Updated schedule for expanded Summer Library services

New Schedule

With a variety of changed conditions and guidelines now in place at the state, city, and University level and with feedback from Library users and preliminary data from the bookstacks pilot now available, the Library has updated its schedule for the roll out of expanded summer services.  Most notably, the HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service (ETAS) will end on August 1, and full access to the Regenstein and Crerar bookstacks for UChicago faculty, OAAs, students, and staff will begin on August 2.

Expanded services will be available on the following schedule.

Currently

• Bookstacks Access: A limited number of appointments to browse the Regenstein, Crerar, and Eckhart bookstacks are available to faculty, OAAs, and graduate students.
  • Use self-checkout kiosks or the Checkout UChicago app in Regenstein to check out books. Please note: Print materials that are accessible online via the HathiTrust ETAS program cannot be checked out.
• Quarter loans: Books have been automatically renewed until October 1. Borrowers are encouraged to return items earlier if they are done using them.

See the Library Status Dashboard for a detailed listing of current Library services.

Beginning July 7

• Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center: Reading room hours will expand for University students, faculty, other academic appointees, and staff.

Beginning July 19

• Faculty studies will reopen.
• Paging & Pickup: Borrowers will be able to pick up books without a reservation.

Beginning August 2

• Open browsing and checkouts: Bookstacks in Regenstein and Crerar will be open to all UChicago faculty, OAAs, students and staff. No appointments will be necessary. Books and other materials may be checked out at Regenstein using the self-checkout machines or Checkout UChicago app.
• HathiTrust ETAS has ended. Please note: the Library’s ongoing commitment to providing electronic resources continues.  Even after ETAS access ends, the Library will have links in its catalog to over 3 million electronic titles, including books, journals, databases and other media.
• Entry to study and work without reservations: Faculty, OAAs, students, and staff will be able to enter Regenstein, Mansueto, and Crerar and use study seats and the dedicated Zoom floor without reservations.
• Locker rental and access to lockers will resume.

Ongoing services through Summer Quarter

• Paging & Pickup
• Course Reserves (online only)
• Book Returns
• Interlibrary Loan
• E-Resources through the Catalog, ArticlesPlus, and Database Finder
• Ask a Librarian and consultations
• Instruction and workshops

Visit hours.lib.uchicago.edu for Library hours.

How We Reached This Decision

On June 8, 2021, we provided information about expanded Library Services for Summer and Autumn, including a preliminary schedule indicating when new services would be rolled out.

Since that announcement, based on feedback and the results of a pilot program, as well as the state and city’s movement into Phase 5, we have decided to conclude ETAS, a program that provides temporary special access during the pandemic to digitized books in the Library’s collections that are still under copyright, on August 1, and resume access to the Regenstein and Crerar bookstacks beginning August 2.

This decision is the result of careful consideration of a variety of feedback from Library users and the terms set by HathiTrust for use of the ETAS program, which require that bookstacks be closed. As a transitional step in the return to normal services, a HathiTrust-approved pilot program that began June 14 is currently providing faculty, OAAs, and graduate students with a limited number of appointments to browse the Regenstein, Crerar, and Eckhart Library bookstacks. The pilot has also provided valuable data that has informed the decision about when to switch from the provision of ETAS to full access to the bookstacks for UChicago faculty, students and staff.

Specific factors that affected the final decision on the end date for ETAS and the opening of the stacks include:

• A number of instructors of summer courses sought the continued use of ETAS through the end of July (past our initial planned end date of July 18).
• The limited number of appointments to access the bookstacks that we are able to provide while ETAS is in place has been sufficient to fill requests from our faculty and graduate students during the initial weeks of the bookstacks pilot.
• After our preliminary plan was released on June 8, Illinois and Chicago moved rapidly to Phase 5, with full reopening on June 11, and the University has provided updated guidance for Phase 5 transition. The ongoing increase of in-person activities at the University necessitates the discontinuation of HathiTrust’s pandemic-related ETAS program as of August 1, providing a transition period in the coming month for those who have been using the temporary service.

After consulting with the deans and the provost, we have concluded that the updated summer schedule outlined above best serves the University of Chicago community. We look forward to August 2, when we can welcome UChicago faculty, students, and staff back into the bookstacks and our Library buildings without reservations.