ABOUT THE LIBRARY
LIBRARY AND COMPUTER RESOURCES
The Saul Silber Memorial Library
The Saul Silber Memorial Library is the academic and research library supporting all programs of Hebrew Theological College. The Main Library is located on the third floor of the administration building. Divisional libraries are in the Beis Midrash building and the Blitstein Institute. These divisional libraries support the academic activities of those areas.
Library Mission
The Library's mission is to supply the information resources that support the mission of HTC and its academic programs and act as a research library in Judaica for the Jewish community and academic community at large. The Library also helps readers find resources available in other libraries or online. The Library provides patrons with access to current information and resources in print, as well as online media. The library takes an active role in helping students learn every day by providing the tools to help students and faculty achieve their academic, personal, and professional goals. Information, resources, and updates about the library are available on its website at http://htclibrary.weebly.com.
Library collections
I. Main Library
The Library collects the full spectrum of Jewish literature that support the academic programs and curriculum of HTC. The Library has acquired over 60,000 items that include books in Hebrew, English, and other languages, as well as archival material. The strongest areas of the collections are in Rabbinic literature (classical texts, their commentaries, and Rabbinic Responsa), Bible, Holocaust Studies, and Jewish history. The Library has a significant collection on the history of Jews in Chicago. The Library has approximately 8,000 volumes in its Liberal Arts and Sciences collection. These volumes cover all aspects of general education and support the College’s general studies programs. These items are housed in three different locations: Main Library, Chadar Iyun and the Blitstein Institute. The cataloged items can be accessed through the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC), which is available through the HTC website and the Library website.
The Main Library is open during the school year at select hours. The Blitstein Library is open for use year-round (except for Shabbat and holidays, religious and legal) from 9:00 am until midnight.
Collection Development
Faculty, administrators, and students are instrumental in the development of the Saul Silber Memorial Library collection. Materials are purchased to support the academic programs of the college, so faculty, with deep knowledge of their disciplines, are essential to acquiring new materials. Faculty should share suggestions of new materials with library staff, who will evaluate them based on their professional judgement and knowledge of the academic programs.
II. Beis Midrash and the Aron Friedman Chadar Iyun
The Beis Midrash (study hall) and Chadar Iyun (study/research room) collections were integrated into the Library system of Hebrew Theological College. The Beis Midrash, where students spend significant time studying independently or in small groups, houses volumes of Talmud, Jewish Law, and Bible, along with their commentaries and translations. The Aron Friedman Chadar Iyun, located in the Beis Midrash building, houses additional commentaries and responsa. The room also provides an inviting atmosphere, allowing for quiet research and study. These collections total approximately 4,500 volumes above and beyond those in the Main Library.
Library resources are used by almost all students and faculty daily. The Beis Midrash library is a non-traditional library. It is a study room with a reference collection with no formal circulation. Students and faculty often spend upwards of six hours a day in the room studying either independently, with partners or in small groups. The yeshiva style of learning puts a strong emphasis on Talmud. While students study together, they may raise questions that require further research. Since questions are a vital part of learning, almost everyone studying needs to consult books from the Library. The Library strives to keep the books that the readers need either in the Beis Midrash or the nearby Friedman Chadar Iyun. The room is also used for prayer services daily and on Shabbat and holidays. At these services, members of the community may come in and are likely to pick up a book from the collection to peruse or study in-depth.
III. Blitstein Institute for Women Library
The Blitstein Institute Library supports the academic programs of Blitstein Institute. Discipline specific collections have been developed, such as the Education and English collections, to support majors offered only at Blitstein. The Judaic collection is housed in the main library at Blitstein. The General Studies collection is housed in the Annex Room. The English collection is housed in Conference Room B. The Blitstein Institute Library serves as the heart of activity on campus. As the primary location for students to congregate, the library provides space for students to study, conduct independent scholarship, and engage in recreational activities. The library has arranged a variety of programs, including research instruction, guest lecturers, workshops, game nights, seminars, career panels, author visits, trips, book clubs, and more. Library staff also provide individualized meetings with students and faculty to provide support for all their research needs.
Circulation Policies
Students, faculty, and other HTC staff have full borrowing privileges. Materials are circulated at the Main Library using the Honor System. Materials are circulated at Blitstein by completing Loan Slips, which are available on the librarian’s desk. Patrons should include their name and the barcode on the Loan Slip. In general, materials circulate for the length of the semester, depending on the demand of the materials. Materials from both campuses can be sent between campuses upon request.
Electronic Resources
Due to HTC’s partnership with Touro University and College Systems, HTC has access to full-text electronic databases that support the Judaic and General Studies programs. Faculty and students can access the databases at http://htclibrary.weebly.com/research-databases.html. Faculty and students can obtain remote access to the databases by registering at https://accounts.tourolib.org/register using their assigned ID and email. This information is shared with faculty by email at the beginning of the semester. Library Staff has also curated a collection of research guides at http://htclibrary.weebly.com/research-guides.html. Library staff can also create customized resources to help prepare students for specific assignments based on faculty input.
Reciprocal Agreements
Hebrew Theological College maintains reciprocal agreements with Loyola University of Chicago and Spertus Institute of Judaic Studies Asher Library. A valid photo ID, along with an HTC ID, enable faculty and students to obtain library cards for these collections. HTC students and staff may also request access to computers and databases using their library cards on the Loyola or Spertus campuses. As employees of a Skokie business, faculty are entitled to Skokie Public Library cards and should request access by contacting the Head Librarian. HTC is a member of the Reach Across Illinois Library System (RAILS), which opens the public libraries of suburban communities, as well as various libraries of public and private colleges and universities to HTC students and faculty. Students who live on the Chicago campus can also apply for Chicago Public Library cards, who have a reciprocal agreement with Evanston Public Library. Application forms are available in the library for Chicago Public Library cards.
Research Instruction
Librarians are available to visit classes to demonstrate the research process. They can collaborate with faculty to showcase resources, databases, evaluate bias, citation styles, etc. that support course objectives. They will customize lessons according to faculty’s requests. Class visits ensure that students are familiar with the expectations of college-level research and have the tools to apply this knowledge. It also provides an introduction to library staff and facilitates individualized meetings with librarians. Librarians offer meetings to students at their convenience as requested. To arrange a visit, faculty should contact the Head Librarian.
Course Reserves
Course Reserves of designated materials for students are able to be curated for faculty in the library. Material from either campus can be housed at the selected location for the semester. Faculty should contact the Head Librarian in advance of the semester to make these arrangements.
The Library and the Academic Program
The library is not simply a warehouse for books, but offers a set of services to support all patrons. Library resources are used by almost all students and faculty daily. Library staff work in close cooperation and collaboratively with all divisions and academic programs, as well as the student services staff, to ensure students have the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in their chosen professions and religious scholarship. Library staff are essential to developing these partnerships and meeting the needs of Hebrew Theological College. With growing online libraries available, patrons are increasingly using the computer and internet to access full-text books, journals, and media. Librarians have made it a priority to instruct faculty and students to use these valuable resources that can provide access to materials otherwise unavailable. While electronic resources are plentiful and growing, it is more important than ever to provide guidance in evaluating and understanding digital research resources.
The Saul Silber Memorial Library
The Saul Silber Memorial Library is the academic and research library supporting all programs of Hebrew Theological College. The Main Library is located on the third floor of the administration building. Divisional libraries are in the Beis Midrash building and the Blitstein Institute. These divisional libraries support the academic activities of those areas.
Library Mission
The Library's mission is to supply the information resources that support the mission of HTC and its academic programs and act as a research library in Judaica for the Jewish community and academic community at large. The Library also helps readers find resources available in other libraries or online. The Library provides patrons with access to current information and resources in print, as well as online media. The library takes an active role in helping students learn every day by providing the tools to help students and faculty achieve their academic, personal, and professional goals. Information, resources, and updates about the library are available on its website at http://htclibrary.weebly.com.
Library collections
I. Main Library
The Library collects the full spectrum of Jewish literature that support the academic programs and curriculum of HTC. The Library has acquired over 60,000 items that include books in Hebrew, English, and other languages, as well as archival material. The strongest areas of the collections are in Rabbinic literature (classical texts, their commentaries, and Rabbinic Responsa), Bible, Holocaust Studies, and Jewish history. The Library has a significant collection on the history of Jews in Chicago. The Library has approximately 8,000 volumes in its Liberal Arts and Sciences collection. These volumes cover all aspects of general education and support the College’s general studies programs. These items are housed in three different locations: Main Library, Chadar Iyun and the Blitstein Institute. The cataloged items can be accessed through the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC), which is available through the HTC website and the Library website.
The Main Library is open during the school year at select hours. The Blitstein Library is open for use year-round (except for Shabbat and holidays, religious and legal) from 9:00 am until midnight.
Collection Development
Faculty, administrators, and students are instrumental in the development of the Saul Silber Memorial Library collection. Materials are purchased to support the academic programs of the college, so faculty, with deep knowledge of their disciplines, are essential to acquiring new materials. Faculty should share suggestions of new materials with library staff, who will evaluate them based on their professional judgement and knowledge of the academic programs.
II. Beis Midrash and the Aron Friedman Chadar Iyun
The Beis Midrash (study hall) and Chadar Iyun (study/research room) collections were integrated into the Library system of Hebrew Theological College. The Beis Midrash, where students spend significant time studying independently or in small groups, houses volumes of Talmud, Jewish Law, and Bible, along with their commentaries and translations. The Aron Friedman Chadar Iyun, located in the Beis Midrash building, houses additional commentaries and responsa. The room also provides an inviting atmosphere, allowing for quiet research and study. These collections total approximately 4,500 volumes above and beyond those in the Main Library.
Library resources are used by almost all students and faculty daily. The Beis Midrash library is a non-traditional library. It is a study room with a reference collection with no formal circulation. Students and faculty often spend upwards of six hours a day in the room studying either independently, with partners or in small groups. The yeshiva style of learning puts a strong emphasis on Talmud. While students study together, they may raise questions that require further research. Since questions are a vital part of learning, almost everyone studying needs to consult books from the Library. The Library strives to keep the books that the readers need either in the Beis Midrash or the nearby Friedman Chadar Iyun. The room is also used for prayer services daily and on Shabbat and holidays. At these services, members of the community may come in and are likely to pick up a book from the collection to peruse or study in-depth.
III. Blitstein Institute for Women Library
The Blitstein Institute Library supports the academic programs of Blitstein Institute. Discipline specific collections have been developed, such as the Education and English collections, to support majors offered only at Blitstein. The Judaic collection is housed in the main library at Blitstein. The General Studies collection is housed in the Annex Room. The English collection is housed in Conference Room B. The Blitstein Institute Library serves as the heart of activity on campus. As the primary location for students to congregate, the library provides space for students to study, conduct independent scholarship, and engage in recreational activities. The library has arranged a variety of programs, including research instruction, guest lecturers, workshops, game nights, seminars, career panels, author visits, trips, book clubs, and more. Library staff also provide individualized meetings with students and faculty to provide support for all their research needs.
Circulation Policies
Students, faculty, and other HTC staff have full borrowing privileges. Materials are circulated at the Main Library using the Honor System. Materials are circulated at Blitstein by completing Loan Slips, which are available on the librarian’s desk. Patrons should include their name and the barcode on the Loan Slip. In general, materials circulate for the length of the semester, depending on the demand of the materials. Materials from both campuses can be sent between campuses upon request.
Electronic Resources
Due to HTC’s partnership with Touro University and College Systems, HTC has access to full-text electronic databases that support the Judaic and General Studies programs. Faculty and students can access the databases at http://htclibrary.weebly.com/research-databases.html. Faculty and students can obtain remote access to the databases by registering at https://accounts.tourolib.org/register using their assigned ID and email. This information is shared with faculty by email at the beginning of the semester. Library Staff has also curated a collection of research guides at http://htclibrary.weebly.com/research-guides.html. Library staff can also create customized resources to help prepare students for specific assignments based on faculty input.
Reciprocal Agreements
Hebrew Theological College maintains reciprocal agreements with Loyola University of Chicago and Spertus Institute of Judaic Studies Asher Library. A valid photo ID, along with an HTC ID, enable faculty and students to obtain library cards for these collections. HTC students and staff may also request access to computers and databases using their library cards on the Loyola or Spertus campuses. As employees of a Skokie business, faculty are entitled to Skokie Public Library cards and should request access by contacting the Head Librarian. HTC is a member of the Reach Across Illinois Library System (RAILS), which opens the public libraries of suburban communities, as well as various libraries of public and private colleges and universities to HTC students and faculty. Students who live on the Chicago campus can also apply for Chicago Public Library cards, who have a reciprocal agreement with Evanston Public Library. Application forms are available in the library for Chicago Public Library cards.
Research Instruction
Librarians are available to visit classes to demonstrate the research process. They can collaborate with faculty to showcase resources, databases, evaluate bias, citation styles, etc. that support course objectives. They will customize lessons according to faculty’s requests. Class visits ensure that students are familiar with the expectations of college-level research and have the tools to apply this knowledge. It also provides an introduction to library staff and facilitates individualized meetings with librarians. Librarians offer meetings to students at their convenience as requested. To arrange a visit, faculty should contact the Head Librarian.
Course Reserves
Course Reserves of designated materials for students are able to be curated for faculty in the library. Material from either campus can be housed at the selected location for the semester. Faculty should contact the Head Librarian in advance of the semester to make these arrangements.
The Library and the Academic Program
The library is not simply a warehouse for books, but offers a set of services to support all patrons. Library resources are used by almost all students and faculty daily. Library staff work in close cooperation and collaboratively with all divisions and academic programs, as well as the student services staff, to ensure students have the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in their chosen professions and religious scholarship. Library staff are essential to developing these partnerships and meeting the needs of Hebrew Theological College. With growing online libraries available, patrons are increasingly using the computer and internet to access full-text books, journals, and media. Librarians have made it a priority to instruct faculty and students to use these valuable resources that can provide access to materials otherwise unavailable. While electronic resources are plentiful and growing, it is more important than ever to provide guidance in evaluating and understanding digital research resources.