11.2.2. Public access to libraries

Middle East Technical University (METU) provides structured public access to its central library, physical book collections, reference guidance services, and digital repositories for external researchers, protocol institutions, and the general public. While physical library access and borrowing rights are provided upon formal institutional application and protocol agreements, METU’s digital research outputs, open course materials, thesis repositories, and cultural archives are permanently accessible worldwide under the OpenMETU Open Science Policy.

1. Physical Library Access & External Borrowing Rules

METU Library is open to external researchers, visiting scholars, and students from other universities upon administrative application via the Electronic Document Management System (EBYS) or inter-institutional protocols. Reference librarians provide professional guidance on navigating campus collections.

Uniquely among public higher education institutions, METU grants formal book borrowing privileges to external public users (Protokol - Dış Kullanıcı), codified within the official Library Lending Regulations:

• External User Borrowing Rights (Protokol - Dış Kullanıcı):
• External researchers are granted a long-term borrowing quota of up to 5 books at a time.
• The standard allowed borrowing duration for external users is 30 days.
• External users are entitled to 1 renewal to extend their borrowing period.
• Book reservation/hold requests are not available for this user category.
• To maintain active borrowing privileges, the protocol must be renewed 3 times per year, with the active protocol period registered directly into the library automation system.

3. Open Science, Digital Repositories, and Public Knowledge Sharing

Guided by Higher Education Law No. 2547 (Articles 4/c and 12/c) and the YÖK Model Open Science Policy, METU actively shares its academic and cultural heritage with society:

• OpenMETU Institutional Repository (open.metu.edu.tr): Provides global, barrier-free public access to all scientific articles, open courseware, research data, and electronic graduate theses produced by METU members.
• ODTÜ BELLEK Digital Collection: A public digital archive safeguarding and presenting METU’s institutional memory, historical visual/audio records, and written documents since its establishment.
• Open Science Commitment: METU believes that open access enhances transparency, fosters innovation, and encourages public engagement with scientific research.

https://lib2.metu.edu.tr/ek/help/odunc_verme_kurallari.pdf

https://lib.metu.edu.tr/en