Frequently Asked Questions

Off-Campus Access

All of the databases, ebooks, and electronic journals available through the library can be accessed from home unless noted otherwise.  If you have problems email the library at library@mst.edu.

You can view current library service and building hours here

On a typical week during the semester, the library desk is open from 7:30 AM to 8 PM. The building remains open until midnight to those with a current Miner ID, but there are no services available at the desk. Between semesters the library typically has reduced hours and the building is closed when library service hours end.

The library is closed on Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday following Thanksgiving, and from Christmas Day through New Year's Day. The library is also closed on some week-ends.

The library welcomes everyone. 

All Missouri S&T students, faculty, and staff can check out materials and laptops, access our electronic resources, and use the computers on the ground floor and the second floor CLC. 

Students from other University of Missouri campuses can use their student IDs to check out library materials as well.  Students from schools participating in the MOBIUS library alliance can check out library materials with their student IDs and, if there is no photo on the student ID, an additional picture ID.

Other visitors can apply for guest patron access that will allow them to check out books and other materials.

A cluster of computers on the ground floor are set aside for patrons who are not Missouri S&T affiliates. Use of these computers requires registration and acceptance of a usage policy. See the circulation desk to register and to request access.

Students, faculty, and staff can access all of the databases, ebooks, and electronic journals available through the library from home unless noted otherwise.

On the library website, all of the database and journal links are routed through the library's proxy server, so when you click on a link while off campus you will be asked to log in with your campus username and password. Please note that you may not be able to access these resources if you are using a VPN, and you may not be able to access them from your workplace if your local IT department blocks proxies. If you have any difficulties using our journals and databases from off campus, please email us at library@mst.edu.

Yes! The library has several rooms that can be reserved for use by groups of 10 or more, as well as a number of rooms that can be used by smaller groups or individuals on a first-come, first-serve basis. Reserve study rooms for your Missouri S&T-affiliated group and view use and reservation policies.

In addition to books and journals, the library allows the Missouri S&T community to check out laptops, calculators, a digital projector, and other technology. We also have tools and electronic kits.

Missouri S&T students, faculty, and staff can search for books and ebooks using the search box in the middle of the library's homepage. If you are not affiliated with Missouri S&T, please use the "Guest Search" option below the search box.

You can perform searches by keyword, author, or title by adjusting the drop-down menu on the left of the search box. Search results will show books from our library as well as from other libraries on the University of Missouri System campuses.

When you find a physical book held here at Missouri S&T, you see information showing which floor in the library the book is shelved, the book's call number, and the availability of the book. Books can be checked out at the service desk. Missouri S&T students, faculty, and staff can also check out books using the self-service kiosk near the front of the library.

If the book you want is at another UM System library, you can request it by clicking on the "Place Request" link. The book will be delivered to Missouri S&T within a few days, and we'll email you when it is available to check out.

If the book is not available in the UM System, you can also borrow books from MOBIUS, a much larger alliance of over 60 libraries that share their books with our campus. You can search MOBIUS using the link on the library homepage, or by clicking on the MOBIUS logo found on the right side of the search results screen. If you request a book through MOBIUS, it will be delivered to the Missouri S&T library for you to check out.

If the book you want can't be found in the MOBIUS libraries, you can try requesting the book through interlibrary loan, a system that allows us to borrow books from libraries across the United States. To make an interlibrary loan request, you must first set up an account on ILLiad, then fill out a form with information about the book. We will then ask that a copy of the book be delivered to our library for you.

Some of our materials are in an off-site storage facility for older, little-used books and journals. You can use the "Place Request" link to request that a book be sent to our campus, and the book will be delivered to our library for you within a few days.

To find articles that have been written on a subject, you can search the electronic databases provided by the library.  To access the databases, go to the library homepage and click on Databases link at the top of the page.

Each database contains citations, and sometimes full text, for articles.  If you are not sure which database would be best for your search, you can go to the subject guides page and find which are recommended for your area of interest.

Once you have found citations for articles, you may still need to locate copies of the article. This FAQ provides some advice you may find helpful.

Yes! Research librarians are here to help you develop your research skills and effectively use the services available through the library.  They are usually available in person at the library from 8 AM-5 PM Monday through Friday.

If you want to make an appointment for an in-depth session with a librarian who has developed research tips specifically for your subject, you can schedule a research assistance session online or in person.  These sessions are available both to individuals and to small groups.

Additionally, you can email the reference department at library@mst.edu or call at 341-4008.

To see whether the library has particular journal online, click on "A-Z Electronic Journals" near the top of the library homepage and do a search for the name of the journal. If we have the journal electronically, it will show you the years we have available electronically.

If we do not have online access to the article you need, you can submit an interlibrary loan request through ILLiad, and we will ask another library to supply the article for you.

Unfortunately, no. Articles, conference papers, even chapters in books can be delivered electronically, and you'll receive an email when the item is available to download. However, publishers usually will not allow libraries to share ebooks, so most books may only be borrowed as print copies.

Articles and other items that can be delivered electronically through interlibrary loan are generally available for download within a day or two, although delivery may take longer. We cannot guarantee that every interlibrary loan request will be fulfilled.

The wait time for books can vary considerably. Books from UM System and MOBIUS libraries usually arrive within 3 to 5 days but can take longer. Books borrowed through interlibrary loan can take up to several weeks to arrive.  It is best to request materials as soon as you think you might need them.

Missouri S&T students, faculty, and staff are able to renew many materials online. We are unable to offer online renewal to guest patrons. 

Renewal requests must be sent on or before the original due date. To renew materials borrowed from Missouri S&T or other libraries, go to the library home page and click on the My Library Account link at the top of page. Select the appropriate account for your item from the dropdown menu, log in, and renew your items. Not all materials can be renewed. If you have questions about whether materials can be renewed, please call 341-4008 or email library@mst.edu.

Please note that interlibrary loan renewal is not automatic and must be approved by the lending library. If that library does not approve the renewal, the book must be returned to the Missouri S&T library.

Color printing is available in the second floor CLC. At this time we are unable to provide color printing services to the general public.

We also provide a free fax service for Missouri S&T students, faculty, and staff. The fax number is 573-341-4233. See the service desk for questions about sending or receiving a fax.

The library no longer offers thesis binding services. E-Mail questions about this to the library.

Yes! We have a coffee shop on the first floor and snack and soda machines in the basement. You can even have pizza or other food delivered to the library.