As a new academic year begins in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Pitts Theology Library has put processes in place to safely provide the Candler and Emory communities with excellent academic resources and support. Here are a few of the ways students, faculty, and staff can access the tools needed for a successful semester.

Book Checkout
While Pitts’ book stacks will be accessible to staff only, current Candler and Emory students, faculty, and staff can request books from the Pitts circulating collection. Make requests online through the library catalog, and you will receive an email when the books are ready for you to pick up at the library entrance. For detailed instructions, visit pitts.emory.edu/requests.

Study Space
Pitts is offering limited study space for current Candler and Emory students, faculty, and staff, by reservation only, Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Make your reservation here.

Patrons can reserve a specific seat in the library for a maximum of 90 minutes with a limited number of reservations per day. For more information about study spaces at Candler, contact candlerstudyspaces@emory.edu.

The library will also make available copying, scanning, and printing services, both inside the library with a reservation as well as outside of the library on a first come, first serve basis. Visit pitts.emory.edu/remotelearning for updates about what spaces will be available and how to make reservations. 

Special Collections
Pitts is digitizing rare books and special materials on demand to meet patrons’ research needs. Current Candler and Emory students, faculty, and staff can make reservations to view materials in the Special Collections Reading Room, Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For details and to make a reservation, visit pitts.emory.edu/collections.

Alumni and Affiliates
Access to the physical space and the physical collections is only available to current Emory faculty, students, and staff. Emory alumni users are currently limited to the resources licensed for alumni use and affiliate users must wait until the university deems it safe to reopen the campus to visitors.

Online Learning and Events
This fall, Pitts will continue its Weekly Workshops, instructional sessions from librarians aimed to equip all patrons with the skills and tools for research and learning in theology and religious studies. View the schedule of workshops and register here.

As always, the community can also connect with Pitts staff and resources through the library’s online research guides, reference support over email and live chat, and the thousands of electronic resources available through the Pitts website.

Interested in learning more about how to use the services and resources of Pitts during COVID-19? Check out this series of short webinars.

Top photo (Brandon Wason): Pitts staff members Ann McShane and Brinna Michael demonstrate six feet of distance using 73 volumes of the Loeb Classical Library.