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For Faculty & Staff

Services

For Faculty & Staff

Find resources to assist faculty with assessment, grant proposals, pedagogy, and teaching.

Borrowing

Faculty and staff must present a Simmons College ID to check out materials.

Please contact the Circulation Desk at circulation@simmons.edu or 617-521-2780 with questions about borrowing, renewing, and returning Library materials.

Checkout Locations

Library materials may be checked out at:

  • the Circulation Desk on Level 1
  • the self-service Express Checkout station, across from the Circulation Desk (books and VHS cassettes only)
Loan Periods & Overdues
  • Books: 90 days with 3 renewals
  • Diversions Books: 28 days with 3 renewals
  • DVDs and VHS Cassettes: 7 days with 1 renewal
  • LaserDiscs: 7 days with 1 renewal
  • 16mm films: 7 days with 1 renewal
  • Audio CDs: 7 days with 3 renewals
  • Periodicals: 24 hours
  • Reference Books: 24 hours
Overdues

The Library emails reminder notices for overdue items. When an item is 45 days overdue, an additional replacement charge will be billed to your Library account. These charges will be cleared if the item is returned.

Renewing & Returning

To renew items, log in to the Library Catalog with your Simmons username and password. Items that other Library users have requested and other high-demand items are unavailable for renewal.

Returning

Items may be returned:

  • To the Circulation Desk
  • To the book drop in Lefavour Hall, Level G (across from the restrooms)
  • By mail to:
    Library Circulation Desk
    Simmons College
    300 The Fenway
    Boston, MA 02115

Booking Media for Classroom Use

If you wish to play audio or visual media from the Library's collection during your class:

  1. Place the item on 3-hour reserve for your course using the Reserves system.
    • This ensures that the item will be available when you want to use it.
  2. Find the item in the Library Catalog and click the "Book This Material" link that appears above the item's title.
  3. Enter the date and time that you need the item.
    • Items on 3-hour reserve may not be booked for more than three hours. If you need an item for more than 3 hours, please contact the Circulation Desk at circulation@simmons.edu or 617-521-2780.
    • Items should be booked in advance (by 4:00 pm on the weekday before your pickup date) to ensure their availability.
  4. Pick up the item at the Circulation Desk on the day of your request.

Please contact the Circulation Desk at circulation@simmons.edu or 617-521-2780 with questions about booking media.

Course Reserves

The Library maintains a collection of reserve materials selected by faculty to support their courses. Many reserve items such as journal articles and book chapters can be made available online; print and audio/visual items are avilable at the Circulation Desk.

To set up reserves for your course, log in to the Course Reserves system with your Simmons username and password.

For more information, go to the Course Reserves website. For questions or problems, please contact reserves@simmons.edu or 617-521-2796.

What can be placed on reserve?
  • At the Circulation Desk:
    • Books, audio, and visual media from Simmons Library
      • If the Library does not own an item that you would like to place on reserve, you can request that the Library purchase the item in the Reserves system.
    • Personal copies of books, commercial course packs, and media items
      • The library is not responsible for lost or damaged personal copies.
      • A barcode and call number labeling will be placed on personal copies.
      • After you have created a record for an item in the Reserves system, please bring the item to the Circulation Desk.
      • Personal copies that are no longer being used for a course will be returned through campus mail.
  • On Electronic Reserve:
    • An article from a Library e-resource
    • A print journal article or book chapter from the Library's collection
    • A print journal article or book chapter not from the Library's collection
      • May be used once--subsequent use requires permission from the copyright holder
    • A student paper
      • Requires written consent from the student
What can not be placed on reserve?
  • Materials from the Reference Collection
  • Materials from other libraries
  • Course packs assembled by the instructor
  • Commercially-prouduced "consumable" works, such as workbooks, worksheets, and tests
  • DVDs and videocassettes that have been duplicated from copyrighted versions
Copyright considerations

Copyright law establishes a zone of Fair Use protection for copying or disseminating copyrighted works for teaching purposes without obtaining permission from the copyright owner under certain circumstances. Simmons College subscribes to the belief that intellectual property rights should be respected and honored, and that fair and appropriate use of published and unpublished materials is an obligation that all members of the Simmons community should observe.

When copyright is required, it is the responsibility of the faculty member to obtain permission for an item to be used on reserve, in adherence with the Simmons College Copyright Policy. Please contact the Library with any questions regarding copyright and course reserves at reserves@simmons.edu or 617-521-2796.


Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

If there are materials that you need for scholarship or teaching that the Library does not own, we may be able to borrow them for you from another library. To place interlibrary loan requests, log in to the ILL system with your username and password.

Go to the ILL website for more information. For questions or problems, please contact the ILL staff at ill@simmons.edu or 617-521-2746.

Renewing

Log in to the ILL system to request a renewal. A renewal must be requested before an item is due. Not all libraries grant renewals.

Overdue ILLs

Shortly before its due date, you will receive a courtesy notice reminding you that your ILL item is due soon. After 30 days, you may be billed for the item. Please note that lending libraries' replacement fees are often $80 or more.


Museum Access

Museum of Fine Arts
  • Simmons faculty and staff can borrow up to two passes at a time for the MFA for up to 24 hours. These passes are available at the Circulation Desk. Overdue MFA passes incur a fee of $5 per day.
  • Free Days: Wednesday nights after 4 pm, admission is by voluntary contribution (suggested donation $22)
  • More info on theMuseum of Fine Arts
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
  • Free admission with Simmons ID (additional fees for special exhibits)
  • One guest pass is available that grants complimentary admission for one person when accompanied by a Simmons faculty or staff member. The pass is available at the Circulation Desk for up to 24 hours; an overdue pass incurs a fee of $5 per day.
  • Complimentary admission to special museum lectures, as well as to the special monthly series, Gardner After Hours on the 3rd Thursday of every month
  • Tickets available for $10 to "Music at the Gardner Concerts" held Thursdays and Sundays
  • Preferential and more flexible scheduling of group visits is available to faculty. See the ISGM Tour and Visit Policies for more information.
  • More info on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Other Services

Resources

Library Services

Library Hours


  • View Complete Library Hours »
  • Please note, after 7:00pm on weekdays and 5:00pm on Saturdays, a current Simmons ID is required for entry to Lefavour Hall. A current Simmons ID is required to access the building at any time on Sundays.