Collections & Borrowing
Access books, media, and resources from Olin and partner libraries to support your coursework and projects.
Minuteman Library Network (MLN)
The Minuteman Library Network (MLN) is a consortium of 40+ public libraries and 5 academic libraries in greater Boston that share a unified catalog and delivery system, allowing Olin students to access and borrow materials from the entire network to expand resources beyond what any single library could provide.
Everyone at Olin automatically receives MLN membership for immediate checkout at any MLN library.
Enhance your access by setting up online MLN account:
- Go to olin.minlib.net
- Click "Log In" then "Forgot your password?"
- Follow prompts using your 221 number
Online account benefits:
- Request book delivery from any MLN library to Olin (7-10 business days)
- Access Libby ebooks and audiobooks, including Olin-exclusive content
- Manage renewals and holds online
In-person borrowing: Use your Olin ID at any MLN library circulation desk.
Students, staff, and faculty can submit purchase request forms on the Library website for any materials for academic or personal interest. The Library makes final decisions based on collection criteria including accuracy, currency, and relevance to curriculum or student wellbeing. Please see our full Collection Development Policy for more details.
Physical collections:
- Books and DVDs (28-day loans)
- Board games (14-day loans)
- Library of Things equipment (7-day loans)
- Borrowable sewing machines (7-day loans)
All barcoded items must be checked out at self-checkout kiosks using your Olin ID or MLN app. Items without barcodes are not meant to leave the Library.
Self-Checkout Issues
Our self-checkout systems occasionally shut off without warning. We apologize and are aware of this issue.
During staffed hours: Find or contact a librarian immediately and do not act until you receive a response.
After 5 PM:
- Leave item (books on reshelve cart or returns cabinet; Library of Things on shelf)
OR
- Email photo of item barcode to library@olin.edu, take item until 10 AM next day, check email for Library response
Note: Error messages saying items "cannot be borrowed" or are "on reserve" are legitimate system responses, not malfunctions. Do not take those items from the Library, but please let us know when you see these errors so that we can resolve any errors as quickly as possible.
Searching & Finding Library Resources
For books, DVDs, games, and Library of Things equipment:
For ebooks and digital resources:
- Use the default main search tab on the library.olin.edu homepage: "databases & articles" to search all of our databases in one unified system (run by EBSCOhost).
- View and access subscribed, government, and Open Access databases in our A-Z list
- Activate your Olin-Minuteman Libby account (see MLN page for more information or contact us)
Off-Campus Troubleshooting: Subscription databases usually identify users based on IP address. Olin Wi-Fi IP addresses are enough for on-campus access. Off-campus, you will either need to: use the Olin VPN (see IT help pages) or use Library configured-links to subscribed databases. All subscription databases linked in our A-Z list are configured to grant access.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
For items not available through Olin, MLN, or BOW collections:
What we can obtain:
- Physical books
- Individual articles
- Single chapters from ebooks
- Physical DVDs and media
What we cannot obtain:
- Full ebooks (copyright restrictions)
- Current course textbooks (too high-demand)
- Library of Things objects (rarely allowed for ILLs)
Before requesting ILL: Check if available through Minuteman network and place hold through your online account. We don't fill ILL requests for MLN-owned items and will direct requestors to place holds themselves (this is the fastest, most efficient process for both users and librarians).
ILL renewals: Email ill@olin.edu before due date. Due dates set by lending library cannot be extended by Olin, but we'll request renewals on your behalf.
Fees and Fines
Olin Library is fine-free for all Olin-owned items and items delivered/checked out at Olin (including MLN deliveries and ILL items).
Report losses and damages immediately to ensure continued community access. You will not be penalized.
Other MLN libraries: May charge fees for in-person loans as set by their individual policies. For assistance with MLN fees, email library@olin.edu.
Purchase Requests
Students, staff, and faculty can submit purchase request forms on the Library website for any materials for academic or personal interest. The Library makes final decisions based on collection criteria including accuracy, currency, and relevance to curriculum or student wellbeing.
Mid-year policy or Library updates will be posted on library.olin.edu.
Olin Collections
The Olin page of the MLN catalog is configured to show tabbed search results from both Olin’s collection and all other MLN collections.
Friendly advice: if you are on campus and able to come into the Library, we recommend against placing holds on Olin books. We collect holds once/day, Mon-Fri. If you have placed a hold on a book, and you decide to borrow it in person instead, just cancel the hold so that you will not be blocked from checking it out.
Course Reserves
What are “Course Reserves”?
Course Reserves are books and materials used in that semester’s classes. At least 1 copy of each required and recommended book goes on the Reserves shelf for the current semester. This provides students an alternative to purchasing their course books, serving both an economic and an environmental need.
Items are “reserved” for student use, which means they can only be borrowed for 3 hours at a time. Register your loan/return on the paper sign-out sheet on the shelf. This allows us to track usage and ensures student access during non-staffed hours.
Borrow and return items directly to their shelf section. This ensures continuous access for everyone in your class.
If you believe a book is missing, or if it is consistently unavailable due to high use, please tell a librarian. We’ll do what we can to get an extra copy as soon as possible. If this affects your coursework, you may also choose to notify your instructor.
BOW & Other Libraries
Babson and Wellesley libraries:
All BOW students are eligible to borrow from BOW libraries. Students must register in-person once to unlock borrowing privileges.
- Student IDs are required for registration
- Email libraries in advance to confirm staff will be available to register you
- Cross-registered BOW students receive full library privileges at the respective BOW college for the semester, and don't need to register.
- Babson and Wellesley students who wish to borrow Olin books should email library@olin.edu to schedule a registration appointment (10-15 minutes). Please note: Olin’s A/V equipment is restricted to Olin-use only and is off-limits for Babson/Wellesley students unless officially cross-registered.
Other Eligible Library Accounts:
- Needham Free Library: benefits include discount museum passes (beyond those offered by Olin), their unique Library of Things collection, and access to their digital collections.
- Boston Public Library eCard: The BPL eCard unlocks access to all BPL electronic resources, including their Libby, Kanopy, and Hoopla content, and the full O'Reilly Online Library. The BPL is the state library of Massachusetts, therefore everyone who lives here for the majority of the year is eligible for an eCard.
Interlibrary Loan
If you need a book, book chapter, or article and you cannot find it through MLN, fill out an Interlibrary Loan Request. We send the request to a nationwide network of libraries and ask them to fill it. We notify you when it arrives or if it is rejected (rare).
Standard arrival is 7-10 days for physical items and 1-5 days for electronic articles and chapters.
Due dates are set by the lending library; they may be shorter or longer than Olin’s and must be adhered to.
Due to copyright laws, we cannot ILL more than a single chapter of an ebook. In these cases, we recommend you request the physical book as well as - or instead of - the ebook.
Accessibility and Scanning Requests
If you have an accessibility need for an ebook or audiobook, first ask the Library (or request anonymously through Disability Services at Olin) to see if they can license a copy. This is the easiest and most clearly copyright-compliant option for you and Olin staff. All Olin-licensed ebooks are hosted on screen-reader compatible platforms. If you have screen reader issues, please tell The Library.
If we cannot get an ebook, you may request book scanning through the Disability Services at Olin (DSO).
DSO also provides access to SensusAccess, which allows students, faculty, staff, and alumni to automatically convert documents into a range of alternate media including audio books (MP3 and DAISY), e-books (EPUB, EPUB3 and Mobi), digital Braille, digital large-print, and BeeLine Reader. The service can also remediate inaccessible documents such as image-only PDF files, JPG pictures, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, and LaTeX projects and deliver them into more accessible and less tricky formats. Furthermore, SensusAccess can translate documents from one language into another. The Olin community can start using SensusAccess easily by visiting https://oah.olin.edu/.