Checking out a book or other material from Newman or a branch library is easy. First, you'll need to retrieve the item from the stacks; we do not offer a service to pull items for you unless they are located in our remote storage facility. Then bring that material along with your Hokie Passport (or borrower's card, if not affiliated with Virginia Tech) to the circulation desk.

To promote and facilitate scholarly research and communication among members of their faculties, the university research libraries of OCLC have established a program to provide broader access to scholarly materials.  

As an ARL member institution, Virginia Tech libraries can provide borrowing privileges and on-site access to the collections of some of the most important research libraries in North America to VT faculty members. View a list of participating libraries in the OCLC reciprocal program.

A proxy borrower is a Virginia Tech student or staff member who has been authorized by a Virginia Tech faculty or staff member to checkout library materials in their name for educational purposes. The authorizing party is responsible for all materials checked out and will be sent all overdue or recall notices and bills for charges concerning such materials.

You can renew books checked out from any Virginia Tech library using My Library Account . Login, view your checked out items, select the ones you wish to renew and click the Renew Selected button. If any items cannot be renewed (because you have reached your renewal limit, or another patron has requested the item) you will be notified with the appropriate error message. (Books checked out from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan may be renewed through ILLiad, if renewals are allowed by the lending library.)

Why materials may not renew

• You have reached your maximum number of renewals for that book. If you still need the book, you may bring it into the library, check it in, and provided there are no requests for the item, check it back out again.
• Another patron has requested the book.
• Your account is blocked due to fines or overdue materials. To resolve the block, you will need to pay fines or return overdue materials.
• The item selected for renewal is a Storage Journal, Video, DVD, or Optical Disc, which are not renewable.

To request materials (either when they have been checked out by another patron or when they are located in the Remote Storage Facility), search for the title in Addison. Select the request icon (a green checkmark) at the top of the screen. Complete the form and click submit. Check My Library Account for the status of your requests; books listed with a status of ON HOLDSHELF are probably waiting for you.

Patrons of Newman Library can now request items with a status of Available, as long as there are no blocks on your account. If you use the green Request button found next to select available items, we will go into the stacks for you and retrieve the book(s) you need.

Instructors who wish to use media materials (videos, 16MM films, DVDs, slides) in their classes may schedule them for a period of up to two weeks. Media can be picked up at the Circulation/Reserve Desk. Requests can be made anytime prior to the date the media is needed, but requests should be made as far ahead of time as possible to ensure the item is here when you need it.

Items can be renewed providing that there are no pre-existing requests for the item. To renew, contact the Circulation Desk at 540-231-6340. Media cannot be renewed by using My Library Account. An online Media Booking Request Form is also available.