For students and community members looking to avoid the trek across campus, Penn State’s libraries have introduced a new off-campus option to pick up and return borrowed materials.

Located at Library Annex II near the CATA Bus Depot in Cato Park, the new service site offers a more accessible alternative for those living, working, or commuting outside of campus. The facility allows users to pick up requested items during weekday hours, while a 24/7 outdoor return bin provides added flexibility for dropping off materials at any time.

According to Annex manager Verne Neff, the new location was designed to expand convenience without requiring additional infrastructure.

“We have opened this new service location to give off-campus students, faculty, staff, and local residents an easy-access location to pick up and return books,” Neff said in a release. “We realized we had an opportunity to use one of our existing facilities to add an alternative pickup and return location for our library users who may otherwise find coming to Pattee and Paterno or our branch libraries less convenient.”

Pickup hours at the Annex run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Visitors can access the building during those times by using a doorbell at the front entrance to request staff assistance.

The service is available to Penn State students, faculty, and staff, as well as Pennsylvania residents. A valid Penn State ID or a resident borrower’s card is required to check out materials.

Community members interested in borrowing privileges can register by first creating a Penn State account, which allows users to track borrowed items and access certain digital resources on-site at libraries across the university. After account confirmation, residents can complete registration in person at any Penn State library by presenting their account ID along with a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license or state-issued ID.

To use the new pickup location, library users can request materials through the library’s website using the “I Want It” feature. During checkout, users should select “Cato Park Library Annex II, 3110 Research Dr., State College, PA” as their preferred pickup site. Once materials arrive, users will receive an email notification confirming availability.

With expanded access and a more commuter-friendly location, the new Annex service aims to make borrowing from Penn State Libraries easier than ever — no walk through the stacks required