we advise that you do so. We will be going through the lockers to determine if there are any perishable (food) items.

Coming soon.

As of March 23, 2020, we are unable to allow access to the building out of concern for the health and safety of our community. Therefore, the Library is unable to accommodate check-outs for tech lending items at this time.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Changes to Library Operations

Starting Monday, March 23, the Library will be closed to all visitors and staff. While the Library proper will be closed to all visitors, Connection, will still be open and accessible. Please use the South entrance of the Honnold/Mudd building for access to Connection.

Although the Library facility will be closed, our Library staff will continue to work to support you in the following ways:

  • Questions? Ask Us.
  • Access to print materials: (5/1/20): Due to the unfolding Covid-19 situation, the library has reduced the number of staff working onsite in the library building. We have heard from a handful of TCC students, faculty, and staff that there is a need to access some materials only available in print for their teaching or research. This is our effort to support our users during these challenging times:
    • We will always try to provide an e-copy of a requested book if it is available. 
      • Non-course reading materials: Requests for e-copies or chapter scans may be sent to Resource Sharing.
      • Course Readings: The Library has acquired e-copies of course readings for which we have records and an electronic copy is available for us to license. This covers about 80% of all course readings. Please check this Course Reserves page on the library’s website to see if an e-option is available. 
        • Additionally, please be aware that RedShelf (an e-textbook direct-to-consumer platform) is providing students up to seven free textbooks from participating publishers until 5/25/20. A free account is required to gain access. Search by ISBN or title. 
        • If not available online or on RedShelf, chapter/section scans may be requested by faculty via Resource Sharing. Please specify which sections are most important for us to scan.
    • Subject Librarians are available to work with you to identify alternative editions or titles if no e-copy of a requested book is available.
    • If all else fails and we are not able to find an e-copy of a book or of a suitable substitute, but we have the print book in our collection (and it is not a course reading), we can either mail it to you or retrieve it and place it on hold for you to pick up by appointment. 
      • Mailing books: TCC students, faculty, and staff residing within the continental United States may request up to five books each to be mailed to them. Please be advised that, depending on demand and staffing capacity, we may not be able to fill requests as quickly as we typically do.
      • Picking up books: TCC students, faculty, and staff who live nearby and are willing to come in may request an unlimited number of books for pickup. However, depending on the demand for this service and our staffing capacity, we may not be able to fill requests as quickly as we typically do. Please keep in mind that the more items you request, the longer it may take us to collect them and make them available to you.
      • Submit requests for mailing or pick up via the Resource Sharing Book Request form at this link or via the “Get this Item” button from within Library Search, which will automatically fill in the Resource Sharing form for you. Be sure to choose your preference regarding mailing or pickup when the form prompts you to answer the question “How would you like this item delivered?
      • Please note that our ability to mail items or to offer this pick up service may change without notice due to the evolving events related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Patrons are advised to consult the State of Emergency issued by California Governor Gavin Newsom on 3/19/2020 and the “Safer at Home” policy for LA County that went into effect on 3/20/2020. 
      • Stay tuned to this web page for updates.
  • Items that are currently checked out: Loan periods for current loans will be extended until September 30, 2020. With this in mind, please feel free to hold on to your materials if you expect to be back on campus for the 2020-2021 academic year.
    • Effective May 5, 2020, those who want to return books they’ve checked out from the Library or via Resource Sharing may do so in the book bins located outside the Library building (Map of TCCL External Book Drop Locations).
    • Starting on May 8, 2020, library staff will be contacting undergraduates who have Resource Sharing books checked out and all 5C seniors with TCC and/or Resource Sharing books checked out to offer to send pre-paid Fedex labels so that books can be easily returned.
      • If you don’t fall into one of the above categories or if you do not receive an email from us by 5/15/20, please contact us (libraryusers@claremont.edu) to request that we send you a pre-paid Fedex label. This is especially encouraged if you do not plan to return to Claremont in Fall 2020.
      • Keep in mind that if you plan to return to campus in the fall please feel free to hold onto library books you have checked out. All TCC due dates have been renewed until 9/30/20.
    • If you choose, you can also mail books back to the library on your own, by sending them to this address:
      • The Claremont Colleges Library, Attention Library Circulation, 800 N. Dartmouth Ave, Claremont, CA 91711
  • Scanning print materials:
  • Resource Sharing (ILL):
    • We will continue to acquire copies of articles and book chapters for titles we do not own (as long as other libraries remain open and provide this service to us).
    • Due to the move of many colleges and universities to remote work, we are changing our workflows for providing access to books we do not currently own. Instead of borrowing print materials we will be attempting to fill all book requests by purchasing an e-copy. If no e-copy is available we will be unable to fill your request at this time.
    • For book requests that have not yet been processed, we “canceled” those requests and asked requesters to re-submit their request if they still want us to pursue obtaining an e-copy of the title.
      • If you have an ILL book checked out we are asking that you hold onto it and the Library will request renewals from the lending library on your behalf. No late fees will be charged.
      • For physical requests delivered from lending libraries between 3/16/2020 – 3/20/20, Resource Sharing will mail these books to home addresses if requested. Please contact illiad@claremont.edu with any questions or requests.
  • Databases and access to e-resources:
    • Please note that over half of our collection is accessible electronically. All of our online resources will still be available.
    • Additionally, many publishers are announcing that they are opening access to their online materials; some materials we did not previously have access to may now be available.
  • Course readings: Library staff will work closely with faculty to provide students electronic access to course readings in their entirety or in part. We will be reaching out to faculty in the coming two weeks to share access options. Please note that, effective immediately, students will not be able to check out print course readings.
  • Remote research assistance: Faculty, staff and students may meet with librarians virtually using Zoom, email, or chat. Contact or schedule an online appointment with a subject librarian.
  • Remote Library instruction: Faculty may still arrange for their classes to meet with librarians virtually via Zoom. Request an instruction session via the Library website.
Changes to Events

All Library events and programs scheduled for Spring 2020 have been postponed or canceled.

Special Collections Policy Update

Access Update 4/1/2020

While the library building is closed to visitors, Special Collections staff is working remotely and available by email (specialcollections@claremont.edu) to answer questions and continue our work as much as possible. For Claremont Colleges’ students, faculty, and staff, if we can support your research by providing digitized copies of some Special Collections materials, please send us a request through your Special Collections account. And, we encourage you to browse our digital collections as well as online digital repositories such as Calisphere and the Library of Congress Digital Collections.

Please visit the library’s web site for further updates as the situation evolves.

We wish you good health and hope to see you soon.

Proceed to Special Collections Home