KU Libraries granted emergency temporary digital access to copyrighted books through HathiTrust Digital Library

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Libraries have activated HathiTrust’s Emergency Temporary Access Service. The Emergency Temporary Access Service permits special access for HathiTrust member libraries that suffer an involuntary, temporary disruption to normal operations — such as closure for a public health emergency — requiring the library to be closed to its patrons or otherwise restrict print collection access services.

During the time that on-campus access to print collections is disrupted, KU faculty, staff and students will have digital access to HathiTrust items that KU Libraries holds in their physical collection. KU Libraries estimate that 40% of KU Libraries’ print collection will be available. Access to items is 1-to-1, meaning if KU Libraries hold one copy of a book, only one individual may access the HathiTrust digital copy at a given time. HathiTrust collection items will no longer be available through Home Loan Delivery.

Links to HathiTrust have been added to items in Quick Search and the library catalog. Users may also search hathitrust.org directly by logging in with their KU online ID. Detailed instructions for accessing HathiTrust items are available online.

HathiTrust, a nonprofit collaboration of academic and research libraries, has preserved more than 17 million digitized items. HathiTrust offers members read-only access to virtual items to the fullest extent allowed by U.S. copyright law. 

For help with access to these and other digital library resources, please contact our Ask A Librarian service. 

Learn more about KU Libraries’ services and resources for remote teaching, learning and research.