FAQs | Schusterman Library

Can I bring food and drinks into the Library?: Drinks with secure lids are allowed everywhere in the Library. Food is allowed in small portions in areas what are away from computers, printers, and the collection itself. All patrons are expected to clean up after themselves and keep their workspaces clean. Any Library staff member may ask a patron to remove food from the Library at any time for any reason.
Can I reserve a room for group study?: The Library has three group study rooms for the use of OU-Tulsa students, residents, staff, and faculty. Rooms can be reserved for up to three hours a day. To schedule a room, please consult the AskHere Desk at (918) 660-3228, or ask a Library staff member.
How do I find full-text?: These video tutorials can help you locate full-text articles. If you need further assistance, please contact us.
Can you send me a PDF of this article?: We can send articles through our Interlibrary Loan service. This fast, free service allows OU-Tulsa students, residents, staff, and faculty to request any article or book at no charge.
Can members of the public use the Library?: The Schusterman Library is open to the public with certain restrictions. Visit our services for guest users page to discover the full range of services available.
What is OK-Share? Can I check out books at other campus libraries?: OK-Share is a cooperative agreement among Oklahoma institutions of higher education for sharing of library resources. Schusterman Library patrons with no overdue materials may obtain an OK-Share card at the Front Desk to use at other participating libraries. You can find further information and a list of participating libraries at OK-Share.
Where can I learn to use software?: Tulsa City County Library offers an excellent free service called Learning Express. Learning Express contains online tutorials on subjects such as computer skills (including Microsoft Office), some school subjects, college prep, GED, adult education, workplace skills, and more. It also offers practice tests for certain occupational exams, GED, ACT, SAT, reading skills, ASVAB, and more. You’ll need a Tulsa City County Library card to use this service.

Interlibrary Loan FAQ

How do I make an interlibrary loan request?

Two ways:

Complete this form on our website: https://outulsa.cliohosting.com.
When you find a book or article you need while searching in the library catalog, click on the title to see the item’s full record, then scroll down to the Get It section. You’ll see one or more interlibrary loan links. Click the Tulsa link. You’ll be asked to log in to the Interlibrary Loan system, and once you do, your item’s information is automatically populated into a form. Click Submit, and your request is on its way.

What if I no longer need an item I ordered? How do I cancel a request?

No problem! You can email the library at ariel-tulsa@ouhsc.edu, or call 918-660-3220, or send us a chat on the library website to let us know you no longer want the item.

There's currently not a way to cancel your ILL online, so just contact us in any way you can, and we'll take care of it.

What happens if I forget to pick up a book?

If you haven’t picked up your book 10 days after we’ve notified you, we’ll return the book to the library we borrowed it from.

The notification email we send you reminds you that if you can’t make it within that time, you can make other arrangements with us. But if we don’t hear from you, we won’t be able to make that happen. So please contact us (918-660-3225, ariel-tulsa@ouhsc.edu) if you have any questions or special requests regarding your ILL book.

What type of items can you get?

In addition to electronic articles and book chapters, you can request most items that other libraries are willing to loan or send, such as books, books on tape, DVDs, and VHS tapes, anything on a medium that can be mailed.
You’re not limited to just academic items. Feel free to request fun stuff, like novels, music, or movies.
If you’re wondering about a specific item, email the library at ariel-tulsa@ouhsc.edu, or call 918-660-3225, or send us a chat on the library website and ask us.

Can I get an entire book scanned and sent to me electronically?

No, as that would likely violate copyright restrictions. We can however scan a small percentage of the book, so it’s fine to request one or two chapters. And feel free to order a print copy of the book.

I need to request a lot of articles and I don’t want to enter them all into a form. Will you do it for me?

Sorry, this isn’t a service the library provides.

How long does it take to get items? How long will it take my book/article to get to me?

It depends on the item.

Electronic articles arrive very quickly, anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days.
Books and similar items take longer, anywhere from 7 days to two weeks, as they have to be mailed from another library. We try to borrow from nearby libraries first, but some items may have further to travel, and will take longer to arrive.
Sometimes it’s harder to get newer books, as fewer libraries have them, and those libraries may be less willing to loan them to us. But request them anyway, as sometimes we’ll be able to buy your book for the collection.
If you’re wondering about a specific item, email the library at ariel-tulsa@ouhsc.edu, or call 918-660-3220, or send us a chat on the library website and ask us.

Can I renew a book? How do I renew my book online?

Check your ILL book label for due dates, and to see if your book is renewable (some are not.) The due dates are set by the library we borrowed the book from, not by us, and some libraries give you a longer lending time than others.
Be sure to request your book renewal before your lending time is up, as you won’t be able to after your due date.
To request a renewal for your book online,
- Login into your interlibrary loan account.
- Click the History tab on the top menu.
- Scroll down the request list to find your book. If it’s renewable, you’ll see a blue “Request Renewal” button.
- Click that button. You’ll see a green message that says “renewal request sent.”
We have to request a renewal from the library we borrowed the book from. Whether a renewal is granted is completely up to the other library.
If you don’t see the blue “request renewal” button, that’s because the other library has already indicated that they will not renew the book. If you still need the book, you should request another copy of the book through interlibrary loan.

What happens to a lost or damaged book?

Our library has to pay the lending the library for replacing a lost or damaged book. Therefore, we will invoice you for replacement costs for a lost or damaged ILL book. The same policies that apply to our regular books apply to ILL books.

Who do I contact for more information?

You can contact the interlibrary loan office directly at 918-660-3225, or email ariel-tulsa@ouhsc.edu. Or just call the library front desk at 918-660-3220, and ask to speak to someone about interlibrary loan.