A Digital Object Identifier is a unique string of characters used to identify and locate an electronic article, book or other "object." DOIs are intended to provide permanent, stable access to these electronic objects. They allow you to find articles quickly and easily without worrying about old or broken links.

The library has a new "How-to" guide "Understanding and Using Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs)" that will give you more information about finding and using DOIs.

Regular Summer Hours (5/9/11 - 8/26/11) are as follows:

Perry Library:

   Monday–Thursday: 8am - 10pm
   Friday: 8am - 7:30pm
   Saturday: 9am - 5pm
   Sunday: 9am - 10pm

Diehn Composers Room & Hofheimer Art Library:

   Monday–Friday: 8am - 5pm
   Saturday-Sunday: CLOSED

The University Libraries will be closed on:
   Monday, May 30 for Memorial Day
   Monday, July 4 for Independence Day
   Saturday-Sunday, August 20-21

From August 15-19, Perry Library hours are: 8am-5pm

See Hours & Information on the library website.

Be sure to visit the Popular Collection on the 2nd floor near the Circulation Desk to check out your summer reading.

In observance of Memorial Day, the University Libraries will be closed on Monday, May 30.

Regular summer hours will resume on Tuesday, May 31:

Perry Library:

Monday–Thursday: 8am - 10pm
Friday: 8am - 7:30pm
Saturday: 9am - 5pm
Sunday: 9am - 10pm

Diehn Composers Room & Hofheimer Art Library:

Monday–Friday: 8am - 5pm
Saturday-Sunday: CLOSED

The University Libraries will be closed on:
Monday, July 4 for Independence Day
Saturday-Sunday, August 20-21

From August 15-19, Perry Library hours are: 8am-5pm

See Hours & Information on the library website.

Due to air-conditioning repairs, Perry Library will close at 5 pm on Friday, May 27th and reopen at 9 am on Saturday, May 28th.

This is a friendly reminder that books and other items on loan from the University Libraries over the Spring Semester are due on May 20, 2011. These materials must be physically returned to the Libraries for check-in or for renewal.

Questions? Please call 683-4154 or email: circ1@libstaff.lib.odu.edu

iPads will be unavailable for borrowing from Friday, May 6th through Sunday, May 15th as part of the end of semester inventory restoration. Loaning of iPads will resume Monday, May 16th.

The ODU Libraries will be closed Saturday, May 7th and Sunday, May 8th for Commencement. Summer hours begin Monday, May 9th.

Need somewhere to study for finals? The Perry Library will be available for extended hours as follows:

  April 27 - 28 (Wed-Thurs) 8am - 2am*
  April 29 (Fri) 8am - 9:30pm
  April 30 (Sat) 9am - 9:30pm
  May 1 (Sun) 9am - 2am*
  May 2 - 4 (Mon-Wed) 8am - 2am*

The following hours are for Perry Library, Hofheimer Art Library, and Diehn Composers Room:

  May 6 (Fri) 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  May 7 - 8 CLOSED Commencement

See Hours & Information on the library web site.

The American Library Association has designated this week "Preservation Week" to bring attention to preservation needs in libraries, as well as in communities and homes where countless treasures are at risk. "Pass It On: Saving Heritage and Memories" is this year's theme. You can find information and resources on ALA's Website.

From the ALA Website:

Why is preservation important?

In 2005 the first comprehensive national survey of the condition and preservation needs of the nation’s collections reported that U.S. institutions hold more than 4.8 billion items. Libraries alone hold 3 billion items (63 percent of the whole). A treasure trove of uncounted additional items is held by individuals, families, and communities. Some 630 million items in collecting institutions require immediate attention and care. Eighty percent of these institutions have no paid staff assigned responsibility for collections care; 22 percent have no collections care personnel at all. Some 2.6 billion items are not protected by an emergency plan. As natural disasters of recent years have taught us, these resources are in jeopardy should a disaster strike. Personal, family, and community collections are equally at risk.

Key environmental factors that place collections at risk:

--> Light: Ultraviolet rays from natural and artificial sources can cause fading and disintegration.
--> Pollutants: Dust is abrasive and can accelerate harmful chemical reactions.
--> Heat: High temperatures can accelerate deterioration.
--> Moisture: High humidity promotes mold growth, corrosion, and degradation, while excessive dryness can cause drying and cracking. Fluctuations between extremes can cause warping, buckling and flaking.

Key items that should be preserved:

Historical materials that are unpublished and one-of-a-kind, such as: architectural drawings, artifacts, audio and video recordings, diaries, genealogical information, letters, maps, memoirs/reminiscences, minutes/reports, photo albums and photographs, printed materials, professional and business papers, speeches/lectures