Can I get textbooks at Brookens Library?

No. Textbooks are available at the UIS Bookstore, which is on the lower level of PAC.

Some required readings for courses are posted electronically on Canvas. Check with your professor to see if any materials are on reserve for your class.

Does the library have a fax machine?

There is no fax machine on campus available for student use.

Does the library proctor exams?

Brookens Library is not able to offer test proctoring services.

UIS students should contact Testing Services for test proctoring.

Additionally, Chatham Area Public library offers test proctoring for a charge.

How can an alumni use library databases?

Alumni Borrowing Privileges

Off-campus access to online databases is available only to enrolled students, faculty and staff according to our licensing agreements, but anyone can access those databases by using the library computers on campus. To use our databases, they can ask for a login/password at the library desk on the main floor if using our computers, or if bringing their own laptop can access the databases using the wi-fi. Alums do not need to fill out a form unless they want borrowing privileges.

Learn about borrowing materials from the library.

How can I apply for an Alumni or Lincoln Library Reciprocal Card?

Sangamon State/UIS alumni and Lincoln Library patrons are able to apply for a library card in order to check out UIS Library materials.

Please fill out a request for library card form and your request will be reviewed.

How can I check out a locker?

Faculty, emeritus faculty, students, staff, alumni, and friends are all able to check out lockers from the library. They are available for the duration of the semester.

Simply visit the library main desk (located on the 2nd floor of Brookens), and ask to check out a locker. After scanning your i-card or library card and filling out a brief form, you will be given a key and assigned a locker number. If you are unsure where the lockers are located, just ask our staff to show you!

The locker is then yours for the semester. Make sure to return the key at the end of this loan. Lost keys will result in a $25 replacement fee.

How can I contact the library?

How you can reach us:

How can I get an i-card?

Degree-seeking students, active faculty and staff, and many retirees are eligible for i‑cards. You may get your i‑card whenever you need it but there's no requirement to have or carry one. If you use your i‑card, make sure that it indicates your current role (student, faculty/staff, and so on).

Two ways to get an I‑card

Eligible employees and students always have two ways to get an i‑card:

Not student, faculty, or staff? No worries, special borrower cards are also available. Scroll down until you get to Borrowing Privileges, and select either Alumni, Community, or Friends of Brookens.

Don't forget that all members of the community are welcome to access materials at Brookens Library and use the public computers. The only limitation is you can't check-out books without a special borrower card.

How can I get research help?

There are multiple ways to get research help from our librarians.

You can:

  • View the research guide of the discipline you want to learn more about! Research guides include a curated list of databases, journals, resources, books, and more in a topic of interest. They are a great place to start your research.

  • Book a research consultation with a librarian for one-on-one research help. Schedule an appointment through our Make an Appointment page. You can choose whether to receive assistance in person or online via Zoom.

  • Talk to us via the library chat! The UIS Library chat is a staff-run service where you can get answers to various types of questions, ranging from research help to browsing the library catalogue and much more.

  • Email us your questions at questions@uis.libanswers.com.

How can I keep track of what books I have checked out, when they are due, etc?

Every time you check out a book, you should receive an email from the library stating item titles and due dates. When these items are overdue or renewed, you will receive another email. Please make sure your library account is associated with an email address you often use. Instructions on how to see and edit your library account contact info.

How do I check my Library Account?

  1. You can check your library account via our website.
  2. To see items you currently have checked out, click on the loans tab.
  3. To see any requests/holds you have made, click the requests tab.
  4. To see any fines/fees posted to your library account, click fines + fees.
  5. Additionally, if you have checked out items from other I-share libraries you may see more than one library listed under "my institutions" [squared in green in the image below]. By clicking on each library name, you will see the items loaned/requested from that particular institution.

How do I view/edit my contact info?
After logging into your library account, select the personal details tab to view the address and email linked to your account.

To edit this information, simply click the edit details button and click save changes after typing in the new information.

How can I learn to write a grant proposal?

We occasionally offer workshops related to proposal writing. Any information on upcoming workshops can be found on the CINRC calendar. Additionally, we do many self-help publications on this topic. These can be checked out to patrons with an I-Card or a Special Borrowers card.

The Foundation Center, with which we are affiliated, offers online training in the form of webinars and classes. You can check their live calendar for current offers & fees In addition, they offer archived webinars and other forms of self-paced training.

Alternatively, Lincoln Land Community College offers many short online courses with a focus on the nonprofit sector, including grant writing courses.

How can I make an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request?

You can make an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request as a UIS student, faculty, or staff member when a book is unavailable from Brookens Library and I-Share or when an article is unavailable in one of Brookens Library's databases.

Please watch the videos below for step by step instructions on requesting Interlibrary Loan (ILL) materials.

Does the library charge fines/fees?

Brookens library does not charge overdue fines.

However, the library may charge a replacement fee for lost or damaged items.

More information on how to provide a replacement

Does the library buy books?

The library is always paying attention to recent publications - it's always good to check the Popular and New Book Shelves if you're looking for a book on a Best Seller list, or you can also always request a book from I-Share online at the library website.

The library also takes suggestions for what books to add to the collection.

Whilst we don't buy books from patrons, we gladly accept the following types of material donations:

  • Books
  • DVDs
  • CDs
  • Audio books
  • Magazines

When donating to the Library it is important to remember that the library reserves the right to add the items to the collection, sell them in a library book sale, or dispose of them as necessary. Currently, we send unsold books to Better World Books, an organization that funds literacy in underdeveloped countries. (https://www.uis.edu/library/giving-brookens/ways-give)

Can I lock the desktops without signing out?

You cannot lock the desktops without signing out.

You can stay logged in at your own risk, or you can log out and log back in.

If it does not give you an option to log out, you can hit Ctrl + Alt + Delete and sign out from there. If that does not work, you can shut down the computer.

Can I mail my books back to the library?

Yes, you can address them to:

University of Illinois Springfield
Norris L. Brookens Library
Room 207 Circulation
1 University Plaza
Springfield, IL 62703

For further assistance, please contact the Main Desk at the library at 217-206-6605.

Can I pick up books at other I-Share Libraries?

UIS students, faculty, and staff are able to request materials for pick up at other I-Share affiliated libraries.

In the Request from I-Share window for the book you want to request, you can select your preferred pickup institution in the drop down menu.

Can I print using cash at the library?

Absolutely! If you want to print but don't have an i-card to swipe at the printers, send your document to the printer as usual then come up to the front desk. Let the person at the front desk know what you named your print job and bring the appropriate cash. Printing costs are $0.10 per page for black and white and $0.25 per page for color printing.

We can make change. The worker at the front desk will provide you with a receipt.

Can I return my books to other I-Share libraries?

Yes, you may return books to other I-Share libraries. Practices for dropping off materials will vary depending on the library. (This does not apply to ILL books, which must be returned to the same location they were picked up at.)

A list of I-Share libraries

Can I return my Interlibrary Loan (ILL) book to another library?

No, Interlibrary Loan (ILL) books must be returned to the library they were checked out at. You can identify an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) book by the bright green strip attached to it.

For further assistance, please contact the Main Desk at the library at 217-206-6605 or ask us via email.

Can Interlibrary Loan (ILL) requests be turned down?

Yes, an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request may be turned down for a number of reasons:

  • A lending library cannot be found.
  • The citation is incorrect.
  • The item is owned by Brookens library.
  • The book is available at an I-Share library.
  • For any of these cases, the request will be cancelled and you will be notified via email.
Can Reference Books be Loaned Out?

No, reference books are non-circulating, meaning they cannot be loaned out.

Can someone else pick up my requested books if I give them my I-Card?

Usually, only the person who requested the materials can check them out. The main exception to this is proxy patrons. A proxy patron would have to fill out a request form and get prior approval. See our guide for more information.

Note: Only faculty and staff can designate proxy patrons.

For further assistance, please contact the Main Desk at the library at 217-206-6605.

Do I have to be at the library to use online databases?

No, you don't need to be at the library to access our online databases. If you're trying to access our databases off campus you'll be prompted to sign in with your NetID and password.

Does the CINRC offer one-on-one or consultation assistance?

Yes, the CINRC offers consultation assistance. We recommend an initial telephone or email consultation so we can determine your needs. At that point we can determine if an in person or Zoom consultation would be advised. Email us at cinrc@uis.edu or phone us at (217) 206-6783.