In the Spotlight

New Library Hours for Fall Quarter

Expanded Hours for Main, and Science & Engineering Libraries

Starting September 25, 2007 the Main and Science & Engineering Libraries will open earlier on Sundays with both libraries opening their doors at 10am. The Main Library will extend hours until 3am Sunday through Thursday. The Science & Engineering Library will extend hours until 2am Sunday through Thursday.

Click here for specific Library department hours.

New Students: What Makes a Wildcat a Wildcat?

If you’re new to NU, there’s lots you’ll be learning in the coming weeks about the life and lore of campus. For instance: do you know how Northwestern’s Wildcats got the name—or how Willie came to be our mascot? For a quick and entertaining history lesson, go to the YouTube clip or the MP4 download file at the bottom of this page.

Besides this glimpse of Willie’s past, Northwestern University Library offers plenty of resources and services to help with your transition to student life here. We’re offering tours all week to give you an overview of the building and our services, and next to the InfoCommons you’ll find a table loaded with publications about our resources. In the first-floor exhibition cases, you’ll also find an exhibit featuring the wealth of Library materials related to the One Book, One Northwestern selection Go Tell It On the Mountain.

And keep your eye on this area of our homepage. It’s where we announce Library news including exhibits, events, and updates on our services. In the coming weeks, we’ll bring you more quick Northwestern history lessons, courtesy of our University Archives, as well as interviews with campus personalities who’ve come to the Library to make—or at least write—history.

View on YouTube (above: click on the left arrow twice and wait for loading), or download the mp4 version (below: may not work if you don't yet have the right software installed on your computer):

Download file(.mp4)

Elimination of Daily Overdue Fines

Daily 10-cent overdue fines have been eliminated on books checked out from Northwestern University Libraries. If a book is not returned within 30 days of the due date, it will be considered "lost" and a replacement fee plus a non-refundable processing fee will be assessed. Please note that fines will continue to be assessed on items from the Core Collection, items that are on reserve for a class, recalled books, and items from the Marjorie I. Mitchell Multimedia Center.

New Faculty Book Retrieval & Delivery Service

Beginning Monday, September 10, 2007, full-time Northwestern University Evanston campus faculty may request to have books retrieved from the stacks and either held at the Main Library Circulation Desk or sent to their Evanston campus office through University mail. Books will be retrieved from the following collections and libraries: Main, Transportation, Africana, Music, Art, Curriculum, Core Leisure Reading, East Asian Collection, Government Information, and Library Storage Facility. This is a pilot service which will be evaluated at the end of Fall Quarter 2007.

The book retrieval service will also be offered at the Science-Engineering Library, with pick-up at the SEL Circulation desk; but delivery of SEL books to offices through University mail will not begin until October.

Requests can be made online.