Everyone knows TLU’s Blumberg Memorial Library is the place to go for research materials. But they may not realize that it’s also a Book Toker’s paradise, a Bookstagram-worthy destination, and a trusted source of bibliotherapy—a haven, where you can tuck in and chip away at your TBR list and check out everything from the latest bestselling romance to that thriller you’ve read a million times but forgot to bring to campus.
“While much of our print collection consists of informational resources you might use for projects and research, we have a lot of other stuff too!” says Technical Systems/E-Resources Librarian Nate Aubin. “At the TLU library, you'll find fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, etc.), graphic novels (including manga and manhwa), and even tabletop games and roleplaying manuals for popular systems like Dungeons and Dragons and Call of Cthulhu.”
Not an expert on finding books using the Library of Congress classification system? No worries! TLU Librarian Rebecca Dillen created a fantastic guide to finding leisure reading books at Blumberg.
But say you’re browsing the collection and it turns out the book you’re looking for isn’t there? “If you're looking for a book that the TLU library doesn't have, we're happy to borrow it from another library!” says Aubin. “Through ILL (interlibrary loan), books are shipped to us and made available for students and faculty to pick up right at the front desk. We have ILL partners all over the country, so we can get a copy of almost any book that's currently in print.”
Sure, there may be occasional exceptions with bestsellers that are still hot off the presses—since other libraries typically reserve those for their own patrons first—or older, more obscure, or rare texts with fewer copies in existence. “Feel free to ask us for anything, though, and we're always glad to see if we can get ahold of it for you,” says Aubin, adding that turnaround times on ILL vary based on where the materials are being shipped from, but most books arrive within a week or two. “If users are requesting a digital resource like a PDF of a scholarly article, most arrive in one to three days.”
Another insider’s tip for book lovers: All active TLU students, faculty, and staff are eligible for free library cards from Seguin Public Library. “They have an awesome collection of books, movies, eBooks, audiobooks, and more that’s definitely worth checking out,” says Aubin.
Now is a great time to stop by Blumberg to check out those cozy holiday reads—the kind you’ll want to escape into during study breaks to ease final exam stress or read over the holiday when you actually have some free time on your hands. “Right now, we have a great holiday display up with seasonal favorite books and movies,” says Aubin. “Anyone who's in the mood for a holiday book or movie can check it out right by our front desk.”
To learn more and search out your next great read from the comfort of your own home, check out the library’s website and catalog, right here: https://libguides.tlu.edu/home.
The library is open 7:30 a.m.–9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. on Fridays, and 2–9 p.m. on Sundays. Get in and check your books out soon, because they close over the Christmas holiday. See the full schedule here: https://libguides.tlu.edu/hours.