The Center maintains a lending library containing thousands of books, audio CDs, video DVDs, magazines, and journals for patrons to explore the classical teachings of the mystics from all the world's religious traditions.

Library Hours and Location

For library days and times, please refer to the CSS events calendar, which also includes closure dates, location, and map.

Online Catalog

Our library collection can be searched for in our online catalog. One third of our books, our complete dvd collection and some audio recordings are listed in the online catalog. You can use the Inquire Button located on the Detail Page of each item in the catalog to request that item or ask for similar items by that author or on that topic that may not be cataloged yet. You can alternatively check out or inquiry about library materials using the library materials request form.

Library News

See the CSS Library Blog for reviews and new additions to the library.

New! Request Items for Pick-up!

The Library now provides a contactless pickup service for all borrowers who have current Library borrowing accounts. Items in our circulating collection are eligible for request. Please search for items and request checkout using the online catalog or the library materials request form. Pulling and preparing your items may take us a couple of days. 

Steps for contactless Pickup of Library items
• Find the book or recording you want in the catalog and click on the title to go to the detail page.
• Click on the blue Ask About This button at the bottom right of the item detail page. Provide your name and email and any comments about your request.  
• Note: We have many items in the collection that are not yet in the online catalog.  The request process is similar, look for your item and if you don’t find an exact match, pick an item with the same author or topic to what you are looking for, click the title to go to the detail page, click the Ask About This button and after entering your name and email, use the comment box to describe your request and provide a phone number.  

Sample comments:  (I’d like this book and two others by the same author:  title, title, or topic, topic)  (Instead of this item, I’m looking for …….)
• After clicking “confirm” you will receive an automatic email notification.
• Pulling and preparing your items may take several days. You will be notified by email when the items are available for pickup. 
• Once you receive an email confirmation that your items are ready for pickup, come to the parking lot at 5440 Saratoga Street. Contactless pickup is staffed ONLY during the times listed on our event calendar excluding holidays. Items will be held for 20 days.  
    • Please don’t come if you are ill or have any symptoms, call or email and we’ll extend the hold on your items.
    • When you exit your car please wear a mask.
    • When you arrive, please come to the glass door so the Library staff sees that you have arrived, or you can call 541-345-0102. They will come to the door to place your items on a table.
   • Signage will be posted to remind you to stand 6 feet apart from others when waiting to pick up your items. • We’ll have a Browsing Bench set up at least 6 feet from the pickup table where you can wait if you have a same day request, or you’d like to browse some items we’ve pulled for you before checking them out.  Please be mindful of others as you use this space.  Same day requests will be honored as time allows.

Steps for contactless Dropoff of Library items
Items borrowed from the Library’s collection may be returned at the same place where contactless pickups happen.
   • When you are ready to return your library loans, check the EVENT CALENDAR to find the next pickup/dropoff event, come to the table outside the library at 5440 Saratoga St. Contactless dropoff is staffed ONLY during the hours posted on our event calendar.
   • When you arrive at the parking lot to drop-off your items, please come to the glass door so the Library staff sees that you have arrived. Place the items to be returned in the box, and library staff will gather them.
   • Signage will be posted to remind you to stand 6 feet apart from others when waiting to pick up your items.

Renew your library items online!

To request a renewal of your checked out item, click here.

Submit a Review of a Library Item

You are invited to write and submit original reviews of books, videos, and audios that are part of the CSS Library collection. For some advice on getting started with writing a review, see the page writing a review. When you are ready to submit your review, simply fill out the online review submission form.

Membership

For a small annual fee ($10/yr.), anyone may apply for library borrowing privileges. To become a library patron, please visit in person and consult with one of our librarians. CSS Membership includes library borrowing privileges.

Supporting the Library

Other than a small annual user fee for non-CSS members, there is no charge for borrowing books, audios, and videos from the Center library.

If the Center library is of value to you, please consider a donation to our library acquisition fund, helping expand the books, audios, and videos available in our lending library:

 

The Center also welcomes donations of used books of any kind, or new books you may select from the Center Library's Top Wished For Items at Amazon.com.

Or, simply by following this link to Amazon.com, a portion of the sale of any item you purchase for yourself will help the Center add books to our lending library.
 

Contacting the Library

Library patrons may contact the library staff throught the renewal link above, or by writing to

Center for Sacred Sciences
1430 Willamette St. #164
Eugene, OR 97401-4049
USA

or by leaving a message at (541) 345-0102. 

Library Staff Blog.

Pin It