During the semester, Watzek is open 24 hours a day Monday through Thursday, with shorter hours on weekends.
You can view Watzek’s hours for the current month, or look on the library website for today’s hours. If you are unsure about library hours during inclement weather or other unusual circumstances, please check the website, or call us at 503-768-7270.
Hours are more limited during academic breaks and the summer.
You can always start at the library service desk, the same place you go to check out materials and ask for course reserves (items you can borrow for three hours, typically). For in-depth help with research, we encourage you to consult with the librarian who specializes in a particular area. First-year students have a librarian corresponding to their Words and Numbers sections. We encourage first-year students to get in touch with that librarian for any kind of help with the library.
When you’re ready to borrow a book (or other item), bring it to the service desk in the library. To check out materials, you’ll need to show your college ID card or know your seven-digit ID number.
Very likely yes! We make every effort to keep textbooks and other assigned readings on reserve. You can borrow items “on reserve” for a limited time (usually three hours). Check current course reserves to see if your textbooks are available. Some textbooks are available as ebooks.
Once you have confirmed that your textbook is on reserve, please come to the library service desk and ask for it by professor’s name and book title. You’ll need your student ID card or student ID number to check it out.
You may generally borrow books and media for twelve weeks, with some exceptions like course reserves. Frequently, items can be renewed up through the end of the semester. View all borrowing policies. Please ask at the library service desk if you have any questions.
We no longer charge fines for most overdue materials owned by Watzek Library. If you would like to extend your loan, log in to your Primo account and try to renew the item. Please be aware that fines still apply to overdue course reserves, equipment loans, and items from other libraries that are borrowed through Summit or interlibrary loan. Fines also apply to Watzek Library items that are damaged, or lost and not returned.
Watzek Library belongs to a network of libraries in the Pacific Northwest that enables us to get you print books, DVDs, and CDs outside of our collection very quickly, generally within a few business days. This sharing service is called Summit. You can request items from Summit in Primo, the library catalog. We can help you get most items not covered by Summit through interlibrary loan. Please let library staff know if you would like help placing a request.
Watch a short video on requesting materials from other libraries.
Watzek Library contains more non-academic reading than you might think: fiction, poetry, drama, YA literature, graphic novels, cookbooks, and more. Most of these are intershelved with the rest of the collection. We regularly feature recreational reading on displays, and keep an archive of past displays as part of a collection of resources on Reading for Fun. Please ask at the library service desk if you would like help finding materials to read for fun.
When you need to log in to Primo, the library catalog, you’ll use your LC username (such as aubreywatzek or lc22-6789) and the same password you use for your email. Logging in to Primo lets you view your current loans and requests, renew items, pin items, and view pinned items.
You do not need reservations to access any of the eleven study rooms in the library. During busy times of the semester, we encourage you to reserve a room in advance.
You can find silent areas on the second and third floors of the building, overlooking the estate gardens. Floor maps indicate silent areas of Watzek: blue for the second floor, and violet for the third.
Ask for lost items at the library service desk. Items are delivered to Campus Safety once a day.