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Montague Library

Research

Responsibility for Library Materials

Borrowers are responsible for materials charged to their Penn State library account.

Go to My Library Account

Borrowing

  • As a member of the Penn State Community, you can borrow books from the law library and other Penn State libraries. 
  • You need your Penn State ID to check out materials.
  • If you wish to place a hold on an item, select the I Want It button in the library catalog. The item will be delivered to the library location you designate. You will receive an email notification when your hold is available to be picked up from the circulation desk. For more information on how to use the catalog, please see our blog post "Using the catalog."

Renewing

Returning 

  • Material may be returned to the circulation desk during staffed hours, the law library book return, or any Penn State University Libraries location.
  • Reference and reserve items should be returned directly to library staff to ensure prompt check-in. You will be charged overdue fines if you fail to return reference or reserve items on time.    

Carlisle: You can also use the outdoor book return receptacle at the South Street entrance to the law school.

Text Notifications

You should receive email notifications from us. If you also want to receive text notifications, add your phone number in the Update Address area of My Library Account.

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Borrowing

  • You need to first create a Penn State Account. Bring your Penn State Account ID with you to complete your registration and receive your borrower card. You must create your Penn State Account before coming to the library. We won't create one for you. 
  • If you wish to place a hold on an item, select the I Want It button in the library catalog. The book will be delivered to the law library or another Penn State library if you so designate. When the circulation desk is staffed, you can check out the item. For more information on how to use the catalog, please see our blog post "Using the catalog."

Renewing & Returning

  • Most materials can be returned to any Penn State library.

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Pennsylvania Residents

  • Penn State alumni who reside in Pennsylvania and have valid photo ID are eligible for a library borrowers card.
  • Current members of the Penn State Alumni Association are eligible to register for an Alumni Borrowers Card. A current Penn State Alumni Association 10-digit membership ID card is required to receive an Alumni Borrowers Card.
  • Alumni borrowers who also register online through the library with Penn State Accounts may:
    • place holds on items that are not currently available by clicking on the I Want It button from an item screen in the Libraries Catalog,
    • view their borrowing account information online, and
    • renew their borrowed items online.

Out of State Alumni

  • Out-of-state alumni who wish to borrow materials need both an Alumni Association membership and a valid ID.
  • If you wish to place a hold on an item, just select the I Want It button in the library catalog. The book will be delivered to the law library, or to another Penn State library if you so designate. Just go to the circulation desk when it is staffed to check out the item.
  • Generally, you can renew books and similar materials up to three times. Please note that this is not necessarily true for materials from interlibrary loan.
  • Most materials can be returned to any Penn State Library.

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Proxy Lending for Faculty

​Proxy lending is a way for faculty members to authorize their research assistants to check out or place holds on materials on their behalf. Materials are charged directly to the faculty member’s library account.

1. Fill out this form. Both the faculty member and the research assistant must sign it.

 

Proxy Lending Authorization Form

2. The research assistant should arrange to bring the signed form and their Penn State ID to the circulation desk supervisor listed below under Contacts. They will create the Proxy Card.

Contacts

Carlise: Megan Braught, 717.240.5267
University Park: Alison Ruckert
The research assistant brings the Proxy Card and their own Penn State ID to the circulation desk. The item will be checked out to the faculty member.

The faculty member placed the hold:  The research assistant brings the Proxy Card and their own Penn State ID to the circulation desk. The item will be checked out to the faculty member.

The research assistant placed the hold:  The research assistant brings the Proxy Card and their own Penn State ID to the circulation desk and asks that the item be checked out to the faculty member. The item will be transferred from the research assistant's account to the faculty member's account. This can only be done by the circulation desk supervisor, so please check with the individual listed below under Contacts to ensure they will be available.

Contacts

Carlisle: Megan Braught, 717.240.5267
University Park: Alison Ruckert

We cannot transfer interlibrary loan items from a research assistant's account to the faculty member's account. Therefore, faculty members should submit interlibrary loan requests using their own ILLiad account.f

In the alternative, the research assistant can come to the circulation desk when the circulation supervisor listed below under Contacts is available and ask that the interlibrary loan be submitted on behalf of the faculty member.

Contacts

Carlisle: Megan Braught, 717.240.5267
University Park: Alison Ruckert