Penn Libraries’ have created and are maintaining two dynamic web pages with up-to-date information with answers to questions that the Penn community might have about library services:

• FAQ Covid-19: Phased Library Services Availability and
• Virtual Support Services for Teaching, Research and Learning in support of faculty, students and staff.

Below are a few highlights from these web pages:  

Increased digital content : We have increased our collections budget to acquire more electronic books and multiple copies of textbooks, with a special emphasis on the needs of P1P/FGLI students. We have adopted an electronic-preferred model for monographs to ensure the Penn community will have instant access to information resources. We have worked with faculty to digitize materials for fall courses and continue to advise faculty on what can be made available within the fair use limits of the US copyright law.    

Access to print materials: Since July, expanded delivery services (Pickup@Penn, Books by Mail, FacultyExpress, and Digital Delivery) have provided access to our circulating collections. These services have met—and, by all accounts, have exceeded—the Penn community's needs for physical materials while observing safety protocols (contactless pick up, mail delivery, and digital delivery).  

Library facilities: Beginning in October, the Undergraduate Study Center on the ground floor of Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center will be available for study, with seats that can be reserved online. In addition, the Biomedical Library (a study area with seating available to medical students) and the Veterinary Library (a study area with seating available to Penn Vet affiliates).  

Enhanced virtual services:  We have expanded and enhanced our suite of faculty Virtual Support Services for Teaching, Research and Learning in support of remote learning faculty our reference and consultation services are now fully virtual and available to the Penn community through chat, email, phone, and web conferencing. In addition the virtual computer lab continues to add specialized software that we find students request (SPSS, ArcGIS, Stata/IC, Matlab, etc.)