The University of Massachusetts Amherst
Libraries Ask Us

Resources for Remote Learning and Instruction

Library staff are available to help you Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. via Ask Us, Chat, and email. Here are essential services and resources to support remote learning and instruction. 
  

Borrowing Library Materials

  • Effective Monday, June 29, those with a UMass NetID and password will be able to request UMass Amherst library materials via the Library Express service. With Library Express you can request that we mail materials from the Du Bois and Science & Engineering libraries to you anywhere in the United States, including the Pioneer Valley.  Please note we have access only to materials in our collection and cannot access Five College materials at this time.     

    Many books in our collections are available digitally through the HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Services (ETAS) at https://www.hathitrust.org (instructions on how to access books). When books are available through HathiTrust ETAS, we cannot share our physical copy without losing digital access to all ETAS materials for all users. For this reason, we ask that patrons use HathiTrust directly when possible. 

    We will also continue to connect you to PDFs of articles, e-book options, and chapter scans whenever possible. We can also assist in finding or purchasing e-books if available.   Some requests may be delayed due to the closure of other libraries.   

  • Interlibrary Loan

Contact ill@umass.library.umass.edu with any questions.

Copyright

Refer to our up-to-date copyright guide as you shift your course from in-person to online. 

Course Research and Materials 

Librarian consultations

  • Librarians and archivists are available to meet with faculty, students, and staff for one-on-one research support via email or online (e.g., Zoom).  If you are not sure who to contact, please fill out our consultation form and we'll find the expert for you!  

  • Scholarly Communication and Digital Scholarship Services experts are available to assist remotely with questions about copyright, open access, electronic theses and dissertations, digital scholarship and research data management. 

Library course instruction 

  • Librarians and archivists are available to meet with classes via Zoom to help students create a plan for their course projects, find materials, and evaluate information for relevance.   

Library Equipment

We are unable to lend equipment at this time.

Online Help

Last minute citation help? Need help with research? Ask Us! You can send email or chat with us Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.  

Renew Materials

Loans of library materials have been extended through September 15, 2020.  You can renew your books online via the  online renewal form.  Recalls of books from all Five College materials are suspended for remainder of the spring 2020 semester. 

Reserves 

Information for Faculty

  • Libraries' Statement on Textbooks
  • Please submit requests for digital course materials by adding the UMass Libraries Course Materials tool to your Moodle or Blackboard page. Instructions for adding the tool can be found here.
  • We will do our best to purchase unlimited user versions of eBooks through our vendors; however, we cannot license eBooks though Amazon, Kobo, Redshelf, or VitalSource, so our options may be limited.
  • If no digital version exists, we can scan and digitize one chapter or 10 percent of a work for integration via Blackboard or Moodle. Please contact your subject specialist librarian to discuss alternative options, including open access course materials, which are free to students and can be modified to fit your needs.
  •  We will process requests in the order request was received.
  • Contact reserves@library.umass.edu if you have questions.

Information for Students

Students: you can find online course materials requested by your instructor for your class through your course’s Blackboard and/or Moodle page. 

Return Materials 

  • Books, DVDs, and interlibrary loan materials can be returned to book drops located at the Du Bois Library, Robsham Center, or Lederle Lowrise.  If you are unable to come to campus to return an item, please keep it until you are able to safely do so.  We will waive all fines accrued during the time the Libraries were closed.  

  • Equipment (laptops, cameras, chargers, etc.): keep any equipment you borrowed until the Du Bois Library reopens. We will waive any fines for the period the Libraries were closed.  Please do not return equipment in any book drop or you will be liable for any damage

Special Collections and University Archives 

  • More information about SCUA’s online services can be found on their website.

Other Campus Resources 
Contact us 

Have other remote needs? New ideas for how the Libraries can help you off-campus?   Send your comments to us!