Written by: Clementine Arneson

Famously (at least to the Tour Team), Ellis Library has over 3.5 million volumes that students can browse through. However, over a million of those books are located just a couple of miles away at the MU Depository. Even as a library employee, I’m always surprised when I learn just how many books and resources are available through MU Libraries alone.

The Depository is essentially overflow storage that allows MU students to have access to a much larger collection. It is designed to store as many books as possible, and to keep these books in archival condition. To achieve this, the books are sorted by size and the shelves are adjustable – this allows the books to be stored at a much higher density than at Ellis Library. The shelves themselves are also simply much larger – the Depository looks like a warehouse and the shelves are around 40 feet tall. The books are also carefully stored so that they last as long as possible without deteriorating. To achieve this, they are kept in acid-free boxes at 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

So, how can you access the books in the Depository? Unfortunately, the site is not open to the public, but at Mizzou we are lucky to be the Missouri campus closest to the Depository. Books located there will show up when searching the library homepage with the location, “MU Library Depository.” Simply place a request for the book you’re interested in, select a location for pick-up, and the book should arrive within a couple of days. The Depository can also scan articles and chapters and send a PDF file directly to your email.

Written by: Lexi Tucker

Have you ever been on campus and had your phone die? Or have you reserved a study room and needed more outlets for your devices? Well, the circulation desk facing Lowry Mall on the first floor of Ellis Library is an awesome resource for finding a solution!

In addition to checking out books, the circulation desk provides many other services, with a popular one being lending equipment. The service caters to a wide range of items from phone chargers to get you through your study session, to laptops if you are in a sudden need of a loaner. Beyond technology, patrons can rent umbrellas on a rainy day to get around campus, and conveniently return them to a closer campus library. Whether you need a camera for class, headphones to listen to music while studying, or office supplies to use in study rooms, the lending feature is a great, FREE resource for all students.

To borrow an item, all you need is your student ID. Show your Mizzou ID to the staff at the circulation desk, and they will let you know the availability of the product and when it should be returned. Pay attention to the due date as items range from hours and days for equipment, and even months for books!

Any questions? Stop by the Ellis Library circulation desk from 7:30 a.m. to Midnight Sunday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. Equipment lending is a feature of all the libraries on campus, and unless the item is offered at only a specific location you may return it to the most convenient one. A full list of available equipment and where it can be found is on the library’s website: https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/equipment

Written by: Alyssa Westhoff

One great resource Ellis offers that I was unaware of before becoming a Peer Navigator is the opportunity to reserve a study room. Many students, like myself, enter the library and just sit anywhere that seems accommodating enough, and hope we’ll be able to study without any distractions. Sometimes we need to know there will be no interruptions, rather than just hope. Study rooms provide an opportunity for just that! They are perfect for taking online proctored exams, attending zoom meetings, verbally explaining concepts while studying with a friend, or creating audio or visual recordings. 

These rooms are located on every floor of the library to simultaneously accommodate as many patrons as possible. There are single person options as well as group options which can hold up to 20 people at a time. Many study rooms have white boards on the walls. Extra tools such as dry erase markers can be checked out from the circulation desk to use as you study. I’m sure many students are not aware that study rooms even exist, let alone that they can be reserved to guarantee a private space to be productive.

The process of reserving a study room can be completed easily on the library website. Near the bottom of the homepage is a category titled “Quick Links.” Under that, the first subcategory is “Reserve a Study Room Info.” After clicking this link it takes you directly to the Study Room Reservation calendar where each room and time slot is shown. Any empty gray box indicates availability, while colored boxes with words mean the room is reserved. The study rooms labeled with numbers in the 100’s will be located on the first floor, 200’s on the second floor and so on. The occupancy of each room is listed after the room number in parentheses. In order to reserve a room, select the date you want, and click whichever gray box coincides with the time and room you would like to choose. You will be directed to a page that asks for a title which will appear on the calendar to let others know that this room is no longer available at that time. A single booking lasts a maximum of 2 hours. After filling in a title, scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Save.” After completing these steps the room is all yours!