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Michael Schwartz Library

Services for Courtesy Patrons:
Alumni, Research Guests, Community Users, and Retirees

A courtesy patron is a community user, alumna/alumnus, research guest, or retiree.

  • A community user is a resident of Ohio who is not a student, employee, or alumni of CSU; has applied for extended services at MSL; and has paid the $100 annual fee.

  • Alumni are those who have graduated from CSU (membership in the alumni association is not required) and who have applied for extended services at the Michael Schwartz Library.

  • A research guest is a person who has applied for extended services at MSL for one semester, and is a visiting scholar sponsored by an academic department at CSU (or another institution) that assumes, in writing, responsibility for any unpaid charges incurred by the scholar; or a distance learning student (with proper documentation) from another OhioLINK institution

  • A retiree is a person who has retired from CSU and has applied for extended services at the Michael Schwartz Library.

Ohio residents are welcome to use the Michael Schwartz Library at Cleveland State University as long as they adhere to the Library’s Conduct Rules for Library Use and all other posted regulations. Non-affiliated visitors who are not in the categories above, and who wish to borrow materials or use computers, should apply for extended services in the Library.

Important notes:

  • Off-campus access to Library-licensed research databases is restricted to current students and employees of Cleveland State University. Federal government documents are open to all.
  • Group study rooms and quiet study carrels are not available to courtesy patrons.
  • Ohio residents needing access to federal public documents should consult this page for more information.

EXTENDED SERVICES

Courtesy patrons who have applied for and been granted extended services will be issued a courtesy card and are entitled to the following privileges:

  1. Cleveland State University alumni, affiliates, and volunteers may check out books (including OhioLINK books) with a photo ID, and may use a public access workstation* for up to 4 hours per day (subject to availability).
  2. Research guests (OhioLINK distance learning students or formally sponsored visiting scholars) may check out books (including OhioLINK books) with a photo ID, and may use a public access workstation* for up to 4 hours per day (subject to availability).
  3. Community users (Ohio residents not affiliated with Cleveland State University) may, upon payment of a $100 annual fee, check out books (including OhioLINK books) with a photo ID, and may use a public access workstation* for up to 1 hour per day (subject to availability).

All patrons may use KIC scanners free of charge, and printing is available for $0.10 per printed side. Courtesy patrons with unpaid balances owed to CSU may have their library privileges suspended until the debt is paid in full.

*No access to Kanopy streaming video service.

See Borrowing Books & Other Materials for more information about borrowing limitations.

APPLICATIONS

Applications for Courtesy Patron cards are available on the first floor at the Library and Research Help Desk.

Photo identification is required as well as proof of your current address. Valid forms of identification include a driver’s license or identification card from the state of Ohio or a valid identification card from an OhioLINK institution. Please call the Library and Research Help Desk at (216) 687-2479 if you have questions.