Central Washington University | Borrow and Request

Borrow and Request

Requesting Materials

At CWU Libraries, we know you will do great things with your education. We care about making sure you have access to the resources and materials you need to be successful. From print to online sources, borrowing laptops to reserving study rooms, learn about the ways that we support your academic journey.

CWU Materials

CWU books and media may be requested from any CWU Libraries location for delivery and pickup to any CWU Libraries location.

The libraries will also scan and deliver articles and book chapters from our collections and deliver them to your email within 24 hours. Find material and place requests through OneSearch. Due to copyright and administrative restrictions, we can only offer scanning of reasonable and limited portions of works.
Interlibrary Loan & Summit

Books, media, and articles not available at CWU Libraries may be requested through interlibrary loan. Find material and place requests through OneSearch, library databases, WorldCat, or by filling out the interlibrary loan request form.

Summit is the resource sharing service of the Orbis Cascade Alliance which provides access to print materials and media from academic libraries throughout Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Interlibrary loan requests available via Summit are delivered via courier within 3-5 business days.
Recommend a Purchase

CWU students, faculty and staff may recommend titles for the libraries to add to our collection. Please be aware that purchases of physical materials may take up to 3 months. Purchases of electronic materials are typically processed more quickly, though may be more difficult to acquire.
Recommend a Purchase

Borrower Guide

Users are responsible for all materials checked out on their account. All notices will be sent to your CWU email account.

CWU Undergraduates

Loan Type	Loan Duration	Number of Renewals Allowed
ID required	CWU Connection Card
Checkouts allowed	Main collection: 100 items Children’s & Young Adult Literature collection: 25 items
CWU books	6 week loan	1 renewal
CWU media	7 day loan	1 renewal
Course reserve material	4 hour loan	No renewal
Lynnwood Center periodicals	4 hour loan	No renewal
Summit books & media	12 week loan	1 six-week renewal
Interlibrary loan books	6 week loan or longer	No renewal
Interlibrary loan media	7 day loan	No renewal
Short loan laptops	4 hour loan	No renewal
Long loan laptops	7 day loan	No renewal
Headphones, mice, adapters, dry erase markers, flash drives	4 hour loan	No renewal
Cameras, tripods, recorders	7 day loan	1 renewal
DSS Smart Pens and voice recorders	6 month loan
Group study room	Yes	Reservations may be made for up to two hours at a time and up to two weeks in advance.
Off-site electronic access	Yes	Login to your library account for off-site access to electronic materials.

CWU Graduates

Loan Type	Loan Duration	Number of renewals allowed
ID required	CWU Connection Card
Checkouts allowed	Main collection: 100 items Children’s & Young Adult Literature collection: 25 items
CWU books	6 month loan	1 renewal
CWU media	7 day loan	1 renewal
Course reserve material	4 hour loan	No renewal
Lynnwood Center periodicals	4 hour loan	No renewal
Summit books & media	12 week loan	1 six-week renewal
Interlibrary loan books	6 week loan or longer	No renewal
Interlibrary loan media	7 day loan	No renewal
Short loan laptops	4 hour loan	No renewal
Long loan laptops	7 day loan	No renewal
Headphones, mice, adapters, dry erase markers, flash drives	4 hour loan	No renewal
Cameras, tripods, recorders	7 day loan	1 renewal
DSS Smart Pens and voice recorders	6 month loan
Group study room	Yes	Reservations may be made for up to two hours at a time and up to two weeks in advance.
Off-site electronic access	Yes	Login to your library account for off-site access to electronic materials.

CWU Faculty

Loan Type	Loan Duration	Number of Renewals Allowed
ID required	CWU Connection Card
Checkouts allowed	Main collection: 100 items Children’s & Young Adult Literature collection: 25 items
CWU books	6 month loan	4 renewals
CWU media	7 day loan	1 renewal
Course reserve material	4 hour loan	No renewal
Lynnwood Center periodicals	4 hour loan	No renewal
Summit books & media	12 week loan	1 six-week renewal
Interlibrary loan books	6 week loan or longer	No renewal
Interlibrary loan media	7 day loan	No renewal
Laptops	7 day loan	No renewal
Headphones, mice, adapters, dry erase markers, flash drives	4 hour loan	No renewal
Cameras, tripods, recorders	7 day loan	No renewal
DSS Smart Pens and voice recorders	Not eligible
Group study room	Yes	Reservations may be made for up to two hours at a time and up to two weeks in advance.
Off-site electronic access	Yes	Login to your library account for off-site access to electronic materials.

CWU Staff

Loan Type	Loan Duration	Number of Renewals Allowed
ID required	CWU Connection Card
Checkouts allowed	Main collection: 100 items Children’s & Young Adult Literature collection: 25 items
CWU books	6 week loan	1 renewal
CWU media	7 day loan	1 renewal
Course reserve material	4 hour loan	No renewal
Lynnwood Center periodicals	4 hour loan	No renewal
Summit books & media	12 week loan	1 six-week renewal
Interlibrary loan books	6 week loan or longer	No renewal
Interlibrary loan media	7 day loan	No renewal
Laptops	7 day loan	No renewals
Headphones, mice, adapters, dry erase markers, flash drives	4 hour loan	No renewal
Cameras, tripods, recorders	7 day loan	No renewal
DSS Smart Pens and voice recorders	Not eligible
Group study room	Yes	Reservations may be made for up to two hours at a time and up to two weeks in advance.
Off-site electronic access	Yes	Login to your library account for off-site access to electronic materials.

CWU Alumni

Borrowing for alumni falls into two categories:

If you purchased a Lifetime Alumni Association membership prior to 2023, please contact our access services team at libraries@cwu.edu for library account set-up or renewal.
All other alumni who are a part of Wildcats Connect (who did not purchase a lifetime Alumni Association membership prior to 2023), please see “Community Borrowers” section for information on how to register.

Borrowing for Lifetime Alumni Association Members (all other alumni, please see “Community Borrowers”)
Loan Type	Loan Duration	Number of Renewals Allowed
ID required	CWU Connection Card
Checkouts allowed	25 items
CWU books	6 week loan	1 renewal
CWU media	7 day loan	1 renewal
Course reserve material	4 hour loan	No renewal
Lynnwood Center periodicals	4 hour loan	No renewal
Summit books	Not eligible
Summit media	Not eligible
Interlibrary loan books	6 week loan or longer	No renewal. User is responsible for all fees charged by the lending library.
Interlibrary loan media	7 day loan	No renewal. User is responsible for all fees charged by the lending library.
Laptops	Not eligible
Headphones, mice, adapters, dry erase markers, flash drives	Not eligible
Cameras, tripods, recorders	Not eligible
DSS Smart Pens and voice recorders	Not eligible
Group study room	Not eligible
Off-site electronic access	Not eligible	Visit Brooks Library for access to electronic materials.

Community Borrowers

Loan Type	Loan Duration	Number of Renewals Allowed
ID required	Library card	Membership is available for 6 months ($25) or annual ($50). Register at CWU Financial Services and bring receipt to Brooks Library for account setup.
Checkouts allowed	25 items
CWU books	6 week loan	1 renewal
CWU media	7 day loan	1 renewal
Course reserve material	4 hour loan	No renewal
Lynnwood Center periodicals	4 hour loan	No renewal
Summit books	Not eligible
Summit media	Not eligible
Interlibrary loan books	6 week loan or longer	No renewal. User is responsible for all fees charged by the lending library.
Interlibrary loan media	7 day loan	No renewal. User is responsible for all fees charged by the lending library.
Laptops	Not eligible
Headphones, mice, adapters, dry erase markers, flash drives	Not eligible
Cameras, tripods, recorders	Not eligible
DSS Smart Pens and voice recorders	Not eligible
Group study room	Not eligible
Off-site electronic access	Not eligible	Visit Brooks Library for access to electronic materials.

CWU Staff & Faculty Family Members

Loan Type	Loan Duration	Number of Renewals Allowed
ID required	Library card	Visit Brooks Library to register. Both the employee and family member(s) should be present.
Checkouts allowed	25 items
CWU books	6 week loan	1 renewal
CWU media	7 day loan	1 renewal
Course reserve material	4 hour loan	No renewal
Lynnwood Center periodicals	4 hour loan	No renewal
Summit books	Not eligible
Summit media	Not eligible
Interlibrary loan books	6 week loan or longer	No renewal. User is responsible for all fees charged by the lending library.
Interlibrary loan media	7 day loan	No renewal. User is responsible for all fees charged by the lending library.
Laptops	Not eligible
Headphones, mice, adapters, dry erase markers, flash drives	Not eligible
Cameras, tripods, recorders	Not eligible
DSS Smart Pens and voice recorders	Not eligible
Group study room	Not eligible
Off-site electronic access	Not eligible	Visit Brooks Library for access to electronic materials.

Summit Visiting Patrons "Away from the Library"

Loan Type	Loan Duration	Number of Renewals Allowed
ID required	Library Card	Bring home university ID to the library for account setup.
Checkouts allowed	25 items
CWU books	6 week loan	1 renewal
CWU media	7 day loan	1 renewal
Course reserve material	4 hour loan	No renewal
Lynnwood Center periodicals	4 hour loan	No renewal
Summit books & media	12 week loan	1 six-week renewal
Interlibrary loan	Not eligible
Laptops	Not eligible
Headphones, mice, adapters, dry erase markers, flash drives	Not eligible
Cameras, tripods, recorders	Not eligible
DSS Smart Pens and voice recorders	Not eligible
Group study room	Not eligible
Off-site electronic access	Not eligible	Visit Brooks Library for access to electronic materials.

Proxy Borrowers
Faculty may assign their teaching or research assistant to check out library books on their behalf. Persons with disabilities may also assign a designee to check out library books on their behalf. By authorizing a designated proxy to check out materials, you acknowledge that you are responsible for all materials borrowed on your account.

To authorize a proxy borrower on your account, contact libraries@cwu.edu (email must originate from your CWU email address). Please include:
- Your full name and CWU ID number
- Your proxy’s full name and CWU ID number
- The dates the authorization will be in effect
CWU Libraries will contact you and your proxy once we have updated your account.

Authorized proxy borrowers must present their CWU Connection Card to check out items. You will receive an email notification when items are checked out on your behalf.

If there is any change in a proxy borrower’s status, please contact libraries@cwu.edu.
Summit Visiting Patrons “Away from the Library” for CWU Users

CWU students, faculty, and staff may borrow materials at any Orbis Cascade Alliance member library as a Summit Visiting Patron. Simply visit that library in person with your CWU Connection Card to register for an "away from the library" account.

Fines and Fees

Payment

All financial transactions take place at cashiers office in Bouillon Hall room 101. University records may be held until such charges are cleared. CWU Cashiers can be reached at 509-963-2224 and cashiers@cwu.edu.
Refunds

Items that are billed for replacement will be automatically charged to the borrower's account. The lost item replacement charge for borrowed items returned within 6 months of the "marked as lost" date will be automatically credited back to the borrower. Item processing fees and overdue fines will still apply. The lost item replacement charge for items returned more than 6 months beyond the "marked as lost" date will not be credited.
Replacement Copies

In lieu of the replacement cost for CWU Libraries books and media, users may choose to purchase a replacement copy. Replacement copies must be the same edition and in new or like new condition. New condition is a brand-new copy with cover intact. Like new items may have minor cosmetic defects on the cover, spine, or pages. The item must be complete, with no pages missing; and unmarked, with no highlighting or notes written in margins. Libraries staff will review the replacement copy before the replacement cost is removed and users remain responsible for overdue fines and processing charges.

Replacement copies for material borrowed from other libraries, via Summit or interlibrary loan, may only be accepted with pre-approval of the lending library. Please contact libraries@cwu.edu before purchasing replacement copies for this material.

Direct replacement of lost or damaged equipment is not accepted.
Renewals

Items requested by another user may not be renewed. Login to your borrower account to renew eligible material.
Returns

Books and media, including Summit and Interlibrary Loan materials, may be returned to the book drop at any of our locations. Returns may also be made at an Orbis Cascade Alliance member library.

If you wish to return books and media by mail, our mailing address is: Brooks Library (mail stop 7548), 400 E University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926-7548. To request pre-paid return postage please email us at libraries@cwu.edu.

Laptops and other equipment must be returned to the library service desk it was checked out from.

Contact us at 509-963-3682 or libraries@cwu.edu for any additional questions or accommodations.

Overdue Fines and Billing

CWU students, staff, alumni association members, community borrowers, and Orbis Cascade Alliance guests are subject to fines for overdue materials. CWU faculty are not subject to overdue fines.

Failure to receive notices does not exempt borrowers from responsibility for charges.

Material Type	Overdue Fine	Maximum Fine	Billed for Replacement	Billed Amount
CWU books	$1 per day	$15	28 days past due	Replacement cost, $7.00 processing fee, and $15.00 maximum fine
Course reserves	$1 per hour	$12	24 hours past due	Replacement cost, $7.00 processing fee, and $12.00 maximum fine
Lynnwood Center periodicals	$1 per hour	$12	24 hours past due	Replacement cost, $7.00 processing fee, and $12.00 maximum fine
Summit and interlibrary loan material	$1 per day	$15	28 days past due	$75.00 replacement fee and $15.00 maximum fine
Short loan laptops	$1 per hour	$12	24 hours past due	$1,500 replacement cost, $50.00 processing fee, and $12.00 maximum overdue fine
Long loan laptops	$10 per day	$30	3 days past due	$1,500 replacement cost, $50.00 processing fee, and $30.00 maximum overdue fine
Media and equipment, 7 day loans	$1 per day	$7	15 days past due	Replacement cost, $5 processing fee, and $7 maximum fine
Media and equipment, 4 hour loans	$1 per hour	$12	24 hours past due	Replacement cost, $7.00 processing fee, and $12.00 maximum fine

Course Reserves

Faculty

Faculty may request to have course materials held at our service desk for short-term checkout. Complete the online form below or visit the library in person to request physical reserves for your course.

Request Physical Course Reserves

The libraries will also scan and deliver articles and book chapters from our collection for faculty to place on Canvas. Find material and place requests through OneSearch. Due to copyright and administrative restrictions we can only offer scanning of reasonable and limited portions of works.

If your students will need electronic access to an entire physical book owned by CWU Libraries, please contact libraries@cwu.edu with your course and book information, and we will look into your options. To be eligible for this service the material must be owned by CWU Libraries, the physical copy will not be available for checkout while the digital copy is accessible, and only one student may access the digital copy at a time.

If you would like to place an item on reserve that is not in your collection or the libraries’ collection, you may submit a Recommend a Purchase form. Please be aware that purchases of physical materials may take up to 3 months. Purchases of electronic materials are typically processed more quickly, though may be more difficult to acquire.

Students

Find material on reserve for your course by searching OneSearch.

Laptop Checkout

Student laptops are available at the libraries for 4-hour checkout or 7-day checkout. Users are responsible for all costs associated with the loss, theft, or damage to the laptop and accessories. Please do not leave laptops unattended or loan them to another person. All personal information and files will be deleted from laptops upon shutdown or loss of power. Please save important work to an external drive or cloud service.

Students looking for long-term laptop checkouts should submit a ticket with CWU Information Services (IS). IS will review requests and offer suggestions as available. (Select "Request Service" then indicate you are requesting a long-term laptop.) The CWU Multimodal Education Center also offers a diverse lineup of multimedia equipment.

Staff and faculty laptops are available for 7-day checkout. Users are responsible for all costs associated with the loss, theft, or damage to the laptop and accessories. Please do not leave laptops unattended or loan them to another person. Before returning the laptop to the libraries, take care to log out of personal accounts, clear browser history, and delete all personal files for your privacy.

Additional Materials for Checkout

In addition to books, media, and student laptops, the libraries lends a variety of other materials, including:

Adapters
Calculators
Cameras
Chargers
Computer mice
Digital voice recorders
Flash drives
GoPros
Headphones
Large print keyboard
LED magnifier
Light therapy boxes
Microphones
Mini dry erase boards
Projectors
Promethean board kits
Smart board kits
Staff/faculty laptops
Trackball mouse
Tripods
Universal laptop charger
USB drives