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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I forgot my library number. What should I do?

Send an email to Liza Oldham at loldham@chapin.edu.

How do I sign up for the New York Times?

The library offers all members of the Chapin community free digital access to the New York Times. Once you create an account, you will be able to access the Times from anywhere and on any device. Here is how to set up your account for the first time: 

  • While in the building and connected to Chapin's wifi, go to http://nytimes.com/passes and create an account using your Chapin email address
  • Then, open your email and look for a confirmation email from the Times (be sure to check your spam folder if nothing arrives within 5 minutes)
  • After clicking the confirmation message, select the appropriate descriptor (Student or Faculty). If you selected "Student," then choose your graduation year
  • Your registration is now complete!

How do I renew my New York Times access?

  • First, go to http://www.nytimes.com and log out by clicking the “Account” button at the top right.
  • Then, while in the building and connected to Chapin's wifi, go to http://nytimes.com/passes and click on “Already have an account? Log in”
  • Log in using your Chapin email address and chosen password
  • Follow the prompts, and your access will be renewed for another year

How can I access library databases when I’m not in the building?

First, make sure you are accessing our resources through the links listed on the Databases and Resources page. Those links include an authentication string that will prompt you for your library number. Once you enter your library number, you will have unlimited access.

How can I access eBooks and databases when I am off campus?

All you need is your library number! When you click on the links to any of our databases or eBooks while off-campus, you will see a page asking you for your library number. Once you enter it in, you will be able to access our digital resources.

Forgot your library number or having trouble logging in? Simply stop by the library or send an email to Ms. Oldham.  

How many books can I check out at once?

There are different check-out lengths for students and the professional community. See our circulation policies for more information.

What does "on reserve" mean?

Reserve items can be checked out overnight for one evening. All reserves are available for check out at the Help Desk on the 4th floor. If an item is "on reserve," it usually means one of two things:

  • One: the item is incredibly popular and lots of people want it. These items are on reserve because we want to make sure everyone in the community that might need a particular item has the opportunity to use it.
  • Two: occasionally, your teacher or a librarian will put books or other resources on reserve for your class. It may be because you have a research project, and everyone in your class needs access to the same foundational set of books.

How do you decide which books to buy or keep in the library?

That's a great question with a lot of different answers. Take a look at our collection management policy for all the details.

How is the library organized?

The library is organized using the Dewey Decimal System.

Books that are aimed at our Lower School students (grades K-3) have a prefix of "J" in front of the call number, which stands for "Juvenile." These books are all located in the Lower School section of the library on the 4th floor.

Tween and middle grade fiction and nonfiction are located on the 5th floor, and all those books will have a prefix of "M" in front of the call number. This "M" stands for Middle grade.

Nonfiction books in the general collection have no prefix, and can be found entirely on the 5th floor. The same is also true of our general fiction collection. Young adult fiction books are shelved alongside the adult fiction, though some of the YA books may be tagged with a "FIC - YA" prefix to help with browsing.

Reference books (prefix "REF") and the professional development collection (prefix "PRO") are both located on the 4th floor.