Penn State University Libraries will license more e-books and make most of its course reserves available to students during the coronavirus pandemic, the university announced this month.

Penn State will also adopt a 96-hour quarantine period for print or physical materials. Although print textbooks are normally available for a two-hour loan period through the course reserves system, Penn State’s ability to do so will be “limited” this fall.

Virtual textbooks aren’t typically sold to libraries, but administrators hope to provide physical materials to students through a 24-hour curbside pickup system. However, at this time, details surrounding this process remain up in the air.

Penn State instructors are encouraged to request online course reserves as soon as possible and assign materials that are already freely available online or licensed through the libraries’ catalog.

Penn State Libraries are allowing instructors to fill out an electronic reserve request form. Students, on the other hand, are encouraged to contact their library for information on obtaining print textbook alternatives.

For more information on renting e-books and obtaining course materials, check out Penn State’s list of frequently asked questions.

About the Author

Will Pegler

Will is a senior majoring in digital and print journalism and is an associate editor for Onward State. He is from Darien, Connecticut and is a lifelong Penn State football fan. He loves a good 80's comedy movie, Peaky Blinders, The Office, and the New York Yankees and Giants. You can catch some of his ridiculous sports takes on his Twitter @gritdude and yell at him on his email willpegler@onwardstate.com

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