FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE          DATE: 7/28/03

CONTACT: EMILY SILVERMAN, (413) 545-0995

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING LIBRARY
TO CLOSE FOR AUGUST

Library Services Available Online and in W.E.B. Du Bois Library

     The Physical Sciences and Engineering Library in Lederle Graduate Research Center at UMass Amherst will close for renovations for approximately four weeks beginning August 1, 2003. Improvements slated for the Library include a new lobby, fresh paint, new carpeting and furnishings, and alterations to allow public access to the elevator.

     More than 100,000 volumes have been moved from the Library to off-site storage in the Five College Library Depository. This relocation of material makes way for the renovations, and then the merging of the Biological Sciences Library into the Physical Sciences and Engineering Library in January 2004.

     During the renovation, library services will be provided online (see http://www.library.umass.edu) and at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library. The current periodicals collection, and reference, interlibrary loan, and circulation services will be available in the W.E.B. Du Bois Library. There will be no patent + trademark reference assistance during August.

To request materials (books, articles, journals): Users should request Physical Sciences and Engineering Library materials through the ILLiad interlibrary loan system at http://illiad.library.umass.edu/AMH/logon.html. Requests submitted by 9:00 a.m. will be available that same afternoon. Requests submitted after 9:00 a.m. will be available the following afternoon. Articles will be delivered to requestors electronically. Requestors will receive an email notifying them when books are available for pick-up at the Charge Desk in the W.E.B. Du Bois Library lobby.

To browse current periodicals: The current issues of magazines and journals in the Physical Sciences and Engineering Library will be relocated to Floor 2 of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library. Photocopiers are available nearby. Current periodicals will not circulate during this period.

To obtain reference assistance: Virtual reference assistance (http://www.library.umass.edu/ask/) is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week by academic librarians from UMass Amherst, Boston Library Consortium members, and other libraries that participate in the 24/7 Reference Service. In addition, UMass Amherst reference librarians are available in person at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library reference desk and by phone at (413) 545-0150.