BEACON Express Guide: Borrow, Renew, or Recall Books

Ebooks

• Most electronic books in the JPL Library collection allow for downloads of chapters in PDF format.
• Ebooks can be found in the JPL collection are listed here.

Print Books:

Modified procedures during the pandemic period (August 2021):

For those who are working on Lab, you may visit the library in Building 111 to check out books. Please email library@jpl.nasa.gov either a picture of the barcode inside the book, or type out the barcode if you prefer, for any books you take from the library collection.

Please see the Guide to Borrowing Books by Mail if you wish to checkout a book and have it delivered to your home address by mail.

In Person

• Search the BEACON catalog and find the book(s) you need

• Write down the Call Number, for example TL789.85 .E1B37 2016
  

• Visit the HUB (111-104)

• Print books are shelved in the Books wing on the west side of the Hub

• Bring the book to the Library Services Desk and we will check it out to you

Online

• Submit a request through BEACON Express, our Document Delivery Service
  • Items can be either held for pick up at the Library Services Desk or sent your mail-stop

Email/Phone

• You can also email the Library Services Desk, or call x4-4200, to have us check on the availability of a book for you

Returning a Borrowed Book

• Books may be returned at the Library Services Desk in the HUB (111-104), or
• Sent back via Lab Mail to:
  • Library Services Desk M/S 111-113

Renew

For books from the JPL Library collection:

• You can renew them yourself via your BEACON Express account (as long as no one else has recalled them and they aren't already overdue).
• Or contact the Library Services Desk:
  • library@jpl.nasa.gov
  • 4-4200

For books borrowed from another library via BEACON Express:

• Contact the Library Services Desk 4-4200
• The lending library approves or denies renewals and sets the renewal period; we will contact them for you

Recall

If a book you want is checked out by another user, you can issue a "recall" to let that person know that someone else wants that book, and please return it to the Library. Following are ways to issue a recall.

• Online
  • After clicking on the item, select Request Item
    
  • You will be redirected to BEACON Express
  • Login into BEACON Express
  • A new Book request form will automatically open and populate with the item information. Verify the accuracy and Submit
• Email
  • Email library@jpl.nasa.gov with the book information of the title you need and delivery preference: Hold for pickup or send to mailstop. Library staff will recall the book for you
• Phone
  • 4-4200
• Policies
  • ​If the book cannot be retrieved from the person who borrowed it within a reasonable period of time, we will borrow a copy for you via interlibrary loan
  • If a borrower does not return a recalled book after three notices from the Library, we will contact the borrower's manager to obtain a Project Task Number, in which to charge the purchase of a replacement copy of the book

For additional information about any JPL Library resources and services please contact us:

1. Slack #help-library
2. Email: library@jpl.nasa.gov
3. Phone: 818-354-4200
4. Visit Building 111, Room 104 (the HUB) at JPL: 24/7 access with badge