Skip to main content
SSU ship logo and 'Salem State University' text

Library Updates: Services During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Updated September 2, 2020

*NEW*: Berry Library and Learning Commons Has Reopened

As of Monday, August 31, the Berry Library is open 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday to current SSU students, faculty and staff with enhanced cleaning, social distancing guidelines, and mask requirements in place. 

  • SSU members will need to present their Clipper Card to be admitted to the library and other offices in the learning commons. Students will tap their card to a Navigate reader; faculty and staff will need to give their name and ID number to the staff member. Staff members will be wearing masks and face shields and will stay 6 ft or more apart during the check-in process.
  • All people entering the learning commons and the library must wear a mask per the SSU safety protocols.
  • Members of the general public will not be permitted to use the physical library spaces until further notice, but members of the public with a NOBLE public library card may request books for check-out online and they may use Berry Library's contactless book-pickup service. The book pick-up table is located in the 1st floor lobby in the learning commons, just before the ID checkpoint.
  • Food and drink may not be brought into the library or consumed in the library. As an alternative, food can be eaten at the tables in the ground floor café area of the learning commons or outside the building away from high traffic areas and entry ways.  Social distancing should be maintained in any location. This change in policy is necessary while mask requirements are in place.
  • University Archives & Special Collections remains closed to in-person research and will continue to assist researchers remotely.
  • Librarians are available to provide instruction to classes in various virtual formats and provide individual, in-depth research help over email, phone and Zoom. Contact your librarian to learn more.

 

Pick-up of Requested Items: Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM

Currently library users are able to view and place requests for books, dvds, and other materials via the NOBLE library catalog. To request items for pickup simply find an item in the catalog and click on place hold. For faster service, make sure you request the Salem State copy, but you may request books from any active library in NOBLE. You can also call the library at 978-542-6230 or email libraryhelp@salemstate.edu and ask a staff member to put items on hold for you.

  1. Place holds on items using the NOBLE library catalog or by contacting the library during operational hours above. You'll need your library barcode number (on the back of your ClipperCard) and your NOBLE password. Click on "forgot PIN" to request or reset your password.  
  2. Wait for notification via email that your holds are ready for pick-up.
  3. Come to the library between 9 AM and 5 PM Monday through Friday. The pick-up table is located on the 1st floor of the Learning Commons, just outside the entrance to the library. Please wear a mask and follow social distancing guidelines.
  4. Pick up the paper bag labeled with your name. Make sure to check the receipt on the bag to make sure they are your items.
  5. Exit the library as soon as you've retrieved your items.

Summary of Virtual Services

The Berry Library is always here for you virtually with services and electronic resources available for you to access remotely.

 

Virtual Library Help Desk

Please send your library questions to libraryhelp@salemstate.edu or create a Library Service Desk ticket via SSU's online help portal.
You can also leave a message at the following phone numbers and someone will get back to you asap:

Library Help Desk: 978.542.6230
Reference Help Line: 978.542.6766

 

Faculty Online Guide to the Library and Online Workshops 

This online guide for faculty has been updated to provide additional how-to instructions regarding the use of online library resources and course materials as faculty bring their courses online.

You will also find a schedule of online (Zoom) workshops given by librarians for faculty.  Join any session and ask your questions, get tips.

 

Book Drops are Open

Book drop boxes are open and available at both entrances to the library for the return of books and materials. Materials will be retrieved and checked in every business day, but please note that a returned book may continue to appear on your library record for a few days if you return it Friday through Sunday. If you see a book you returned remain on your record more than a week after you returned it, please report it by submitting a Library Service Desk ticket and someone will get back to you.  

Please note: All returned books are quarantined for a minimum of 72 hours before being reshelved or loaned out again.  

 

E-Books

This guide on how to find e-books provides links to sources providing access to e-books during the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition to the Berry Library's collection of e-books, many databases and publishers have made e-books freely available for a limited time. We are grateful for these additional resources during this difficult time. Please use these collections while the Library's print collection is inaccessible.

 

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) 

Requests for Interlibrary Loan articles can be submitted through the ILL online request form, from links within databases, or by sending an email with your citation to ssu_ill@noblenet.org.  Book requests (or other returnable items, movies, audiobooks, etc.) will be saved and ordered when we are no longer working remotely. Please send any interlibrary loan questions to ssu_ill@noblenet.org.

 

Course Reserves

For Students: Print reserve materials will not be available in the Fall Semester, but check your Canvas course pages or the Course Reserves database to see if there are online copies of your readings for your courses. 

For Faculty: In order to support the current increase in remote learning, the Berry Library has launched a pilot project to support Salem State courses as they move online. Upon submitting an E-Reserves Request Form, the Library can assist with creating e-reserves for courses by scanning print materials that fall within fair-use guidelines and creating ADA-compliant PDFs. These materials can be uploaded by faculty to Canvas or faculty can distribute them electronically to students via other means. For more information and guidelines, go to the E-Reserves Request Form.

Please send any reserves questions to reserves@salemstate.edu.