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Penrose Library

Remote Access to Resources & Services: Accessing print materials

As we deal with the on-going coronavirus spread, Penrose Library is here to maintain access to library resources for those that stay on campus and those off-campus

If you have found a book that it looks like we only have the physical copy or it is only in Summit, here are some steps you can take to access those materials digitally.

1. Look for it in HathiTrust Digital Library (Whitman materials) or the Internet Archive (Whitman or Summit materials)

  • The Internet Archive has a 1.4 million book collection available. You will have to make an account and then you can check a book out for 2 weeks.

2. Request a scan from us or another school

  • Make sure you are signed into Sherlock when you search. You will see Request Chapter in PDF in the Get It tab for the book when you click on the title. By selecting Request Chapter in PDF, you will be taken to a pre-populated ILL request form. The only additional information we need is what section(s) you are requesting to be scanned. The Chapter Title section is required, and please be as specific as possible, i.e. the page numbers, chapter titles, sections, etc. that you need. You can request the Table of Contents or Index first to make a more specific request after. You can also make a request by hand.
  • You can do the same for books in Summit through the Interlibrary Loan form.

3. Still unsure or something not working? Contact Us

  • Chat from 9-5, Monday - Friday from the library's home page or the box on the Home tab of this guide
  • Email us or send in a question
  • Call us at 1-833-PENROSE to leave a voicemail that the person managing chat will receive.

Checking out Materials

Penrose Library has two ways to get you the items that you need.

If you are in Walla Walla, you can pick up Penrose items from the library front entrance. Here's how it works:

Porch pickup step-by-step
  1. Request items for pickup.
    • Use Sherlock to search for items, sign-in and use the “request for pickup” link in the Get-It box.
  2. Wait for email notification.
    • Staff will pull your items from the shelf, check them out to your account and bag them.
    • You will receive a “ready for pick up” notification by email.
  3. Pickup is available Monday - Friday 9 am - 6 pm and Saturday - Sunday 1 pm - 5 pm at the front entrance.
  4. Call us when you get here: 509-527-5192.
    • Staff will bring out bagged items on a cart to the designated area on the library porch.
    • Please wear a mask and take your items once staff have moved out of your way.

Details on how Penrose is meeting WA state Curbside COVID-19 requirements can be found here.

Not in Walla Walla? Remote Mail Delivery Step-by-Step

  1. Request items for delivery.
    • Use Sherlock to search for items, sign in and use the "Remote Mail Delivery" link located next to the item.
  2. Fill out the mail delivery form.
    • Make sure your address is current.
  3. You will receive an email notification with a tracking number when your item(s) ships.
    • We will ship materials in 2-8 business days.

The image below shows where to click for the different delivery request options:

Summit services have resumed as of August 17th. Not all schools in the region are participating, so it might not be as big a variety of resources as you may expect. We will be quaranting books as they arrive so expect a longer delay in receiving notice they are available. We will also be quarantining them once they've been returned so they may stay in your account longer than expected but you will not accrue fines.

Summit & ILL

Summit materials are being borrowed, but not all schools in our consortium are participating, so you might not see every book you are looking for. You can find them in Sherlock, selecting Summit from the drop down menu. Be prepared for a longer wait between potential shipping delays and quarantine time. ILL physical materials are not available at this time. We can request scans from books at our institutions, generally a chapter or small portion. From the library home page you will see a link to Interlibrary Loan in Quick Check. Under New Requests select Book Chapter and fill in all relevant information. We are still able to get scans of journal articles through ILL.

Returning Materials

We are extending due dates for library materials.  If you have materials currently checked-out, you should receive a notice with the new dates or they can be found in your library account (accessible via the library’s home page). Please return items to the outside book drop when you are finished with them.

Graduating students have two ways to return checked out library materials. If you are local, return them using the book drop at the Penrose Library entrance. If you are in a different location, please mail them to this address:

Whitman College Penrose Library
345 Boyer Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362

The Library will reimburse students for their shipping costs. After we receive a package that is mailed using MEDIA MAIL rate, we will credit your student account. If you need help paying for shipping up-front, please contact Jen Pope (popeja@whitman.edu) for options. 

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