Richmond Home

Library Services During Covid-19 Closure

Below are common questions about Fall 2020 library services while we operate within the University's Covid Guidelines. If you have further questions we are available by:

Email: library@richmond.edu

Staff Contacts: https://library.richmond.edu/about/staff.html

Please let us know if we have overlooked an area of concern for you, your classes or your department.

How can I access print and media materials from Boatwright Library and Parsons Music Library?
Materials are available for check out within Boatwright now that the building is open again. Please note that materials in Parsons Music Library still require retrevial by library staff. For help with items in Parsons, contact Linda Fairtile at lfairtil@richmond.edu.

Students who are not in Richmond and need print books/media should contact their liaison librarian who will check on e-book options or make suggestions for alternative online material. If there are no viable options, a book/DVD can be mailed to a student.

Is Curbside Pickup Available?

Yes! Here’s how to make a request:

  1. Go to https://library.richmond.edu and scroll down to the OneSearch box.
  2. Enter your search terms and click the magnifying glass icon.
  3. Find the item that you want (there are lots of filters on the left that help you narrow your results) and click on its title.
  4. Scroll down to “Get it” and click the “Sign in” icon.
  5. Follow the prompt to log in with your UR ID and password.
  6. Click on “Request: Place a Hold or Pick-up Request” (under “Get it”). 
    1. Faculty and staff have the added option of requesting “Office Delivery” for books requested from Boatwright only.
  7. If you need to add any info to your request, you can, but it’s not required.  You can just click “Send Request”. 
  8. Items to be picked up at Boatwright are placed on carts at the entrance to the library and can be picked up anytime Boatwright is open. Items will be marked with your first initial and last name.  Parsons Music Library staff will contact the borrower about arranging pickup of materials from that location.

For questions or additional assistance, faculty, staff and students who need books or other physical items from Boatwright may also contact boatwrightcirc@richmond.edu. For Parsons Music Library Materials, contact parsons@richmond.edu.

How can I request licensed eBooks and electronic resources for my courses?

Contact a liaison librarian for any library assistance you need or for materials you would like to request.

How can I request the scanning of course materials?

Scanning of course materials continues. The library has staff members working daily to scan and upload course materials. To have your course materials scanned for Blackboard, please complete the form at: https://library.richmond.edu/services/course-reserves/course-reserves-form.html or contact Alissa Potter, User Support Specialist, at apotter@richmond.edu.

Can I request research support and instruction for my students?

Liaison Librarians continue to support research and instruction for the campus. Contact your liaison for research and instruction support, resource needs, or any library questions. Refer students to liaisons for Zoom or email research help.

Is Interlibrary Loan service available for students and faculty?

We begin spring 2021 semester with the same significant challenges in place from fall 2020. Throughout last year’s remote existence, the Resource Sharing Department continued to fill as many requests as possible both at the local, state, and national level. We will continue to process as much as possible as we move into spring term; however, many of our library lenders remain closed, operate remotely, are understaffed, and are working in less than ideal circumstances. Due to these issues, wait times will likely be longer than our patrons are used to and hard to find items will be even more rare.

A few reminders:

  • Materials that we have borrowed need to be returned to us in a timely manner, ILLIAD will indicate due dates and produce reminders. Future borrowing privileges depend on our returning materials to lending libraries by their due dates.
  • For faculty we will order physical materials (books) as needed.
  • For students, we are only able to order digital articles, chapters, and scans. No physical ILL items are currently being ordered or processed for students.
  • Any ordered physical material can be picked up outside Boatwright Library and patrons will be alerted when it is there. PDF scans of all electronic items are sent to patrons’ emails.

Rest assured we continue to work daily to be sure that your items are requested. Please reach out to us at ill@richmond.edu with any questions.

Have due dates for books and other materials changed for the remainder of the semester?

Boatwright Library and Parsons Music Library will extend due dates for materials already in circulation to Sept. 15, 2020. Normal due dates are now in use for Fall 2020.

Where can students still on campus make copies and print files?

Printers are availbale within the library for use. Ricoh has also provided machines on the 3rd Floor of the Commons and in the Special Programs Building. Students who are on campus can scan/copy at either of those two copiers for free, or print for free if they save their file to a thumb drive.

Can the general public or community members use the library when it reopens?

The library will have limited occupancy with access only for UR faculty, staff, and students until the university resumes normal operations in the green phase of the Physical Distancing Framework.

All university staff, students, and faculty are required to show their ID card for access to the library during red, orange, and yellow phases of the University’s Physical Distancing Framework.