Milner Library’s COVID-19 Response Information

Current ISU students, faculty, staff, and retirees can access the building during our open hours. Anyone who who is not a current ISU student, faculty, staff, or retiree can contact our Virtual Reference Desk for further assistance. 

Special Collection remains closed to walk in traffic; however, access is available by appointment and staff are available for virtual research assistance. Please contact MilnerSPC@IllinoisState.edu for additional information.

University Archives remains closed to walk-in traffice; however, access is available by appointment and staff are available for virtual research assistance. Please contact Archives@IllinoisState.edu for more information.

Yes. Please contact Archives@IllinoisState.edu for more information on current protocols for donating historical items. University Archives is also collecting items related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to Milner Library's spaces when the building is open, more than 10 Redbird Study Rooms with wifi are available to students across campus in a variety of campus buildings. See a full list of available study rooms. For information on what buildings are open, see the current academic building hours.

No, food/eating is temporarily not allowed in Milner Library. Drinks are permitted as long as your face covering is put back on after taking a drink.

No, Drop In Writing Assistance from The Visor Center is currently not being held in person in the library; however, writing assistance and other academic help is available from The Visor Center virtually.

In addition to checking out in person when our building is open, tems can be requested for curbside pickup or on campus delivery via campus mail to campus mailboxes. Please see the above section for directions or this post on how to request items. If you need help finding items or have any additional questions, please contact our librarians through our Virtual Reference Desk or contact your subject librarian.

Possibly. Please use our online search available on our homepage to check formats for items available for check out. Course reserve items may be available electronically or can be requested to be digitized (please see Course Reserve FAQ item). 

Students, faculty, and staff are also encouraged to take advantage of Milner’s electronic resources that are available 24/7 such as Guides, electronic databases, the institutional repository ISU ReD, Kanopy streaming video service, digitized collections, and more. Additional resources from the University include Redbirds Keep Teaching, Redbirds Keep Learning, and Redbirds Keep Researching. 

Of course! Connect with Milner librarians for research help seven days a week via our Virtual Reference Desk. Help from the Virtual Reference Desk is available to anyone, regardless of University affiliation.

Physical course reserve items are available for two hour, in-building use when the library is open. Please note that these items do not got through a quarantine period before being lent out again.

Electronic course reserve items can be accessed through your course’s ReggieNet site. You an also search our online catalog to see if your course reserve item has been digitzied. 

To request that physical reserve items be digitized, please fill out this Course Reserve Request Form. You can search current reserves in our library catalog. If you have any additional questions about course reserves, please contact our Virtual Reference Desk or contact Access Services at (309) 438-7321.

Yes. If you do not already have one, apply for a courtesy card online. Once received, you will be able to request items via our curbside pickup services.

Maybe. As more libraries resume services, Illinois Library Delivery Service, I-Share and Interlibrary Loan have resumed in limited capacity. Availability should be reflected in online catalog search. Patrons with any questions should contact our librarians for research assistance.

Physical Access to our Government Documents is limited to those who can access the building at this time. For additional information and assistance, please contact Government Documents Librarian Angela Bonnell at abonne@IllinoisState.edu or call (309) 438-2354. Access to online Government information is available at all times to anyone regardless of University affiliation.

Yes. Any checked out items can be returned to our external book drops located outside of the main entrance and in the small lot behind the library, including I-Share items. Items can also be renewed online from the Library Accounts option under Quicklinks on Milner Library’s home page (video explanation available). Items can also be returned inside Milner Library when the building is open.

Items can be returned to external book drops anytime, at the Circulation Desk when the library's building is open, and/or renewed online from the Library Accounts option under Quicklinks on Milner Library’s home page (video explanation available).  

To check an item's due date or status, log into your Library Account (video explanation available). For additional information or for assistance, please contact Access Services at (309) 438-7321.  

If you are unable to return your items to Milner Library, you can drop them off at any I-Share library that is currently accepting returns, or please contact Access Services at (309) 438-7321 for further assistance.

Even though the CDC states that the risk of COVID-19 transmission through porous surfaces like paper and cardboard is low, to be extra cautious all items returned to the library go through a quarantine hold period before they are able to be lent out again. Additional ways to help us keep items safe for yourself and others include washing your hands before reading, do not handle items if you feel unwell, and please leave the book cleaning to our professionals.

The safety and wellbeing of our campus community is of utmost importance to Milner Library. Some of what we’re doing to help keep ourselves and all Redbirds healthy include limiting access to the building while providing services in other ways like curbside pickup and virtual reference, wearing face coverings at all times, quarantining items before lending out again, enhanced cleaning, and staying home if feeling sick. We ask that all Redbirds do the same!

Please share any feedback and report concerns via our feedback form.

Physical access to Milner Library's technology (computers, computer labs, printers, scanners, faxing) is currently available, but limited to current ISU students, faculty, staff, and retirees. Please note that some computers are not available for use in order to maintain physical distancing and that temporarily there is no technology available on Floor 5. 

Vi rtual access to computer labs remains available. Information on additional campus computer labs that are currently open for walk in use.

No. Certain non-book technology and media items such as laptops and calculators remain temporarily unavailable. For questions about what is and is not available, please call the Circulation Desk at (309) 438-7321 or contact the Virtual Reference Desk to speak with a librarian for assistance. If you are student and in need of a laptop, please contact the Technology Support Center for assistance.

Yes, current ISU students, faculty, and staff can submit 3D printing requests. Once completed, items will be available for pickup at our circulation desk or via curbside pickup.

Yes, printing is available at Milner Library; however, printers may be not located in their usual locations. Additional places on campus remain available for printing. Note that there are two color printers are currently available for use in the Bone Student Center: on the first floor across from TechZone and on the second floor in the Prairie Room (behind Qdoba). There is also a scanning station in temporarily available in the Prairie Room of the Bone Student Center.