With students, faculty and staff returning to campus for the start of Fall Term, Brock University Library has reopened with some important adjustments.

One of the most noticeable differences is that seating has been reconfigured to encourage physical distancing in Library spaces. Green dots have also been placed on tables and desks to indicate where someone should sit, allowing for distance between individuals.

Masks are required in all Library spaces at all times and should not be removed, even when seated and distanced from others. Covered drinks are allowed, but not food.

All Library locations have reduced capacity and non-Brock visitors are encouraged to contact the Library before visiting. If the elevator is busy, users are asked to consider taking the stairs.

Earlier this year, the Library introduced expanded access to print collections at 15 other Ontario university libraries. The Brock community can now quickly and easily access nearly 23.5 million physical library resources across Ontario through the academic search tool Omni. It is no longer necessary to initiate a separate interlibrary loan request for print materials at these other participating Ontario institutions. With physical collections now accessible, the HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service is no longer available. If users are unable to find what they are looking for, the Brock Library welcomes suggestions for new titles for their collection through a new acquisitions request form.

The James A. Gibson Library is open with its regular Fall Term hours: Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. This includes the computers, printers, Ask Us Desk and other resources and supports in the Matheson Learning Commons on the main (second) floor of the Schmon Tower.

Floors 5 to 10 of the Schmon Tower house the browsable print collections and offer different types of spaces for studying and learning.

“For students looking for spaces to participate in hybrid or online classes, our distanced study carrels on Floors 5 to 7 are a great option,” said Andrew Colgoni, Associate University Librarian, Student Success.

Group study rooms, with reduce capacities, are also available to book, in addition to 19 bookable individual study rooms on Floors 8 to 10.

Archives and Special Collections on Floor 10 of the Schmon Tower is open Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Map, Data and GIS Library, in Mackenzie Chown Complex C306, and the Digital Scholarship Lab and Makerspace, both in the Rankin Family Pavilion, have reopened with modified hours for September, which are Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Makerspace’s services, technology, labs and stations are only available to students, faculty and staff by appointment via online booking.

The Library’s ‘request a book’ and ‘request a scan’ services are available. Library staff will retrieve books from the shelves and make them available for pick up at the Ask Us Desk. Library staff will also digitize parts of books upon request (subject to copyright) and share with the user electronically.

Liaison librarians are available to consult with students and faculty on their research strategy: Book a consultation online. Librarians are also available for instructional support, and instructors are welcome to use the Library’s course readings service.

Students new to the Brock Library are encouraged to visit the ’Discover Your Library’ web page. They can also take a ‘What’s your scholar style?’ quiz.

Colgoni encourages the Brock community to offer feedback on any of the changes the Brock Library has made and welcomes ideas for new services.

“We’ll be working to bring back other services in the coming weeks, so if there’s something students, faculty or staff are looking for or need help with, don’t hesitate to reach out,” he said.

For additional information on Brock Library hours, library spaces, resources and services, visit the Brock University Library website, call the Ask Us Desk at 905-688-5550 x4583, chat with a librarian online or email libhelp@brocku.ca