Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Hours: The Library is open 24/7 when classes are in session. Whitman ID is required for Library access from 10:00 p.m. until 9:00 am.
- Circulation: Faculty may check out most materials for one year with 2 renewals. Some items have a shorter loan period; other items may not be renewed.
- Course Reserves: Assigned readings may be placed on e-Reserves or a hard copy may be placed at the Circulation Desk.
HOW TO GET MATERIALS
- Penrose Library Catalog: Search for materials available within Penrose Library. Use the “Modify Search” feature to limit searching by type (video, journal, etc.), language, year, etc.
- Databases & Indexes: Use the "E-Resources by Subject" link to locate articles and research materials.
- Magazine & Journals: Use the “Journals at Penrose” link to find our holdings for a specific title, either electronic or in print form.
- Summit & Inter-Library Loan (ILL):
- Summit: Materials not available at the Penrose Library may be requested through Summit, a service of the Orbis Cascade Alliance. This regional consortium of 36 academic libraries provides access to over 28 million items. Requested items arrive within 5 to 7 business days. Journal articles are not available through Summit.
- Inter-Library Loan (ILL): Articles and materials not available via Summit may be requested through ILLiad, the inter-library loan service. Journal articles usually arrive within 5 business days; other items may arrive within four to six weeks.
REFERENCE & INFORMATION LITERACY
- Library 100: A semester-long 1 credit course designed for first-year students focused on the basic Information Literacy concepts of defining resource needs, accessing, evaluating, and citing scholarly materials.
- Integrated Course Instruction: Based on an active problem-based learning model, sessions are tailored to teach the students skills necessary to complete course assignments such as research papers. An online “Research Portal” provides links to the resources taught during the session and can be linked from a CLEo page.
- Individual Appointments: Reference Librarians are available to meet with students to talk about their specific needs, problems, and challenges in a one-on-one environment.
- Thesis Workshops: Workshops are scheduled early in the Fall Semester to assist seniors in getting started on their thesis research. Emphasis is placed on special services available to seniors and reinforcing the importance of Summit & ILL.
- Reference Desk: The Reference Desk is staffed by Reference librarians from 1-5, and 7-10 PM most days. This semester we will also be running a pilot project involving a Reference Chat service.
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
- Purchase Requests: To suggest an item for purchase, use the “Suggest a Purchase” link on the Library’s “Information for Faculty” page or contact Roger Stelk.
ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
- Instruction & Research: Staff are available to make presentations and exhibit primary source, contextual, and subject-specific materials to classes and individuals. Please contact the Archives for additional information.
