Guest Policy

To borrow materials from IU South Bend Libraries, state of Indiana residents 18 years and older can apply for an Indiana University Libraries borrower’s card at the Circulation Desks of the Schurz Library or Wiekamp Educational Resource Commons.  Please bring the following information:

1. A valid Indiana city or Indiana state ID

2. Two pieces of mail postmarked within the last month from your home address

Exceptions to mail requirement:

• Local teachers may use their school faculty IDs

• Students from other universities and colleges may use their valid/current ALI cards (Academic Libraries of Indiana)

Cards may be obtained for minors. To apply, a parent or guardian must accompany the minor in person and use his/her own ID and mail to receive a borrower’s card. Anyone with a borrower’s card has unfiltered access to resources in the building and on the Internet.

Guests may check out up to five items at any given time. For most circulating materials, the loan period is 30 days. We ask that you return materials on time and give immediate notice of address changes.

All persons borrowing library materials are financially responsible for paying all fees for loss or damages. Library privileges may be revoked for users who have (1) damaged materials, (2) outstanding fees, and (3) invalid mailing addresses on file. Please review information about loan periods, renewals, and fees. We also offer a limited interlibrary loan service for guest needing material from other libraries.

Guests to the libraries wishing to use library computers may request a temporary User ID and password at the Circulation desks. You will be asked to present your Indiana University Libraries borrower’s card. Guest accounts are free. All computer users must observe the Library Computer Use policy, which specifies that Library Computer IDs and passwords are confidential and cannot be shared.

Your temporary User ID and password allows you in-person access to online databases, electronic books, electronic journals, Microsoft Office applications, and the general resources of the Internet. Due to strict licensing contracts, this ID cannot be used to access library resources or Office applications off-campus or through WIFI. IUCAT, the IU-wide online catalog of holdings, is available on all devices without restriction.

During busy times, library staff may ask you to limit your computer time so your workstation can be used by IU South Bend students, staff and faculty.

Guests can connect their personal laptops and mobile devices to IU’s free visitor wireless service. You may not unplug any of the libraries’ equipment and cables to run your own devices.

Printing services (color and black/white) are available at both libraries for IU faculty, staff, and students. The Wiekamp Educational Resource Commons also provides expanded printing options, including community guest printing, 11” x 17,” one-color poster printing, and wide-format printing.

Printing is unavailable to guest accounts.

Classes and community groups are invited to use the libraries’ many collections and services. Because of limited space and resources, we ask that arrangements be made in advance.

School Groups

High school teachers wishing to arrange group/class visits to the Schurz Library should contact Julie Feighery at 574-520-4410 at least 10 days in advance of the preferred date. To keep high school librarians current with students’ assignments, we highly encourage teachers to involve their high school librarians’ participation early on. We also welcome homeschooled groups.

Class visits are generally scheduled on Friday or during breaks to cause minimal disruptions to IU South Bend students. Librarians can provide, upon request, brief instruction sessions and overviews of the Schurz Library. If appropriate information about the students is provided in advance, we can have IU Library borrower's cards and guest accounts ready for each student at the time of the visit. Your students are responsible for any items that they check out and must return the items to the IU South Bend Libraries by the due date.

Classes needing to create teaching aids and other visual resource materials may benefit from scheduling a visit to the Wiekamp Educational Resources Commons.

Because the research level of materials in the Schurz Library is generally too scholarly and academic in nature for students in K-8^th grades, we suggest that those classes use the Wiekamp Educational Resource Commons and/or area public libraries for supplemental resources to their school library.

College Classes

Instructors at other higher education institutions should first work with a librarian at their home institution. If the IU South Bend Libraries have specialized resources needed by classes that are not available at the other institution's library, instructors, in cooperation with their institution's librarian, may contact Vincci Kwong, Director of Research and Instruction, at 574-520-4444 to make arrangements for class visits.

Community Groups (not affiliated with high schools or colleges)
We welcome the opportunity to introduce organizations and community groups to our wonderful resources and collections. Contact Julie Feighery at 574-520-4410 and we will make every effort to accommodate you.