Where’s the book-drop box? And other library questions answered…

Though construction may make it inconvenient at times to get to the library, its staff wants to remind students that all of its services are still accessible.

Book-drop box
Due to construction, one of the drop boxes used to return books to the Millar Library has been removed. But the library has two drop boxes, one of which is located in front of the library by the south stairs and it will remain fully-functional throughout construction.

The second drop box was at the corner of Southwest Harrison and Southwest 10th Street, but it is temporarily inaccessible because of the construction, according to Nathan Baty, a billing clerk at the library.

The drop box will return once construction has been completed. 

“People can always return books inside the library when it is open, too,” Baty said. 

Overall, the construction has not been too detrimental to Millar Library.

“The noise and shaking from the construction has been unfortunate, but it seems like people are getting used to it,” Baty said.

Baty has been working at Millar Library since December of 2004. Students might recognize him from the circulation desk on the first floor, which he considers to be his favorite part of the job.

When he is not at the circulation desk, he is busy doing accounting for his department or working on the “various activities related to late charges and lost books.”

WorldCat search engine
Baty said that the default search on the library’s webpage has recently changed to a search engine called Portland State WorldCat.

“WorldCat allows patrons to search for books at our library, libraries in the Summit system and libraries worldwide.  VIKAT, our PSU-only catalog, is still accessible,” Baty said.

Other resources
When asked about the things he wished more students knew about the library, Baty gave a short list.

First, he wished students would utilize the faculty more.

“The library can seem like an intimidating place, so keep in mind that we employ a lot of people to help students, staff and faculty find what they need,” Baty said.

Also, he stressed that the reference desk is a great place to go for a student who may need helping finding books or articles at the library. 

“The circulation desk has many required textbooks for classes.  Most of the textbooks check out for two hours,” Baty said.

Many students are unaware of the vast amount of services the library offers, he said.
“The library offers research workshops, classes, and tours throughout the year,” Baty said.

To find more information about these services, visit the PSU library website (library.pdx.edu). These little-known services will be under the link titled “Instructional Services.”

Fun fact
According to Baty, Sunday mornings are a very popular time at Millar Library.

“There could easily be 100 people waiting to enter the library right before we opened,” Baty said.