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Guide to Library Services for Faculty

This guide highlights library services that can assist faculty with their research and instruction, and also provides helpful hints on getting the most out of the Library.
Type of Material
Otterbein Owned Items
OPAL/OhioLINK/SearchOhio Owned Items
Books & 
Government Publ.
42 day loan (6 weeks)
6 renewals
No overdue fines
42 day loan (6 weeks)
6 renewals
Overdue fines will be waived

DVD
CD-ROM
CD

7 days
6 renewals
No overdue fines
7 day loan
3 renewals
Overdue fines will be waived
Periodicals & Maps
3 days
6 renewals
No overdue fines

Not available via OPAL/OhioLINK/SearchOhio,
use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) or electronic journals

Newspapers &
Reference Materials  
LIBRARY USE ONLY Not available via OPAL/OhioLINK/SearchOhio
Digital Cameras, Camcorders, Data Projectors, Digital Audio Recorders

1 day
0 renewals
No overdue fines

Not available via OPAL/OhioLINK/SearchOhio
 Laptops & iPads  

3 day
0 renewals
No overdue fines 

Not available via OPAL/OhioLINK/SearchOhio
 Extended Laptops, Web Cameras, & Bikes

7 day
0 renewals
No overdue fines  

Not available via OPAL/OhioLINK/SearchOhio
 
   
Course Reserves
2 hour or 1, 3 or 7 days
0 renewals
(If you need your material longer, please check with a circulation supervisor at checkout.)
Not available via OPAL/OhioLINK/SearchOhio
  1. Note: Although the computer system automatically charges Faculty & Staff members for overdue fines for OPAL, OhioLINK, or SearchOhio owned materials, we will waive these charges. However, faculty & staff members are charged for lost or damaged Otterbein, OPAL, OhioLINK, & SearchOhio items and for overdue Interlibrary Loan items. These fees will not be waived. Please return you items on time to allow us to be in good standing with other members of OPAL, OhioLINK, or SearchOhio.
  2. Note: Faculty members agree to abide by the loan policies of the Courtright Memorial Library.  Faculty members are responsible for all items checked out to them, and the subsequent replacement costs of those items should they become lost or damaged.  Please reach out to the Circulation Manager to address all replacement issues. 
  3. Note: Otterbein-owned items replacement fee is a minimum of $115 per item. 
  4. Note: OPAL, OhioLINK, & SearchOhio items replacement fee is a minimum of $125 per item.

Course Reserves

Course reserves include books, articles, videos, and music that are assigned shorter loan periods as designated by professors for use in specific courses.  These loans periods are 2 hours, 2 hours (in library use only), 1 day, 3 days, or 7 days

Faculty can place items owned by the library or their own personally-owned copies of material on reserve. Items that are owned by the faculty and placed on 2 hour course reserve will have the option to be restricted to "in library use only" and not permitted to leave the building.  All other items on course reserve will have no locational use restrictions. 

To place items on course reserve, stop in the library or fill out the online form.  Contact a Circulation Supervisor at 614.823.1215 (press 4 for circulation) or circ@otterbein.edu for more information.

If you would like to request an item be purchased for the Library's collection and have it immediately sent to Course Reserves, please fill out the Acquisition Request Form and indicate the Term & Course Number, or contact our technical services department (LibTS@otterbein.edu) for assistance. 

Equipment

Did you know that we have technology available for check out?  Our circulating equipment ranges from laptops to iPads, and data projectors to wireless power point presenters.  Most items can be reserved in advance and generally check out for 1 day at a time.  More information about the different types of equipment that we circulate and the equipment request form is available at the link below.

Requesting Materials Through OPAL or OhioLINK

Otterbein is part of a consortia that connects our faculty and staff to items owned by more than 120 other colleges and universities.

Search for items you need using the OPAL Catalog first.  If the item you are looking for isn't found or copies aren't available you can click the "Search OhioLINK" button near the top of the page.  If the item you're looking for isn't available there either, you can also try the "Search Ohio" button near the top of the page. Once you find the item you are looking for you can request items through the green Request button.  You will receive an email in your Otterbein email when items are available for pick up.

Note for Requests : Make sure you select your affiliation as Otterbein University.  Your library barcode number can be found at the bottom of your Cardinal Card and begins with 777. Our campus' pick up location is Otterbein Circulation Desk, but you can also select an alternate location if you live closer to another university, like Ohio State.

If you have questions about your account, please contact a Circulation Supervisor at 614.823.1215 (press 4 for circulation) or circ@otterbein.edu.

For more information about requesting items from other OPAL or OhioLINK libraries, call Gabby Freshly at 614.823.3072.