LIbrary Services

Midwestern University has a campus library in Downers Grove, IL and in Glendale, AZ. The library home page is accessible from the student portal home page (see Library Resources under Resources) or at: http://library.midwestern.edu

Hours of Operation

Downers Grove, IL (630) 515-6200

Monday through Thursday: 7:00 am to 12:00 midnight
Friday: 7:00 am to 10:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am to 12:00 midnight

Glendale, AZ (623) 572-3308

Monday through Thursday: 7:00 am to 12:00 midnight
Friday: 7:00 am to 10:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am to 12:00 midnight

The Library System is closed during official University holidays, which include Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after Thanksgiving, and the President’s Holiday Break which includes two weeks around the end of December and New Year’s holiday.

The library may also be closed at other times during the year and may have special extended or limited hours during certain periods. For example, there are regularly extended hours during finals. These special hours will be posted in the library. Students may also call the library or check the library homepage to verify the hours of operation.

Study Space Policies

Library space is a positive study environment where everyone is respectful of others.

  1. Drinks are allowed in covered containers
  2. Food – small snacks that do not make a mess and do not smell are allowed
  3. Sound (noise)
    • Put cell phone on silent/vibrate. Take phone conversations out of the library
    • Group study rooms are for quiet talking only (sound carries)
    • Quiet talking is allowed around the service desks and computers
    • Silence please in the general study areas
    • Students who cannot adhere to these policies will be escorted out of the library and banned for the remainder of the day.
  4. Room Reservations
    • Rooms are reserved online in the portal
    • Students can reserve up to 3 hours per day
    • Students can reserve a room up to 1 week in advance
    • Names of all students need to be included when reserving
  5. See https://library.midwestern.edu/mwuhome/visitors for current visitor information.
  6. Printing, copying, and materials checkout and return should all be completed 10 minutes prior to closing

Checkout Policies

  1. Checkout periods
    • Books – 6 weeks
    • Reserve items – 2 hours for use only in the library
    • Other items – varies by type of material
    • Renewals are not allowed.
  2. Overdue policy
    • 7 days overdue
      1. 1st overdue notice with warning of $10 late fee
    • 14 days overdue
      1. $10 late fee incurred
      2. 2nd overdue notice with warning of replacement fees
      3. Checkout privileges suspended for non-reserve items
    • 28 days overdue
      1. Replacement cost, $15 processing fee and $10 late fee posted to student online billing system (non-refundable, return of item not accepted as substitute for payment)

Charging Policies

Replacement costs and non-refundable processing fees will be incurred for lost and significantly overdue materials.

  1. Late fee
    • $10 incurred on the 14th day the item is overdue
    • Non-refundable, non-negotiable
  2. Replacement costs for lost, damaged, overdue items
    • Actual retail cost of latest edition
    • Posted to the online billing system as incurred
    • Incurred on the 28th day the item is overdue
    • Non-refundable, non-negotiable
    • Return of the item after 28 days overdue is not accepted as substitute for payment
  3. Processing fee
    • $15 per item
    • Posted to the online billing system on the 28th day the item is overdue
    • Non-refundable, non-negotiable
    • Return of the item after 28 days overdue is not accepted as substitute for payment

Behavior Expectations

  1. Library staff and students together will help maintain a positive, respectful, and professional environment.
  2. Library staff will remind students of policies and professionalism expectations at the time of infraction.
  3. Failure to comply with library policies and staff warnings may result in further action, including escort out of the library, submitting an informal or formal complaint, depending on the nature of the grievance.
  4. Library staff will document repetition and serious offences and report to supervisors and Deans as appropriate.

The Collection

Subjects include clinical and biomedical sciences in all Midwestern degree and program areas. Collection depth is at the instructional support level. Books, journals and audio-visual materials are listed in the catalog as well as our online Discovery service. Most e-resources are accessible from off campus by regular campus login and password.

  1. Books: primarily published in the most recent 15 years.
  2. Reserve textbooks: a limited number of copies of current required and recommended textbooks on Reserve for in-library use only
  3. Full text electronic books: (on and off-site access)
  4. Special collections: historic osteopathic and medical titles
  5. Journals: primarily electronic full text formats, some print available only on campus
  6. Audio-visual materials: anatomical models, bones, video and audio formats
  7. Online databases and apps: see library homepage for list.

Technology/Computers

Desktop computers are available for individual drop-in use as well as scheduled classes. Microsoft Office production software is available as well as full-Internet access. Wireless printing is also available. Outlets are available in a variety of areas for charging. Printing is $.07 per page using student ID cards. Check at each library for availability of specialized medical education software.

Photocopying and Scanning

Photocopiers are available in various locations within each library. Photocopying is available for $.07 per page using student ID cards. Scanning to email is available for free.

Services

Research Assistance: Expert assistance is available from Research and Instruction Librarians days, evenings, and Sundays. You can use the library Chat feature, email librarian@midwestern.edu, call, or stop in the library. Library.midwestern.edu/librarians lists all the librarians and ways to contact them, including how to set up a research appointment.

Educational Services: Librarians at the Downers Grove and Glendale campuses are pleased to provide educational services to library users. Please contact them to arrange tours, research seminars, or other instruction for individuals, small, or large groups.

Interlibrary Loan: If a desired book, journal article, or multimedia item is not in the Midwestern collection, it is usually possible to obtain it from another library by completing an Interlibrary Loan/Photocopy Request Form. The MWU Libraries are linked electronically to thousands of medical and other libraries nationwide.