Student Guide – COVID-19 Edition

Our library buildings are closed, but as always you can access much of our collection and services remotely. During this emergency, we're expanding remote access as much as possible.

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Our Ask a Librarian remote services are up and running — via phone, chat, email, and text.

How to Get Materials

Remote access to the collection

Find and access electronic resources in our collection. When you use Library Search, make sure you log in with your U-M credentials. To restrict your search results to online resources only, check the “Available online” filter box. Visit the guide to using Library Search for more information.

To get easier access to library-licensed material when you're not on campus:

Get emergency digital access to print collection materials and textbooks.

  • The HathiTrust Digital Library is offering Emergency Temporary Access Service to digital copies of the in-copyright works in our collection. Go to HathiTrust and log in with your U-M credentials.
  • Major publishers are offering free temporary online access to textbooks. Search for yours:

If you find a book you need in our catalog and it isn't available electronicallysend a request to our Document Delivery team. They'll do their best to track down an electronic version for you.

Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery

We are scanning health sciences material for urgent patient needs. All other scans are on hold.

Delivery of physical materials is suspended. You can still request an item, and we'll try to find you an electronic version.

Requests from other institutions are being filled with electronic resources if possible. We're not shipping or receiving physical material.

All loan terms are extended. We will not recall material or block you from library service.

Contact us at document.delivery@umich.edu.

Got Materials?

Hold on to your books until the library buildings reopen. The library will not impose fines or account holds for late returns.

We will continue renewing all checked-out library materials until library buildings reopen. If your item was not renewed, you can renew via your library account, or contact glcirc@umich.edu for help.

We've renewed all interlibrary loan material through May 4, 2020.

If you must return items while the library buildings are closed, bring them to the Shapiro Library book return (accessible from the driveway between the Hatcher and Shapiro libraries). All other book returns are closed, and materials won't be checked in until library buildings reopen.

If you've left campus, please wait until library buildings reopen to mail us your checked-out items. Send mail to University of Michigan Library, 913 South University Avenue, Room 104, Ann Arbor, MI  48109.

We're Here for You

The library's subject specialists are available for remote consultations about your coursework and the library's resources and services.

Library Research Guides serve as roadmaps that point you to trusted sources in your field of study.

Our special collections are unavailable as long as the buildings remain closed, but curators are available to answer your questions. Visit the library website or use our staff directory to find what you're looking for.

Opportunities

One Credit Courses
These classes, taught by librarians, will enhance your research skills, improve your ability to sort fact from fiction, and introduce you to data visualization techniques. Fall classes available; register now.

Photo of female student in hallway.

Library Mini Grants
Mini grants for students support innovative and collaborative projects that make a real-life impact. We supply money, a library mentor, and access to world-renowned research collections.

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Undergraduate Research Awards
Stellar research projects deserve recognition. We give cash awards to students who use library materials to make their projects more comprehensive and original.

Digital Collections & Exhibits

See what's available  in our online exhibits and digital collections. And don't forget about our many streaming video databases, which encompass a wide-range of topics and genres, including Kanopy's extensive feature film and documentary offerings.

Stay in Touch

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