While library locations remain closed at this time, the Queen’s University Library is very much open online, with many supports and resources available to students, faculty, and staff, as outlined on the library’s COVID-19 website.

“We are committed, as ever, to supporting students and researchers and providing a wide array of information resources and services to enhance and facilitate online course instruction and research,” says Michael Vandenburg, Interim Vice-Provost and University Librarian. “This is an unprecedented time, and while it is a major shift, I would like the community to know that the library is well-equipped to provide additional online resources and support, and library staff are hard at work to ensure that everyone has what they need.”

Remote Learning

Library staff have been keenly focused on supporting instructors with the transition to remote learning. To help students in the Faculty of Law access resources they need to complete their work, the Lederman Law Library has reached out to Canadian legal publishers to provide students and faculty with expanded access to key online legal resources. As a result, law students and faculty now have online access to The Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation (also known as the McGill Guide) through personal WestlawNext accounts until the end of the winter term, and Irwin’s Law E-Library is now available campus-wide until the end of the calendar year.

Accessing Library Resources

In Bracken Health Sciences Library, librarians are responding to questions from clinicians searching for more resources on COVID-19 and pandemic planning, and adjusting to provide library services, including instruction on searching databases and citation management, online via Zoom instead of in-person in classes. Across the library, subject specialists are working with researchers remotely to provide the ongoing support needed to continue and complete projects. Library staff are available to answer questions about how to access these resources.

Library staff also continue to work directly with students to ensure they have what they need for coursework or capstone projects to complete the term. All library eReserves are still available to students via OnQ and students and faculty members can email library.reserves@queensu.ca to discuss any changes to reading lists and options for accessing materials online.

“We are doing as much as we can to make this challenging time smoother for students and faculty members,” says Heather McMullen, Associate University Librarian. “We encourage the community to reach out for library support, and to ask us for help if they are facing obstacles in their research and teaching.”

The library’s online resources, including e-journals, e-books, databases, and much more, continue to be available and subject librarians and specialists are available remotely to answer any research questions or inquiries. They can be reached through the Ask Us service or directly via email.

The Copyright Advisory Office has created Copyright & Digital Delivery guides for instructors who are digitizing course materials: Quick Guide and Detailed Guide. Online consultations are available with Mark Swartz, Copyright Manager. 

Currently, there is no access to print collections but the library is reviewing options for providing access. There is no need to return books to the library at this time, and late fines will not be charged. The library continues to provide Interlibrary Loan services for electronic materials only. Due dates for materials currently out on interlibrary loan will not be enforced, and late fines will not be charged.

More information is available on the library’s COVID-19 website.