Last update June 28, 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
- Open spaces in the Information Commons and Lewis Library are now at 100% capacity, with no requirement for physical distancing.
- Individual seat reservations for the IC 2nd and 3rd floors are no longer required, and group study rooms can now be used at 50% capacity (2 people in a 4 person room; 3 people in a 6 person room.)
- Anyone NOT fully vaccinated, regardless of the reason, is required to continue masking indoors and outdoors on campus. Mask wearing is encouraged for all library users in open library spaces.
- Faculty and graduate students can now borrow print books through Interlibrary Loan and pick up on campus using the contactless pick up process. For details, see the FAQ below, or the Summer 2021 Library Services guide.
- Sign up to receive email notifications about changes to library services, new library events, and reopening plans.
- View our Summer 2021 Library Services guide to see tips and advice on how to use the Libraries this summer.
Summer Session Hours and Services (May 24-August 13)
Please note: Hours and services are subject to change. The Information Commons and Lewis Library are open to current students, faculty, and staff for individual quiet study and contactless pickup. Most library services will continue to be available online.
Information Commons
Individual study spaces
- Monday - Friday: 7am - 9pm
- Saturday: 12pm - 5pm
- Sunday: 12pm - 8pm
- Monday - Friday: 7am - 9pm
Lewis Library
Individual study spaces
- Monday - Friday: 8am - 5pm
- Saturday - Sunday: Closed
- Monday - Friday: 12pm - 5pm
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. The Loyola Health app is required to verify vaccination status or compliance with surveillance testing. For the latest information on Loyola’s COVID-19 policies, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
Access is 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 until further notice; 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 are open for individual quiet study and contactless pickup. 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.
• COVID-19 vaccination or surveillance testing is required for everyone to use campus facilities. 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
At this time, only current students, faculty, and staff can visit library buildings in person, in accordance with campus guidelines. However, community guests, alumni, and Friends of the Libraries are welcome to use Ask a Librarian services, or to contact the Women and Leadership Archives and the University Archives and Special Collections to request research assistance. Library users in these groups are also able to attend many of our virtual events and to connect with the Libraries on social media.
• It is no longer necessary to reserve individual study spaces in the Information Commons, but library users at all library locations will need to schedule a time to pick up book requests.
All library visitors will need to follow campus guidelines for accessing campus, which require that students, faculty, and staff either upload their vaccination card to the Loyola Health app, or comply with the campus surveillance testing program. 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 until further notice 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.
• Faculty and graduate students can now request books via Interlibrary loan (ILL) and schedule contactless pickup appointments to receive them. The ILL book ordering process will remain the same through ILLiad. Once the library receives the book, you will receive an email notification with the link to schedule a time for contactless pickup in the IC or at Lewis Library. After choosing a pick-up time, you will indicate that it includes an Interlibrary Loan book. For undergraduates and staff, ILL requests are restricted to journal articles and book chapters delivered online for the time being. 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 September 26, 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. Based on Loyola's Return to Campus plans, alumni and guests will have access to library buildings and electronic resources while on campus in the spring 2022. 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 September 26, 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 - 5:00pm
- Saturday noon – 5:00pm
- Sunday noon – 8:00pm
- 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 September 26, 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
- Faculty and graduate students can now request books via Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and schedule contactless pickup appointments to receive them. The ILL book ordering process will remain the same through ILLiad. Once the library receives the book, you will receive an email notification with the link to schedule a time for contactless pickup in the IC or at Lewis Library. After choosing a pick-up time, you will indicate that it includes an Interlibrary Loan book.. For help on Interlibary Loan, see our guide.
- For undergraduates and staff, ILL requests are restricted to journal articles and book chapters delivered online for the time being.
- Requests for articles and single chapters from books are 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.
- The HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access service is likely to end in late August/early September.
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