Frequently Asked Questions

You can log in to your library account with your NetID (e.g., abc1234) and Password. To log in to your account, open the My Account page. Select Northwestern Users. Then, you can view/renew your loans, requests, saved items, personal details and settings, and update your library information.  For renewals, you will receive notices via email when items are due. To renew items, you can log in to your library account. You may also email or call us to help. To learn more about renewing, visit our Using USearch guide. 

To contact the Writing Center, visit their Moodle page. You can schedule live online coaching and appointments directly through Moodle. 

There are a variety of citation styles. Most professors require Chicago/Turabian. To view online and print options, check out the “Citations/Documentation of Sources” section on the Writing Center’s Moodle page.  

The library places required course readings on reserve, which means that they are located behind the Circulation Desk and can be checked out for two hours in the library, for physical materials. Ebooks will also be placed on reserve but can be viewed online. To learn more about finding course reserves, watch the reserves video tutorial.

You may check out course reserves overnight and over the weekend, provided you check them out less than two hours before closing. For our current hours, visit our Hours page. 

Yes. We are open to members of the public. You are welcome to use our physical materials and computers in the library. If you wish to check out items from the collection, you can purchase a community borrowing card ($75 annually, payable by cash or check). Current Northwestern students can use their Wild card to check out library materials. All clergy living or working in Evanston, regardless of religious affiliation, are allowed to borrow items for free, with a free library account. For more information, visit our Information for Visitors page. 

If you have activated your NetID and set up security questions, you can reset your password by following these instructions. If you have not activated your NetID, you will have to email Garrett IT at technology.support@garrett.edu for a new activation link and code. 

You can associate your NetID with various devices. For more information, check out the option on the Northwestern MFA page. 

You can return items that you have checked out from the library in a variety of ways. For more information, open our Returning Items page.

By mail: The library will mail items to students who live more than 50 miles from the seminary. This excludes interlibrary loan items and course reserves. To request items to be mailed, use the mail request form. Students are responsible for covering the cost of returning the items to the library.

By curbside pickup: For those who are unable to visit the library when we are open, or who are uncomfortable entering the library, we will place items outside in our curbside pickup box. To learn more about this, visit our curbside pickup page. 

We no longer accept book donations to the library. We occasionally accept donations of archival materials. For more information, you can call us at 847-866-3909, email us or consult our Collection Development policy. 

As a seminary student, you can request items from Northwestern directly through USearch, the library’s online catalog. If you live more than 50 miles away and want the item mailed to you, please include your current address in the notes field. To learn how to do this, visit our Requesting Items guide. 

The library has two printers. You can print in color and black/white. Current seminary patrons can set up a free print account and add money to their accounts. Guests can also print with a guest card. The costs for printing vary, and are payable by cash or check. You can ask at the Circulation Desk for help. Visit our Printing, Copying, & Scanning page. 

You can print in the library using your PaperCut account. Your PaperCut login is firstname.lastname, and your password is your current Garrett email password. 

If your PaperCut login and password are not working, and you need to print immediately, you can ask for help at the Circulation Desk or call for help at 847-866-3909. If the problem persists, email Garrett IT at technology.support@garrett.edu for an account reset. 

You can also upload documents to print in the library from any computer using PaperCut WebPrint. For more information, visit our Printing, Copying, & Scanning page. 

There are many study spaces throughout the library. We have tables, chairs, carrels, and more. These spaces are first-come, first-serve. 

You may reserve the Group Study Room or Ott Lounge for individual or group use. Reservations are limited to current seminary patrons. For more information, visit our Room Reservations page. 

A quiet study room is located on the main level of the library, next to the Reference Room. This room contains computers, chairs, carrels, and a large table. Anyone can use this space. 

The Circulation/Reference area of the library is open for individual study and group collaboration. Quiet conversations are allowed in this space.

Explore our library maps to learn more, including where the restrooms are located.

To access most ebooks, ejournals, and online articles, you will need your NetID (e.g., abc1234) and Password. Some ebooks will require your Garrett email credentials.

For more information, visit our Finding & Accessing Online Resources Guide. 

You may schedule a research consultation with a librarian at any time. Librarians are available to help you with your research questions, and they can help you explore and access resources. For more information, visit the Research Consultation page. 

Visit our hours page to see when we are open and closed. Hours are also displayed on our homepage. These pages will have the most up-to-date hours and closures noted.

We are available via phone, email, or Chat. Our phone number is 847.866.3909, and our email is styberg.library@garrett.edu. The Chat is available on the library web site (library.garrett.edu) by clicking on the “Ask a Question” balloon quote.

Library staff offices are located in Stead Hall. Specific contact information is available here on the library web site.

Explore our library maps to learn more.  

You can also visit us in person at 2121 Sheridan Road in Evanston, Illinois. 

If you are a student, staff, or faculty, select eduroam. Your login is your NetID@northwestern.edu and your password is your NetID email password. If you do not have a NetID, you can use the free Guest-Northwestern network. 

The library has a couple of scanners available. You can scan materials for free with these. Ask at the Circulation Desk for help. To learn more about scanning, visit our Printing, Copying, & Scanning page. 

The library will scan chapters and articles for students who are online or live at a distance. To request a scan, use the scan request form. 

The library’s resources are all discoverable through our online catalog, USearch. This includes almost all physical and online resources. To learn more about how to utilize Usearch to the fullest, please review the Using USearch Library Guide. 

Dissertations from 2009 and earlier are kept in hardcopy in the Library. Dissertations from after that date are online and can be accessed following the instructions on the research support guide. 

The Archives and Special Collections are available for use by appointment. You can visit from 9 am to 3 pm any weekday. For more information, visit our Information for Visitors page. 

The library also has a variety of technology available for check out. This includes laptops, converters, chargers, and more. Most of these can be found by searching the library’s catalog. For a list of available items, check out our Additional Items guide. 

Loan periods vary by patron type. To learn more, visit our Borrowing Periods page.