Library Notes for Academic Staff in the Faculty of Engineering
C O N T E N T S Introduction Contacting your Subject Librarians Joining the Library Using the Catalogue Borrowing Books Library Fines Ordering Books Reading Lists (Reading Lists) Short-Loan Collection One-Week Loan Collection Part-Time Loan Collection Offprints Journals Library Induction and Subject Classes Document Delivery Non-Book Media Photocopying Hours of Opening Databases Academic Reviews Help for Researchers Borrowing from Other Libraries: SCONUL RX Scheme Contact Details Engineering Subject Team Useful Telephone Numbers

This guide has been produced so that staff may receive the best possible service from the library in the University. In order to provide this service library staff need your assistance in co-operating with library procedures as set out below. Should you have any queries relating to any aspect of library provision please do not hesitate to contact Jim Fitzsimons or, in his absence, Mick Carragher in Jordanstown, Frank Reynolds in Coleraine or Lewis Childs in Magee. Your Subject Librarian (cross-campus) is available at ext. 66963 and e-mail at tj.fitzsimons@ulster.ac.uk. For full contact details of the Engineering Subject Team, click here.

To provide a focus for our activities in delivering an information service in Engineering, the Library's Engineering subject team have developed their own homepage at  http://library.ulster.ac.uk/eng This page has links to all the resources for the five schools in the Faculty, including:

Here you will find details of the resources and services available to the subject of Engineering including full contact details for the library support team.

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The catalogue serves all campuses of the university and lists all stock held on the four campuses. It is available on all PCs which have Internet access at http://library.ulster.ac.uk
Searching
Search using Author/Title option to find specific books or Keyword search to locate a general subject area in the library.  To search for journals use either the Title or Keyword options and run the search on the Journals collection.
Reserving
Books can be reserved online if the book you want is out on loan using the option displayed.  You will be notified by email when the book becomes available.
Renewing
It is also possible to check your Library Account via the Catalogue, i.e. current books on loan, reservations and fines. You can Renew your books from this screen providing no one else has placed reservations for your items.

If you have any difficulty using the library catalogue please ask a member of library staff for assistance.

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As a general rule all library books may be borrowed unless the letters "REF" appear above the class number on the spine label.  This refers to the item being for reference purposes only.  In Coleraine, reference books have a prefix '9' (Coleraine South library) or '7' (in Coleraine Central library).  Also in Coleraine, there is a further reference category with the status “For use in library only”.

Your University identification card is used for the purpose of borrowing books.  A bar-code label bearing your BORROWER NUMBER will be attached to the back of your identification card. Please bring this card with you to the Issue Desk when you wish to borrow books.

The borrowing period for staff is eight weeks for Standard loan books (one week if someone else requests it) and books on loan can be renewed for a further eight weeks (provided no one else has requested them).  One week loan books may only be borrowed for seven days. The number of books you can borrow at any one time is twenty-five.  If you have overdue books you will not be allowed further borrowing rights until overdue books are either returned, renewed or indeed any outstanding fines are settled (see below "Library Fines").

You may borrow books from all campuses on presentation of your ID card.

Inter-campus Loans
Should you wish to reserve a book that is on another campus please complete a "Reservation/Inter-Campus Loan" card.  These cards are available from all service points in the library. Completed cards should be left at the Issue Desk.

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Since February 1997, a system of fines for overdue material has been introduced. These fines apply equally to staff as students.  The penalties are as follows: 

It is important that you return material promptly to us and respond to any communications we send to you. Don’t forget – it is possible to renew your books online or by phone (tel. 028 9036 8530) and so avoid paying fines.

We are keen that you recommend books for the library to purchase.  We are particularly keen that books on reading lists given to students are ordered for the library well in advance of the date on which students will begin to use them, please allow at least two months.

Books can be recommended for purchase by completing the cards available for this purpose or by using the online equivalent at:

http://library.ulster.ac.uk/purchase/

"Recommendation for Purchase" cards are available from all service points in the library.  Please provide as much information as possible, as full bibliographical details will assist our Acquisitions Department to speed up the ordering process. The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is particularly important for the ordering process as this number identifies individual titles within the computerized ordering system.  All publishers' catalogues provide the ISBN as part of the bibliographical details of individual titles and the ISBN should be provided wherever possible. In addition please indicate the number of copies required for the library bearing in mind the number of students likely to use the title and the numbers of full and part-time students. The Sub-Librarian has the discretion to order multiple copies, although budgetary constraints will have priority.

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From our experience of reading lists and the difficulties students sometimes encounter when using them, may we make the following suggestions!

1. Before listing an item make sure that it is in the library and that there are sufficient copies.  Shelf mark numbers should be added to the reading list.

2. Check that the bibliographical details are correct and that you are listing it under the same heading as we list it in the catalogue.  

3. With authors' names single out the surname in some way (especially for the benefit of overseas students) and include at least the author's initials.

4. For journal articles underline the title of the journal.  Some students will not have seen such a reference before and mistake it for a book, proceeding to look in the book catalogue under the name of the author of the article.

5. It is best to write out the journal title in full the first time it appears on the list rather than use an abbreviation.

6. Dates, volume and page numbers are necessary to help save the students' time in locating the article.

7. If you have deposited material in the Short Loan or Part -Time Loan collections please indicate this on the reading list.  This includes items placed in the Short Loan collection as Offprints.

8. Please use a consistent method of citation. Guidelines for citation may be found at http://library.ulster.ac.uk/training/

Please do not hesitate to contact the library staff if you require advice on the preparation of your Reading Lists.

Resource List Database (TalisList)

The Library maintains a database of current reading lists which is available online for searching from the Library Homepage.  Existing reading lists containing references to books and journals may be enhanced to include links to electronic resources (e-journals, databases, relevant websites and past exam papers).  These reading lists may also be accessed through WebCT.  

We are keen that all current reading lists are made available in this way and would invite teaching staff to forward a copy (preferably in electronic form) of their reading lists to the relevant member of the Engineering library team. 

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The Short Loan Collection consists of books and other items which are required reading for students and are in heavy demand.  In order to make these items available to as many readers as possible, they are kept at the Issue Desk and are made available for loan for a four-hour period for use within the library only.  In Jordanstown LRC, the short loan collection is located in a 'walk-through' room behind the Issue Desk. Items may also be borrowed on overnight loan or over the weekend provided they are returned before 10am the next morning.  All items on Short Loan are indicated as such in the catalogue.

Staff who wish to place items on Short Loan should provide a list of such items to the Senior Library Assistant in charge of the Issue Desk on each campus. This should normally be done during the vacation period and lists should indicate the length of time an item should remain on Short Loan.  Please ensure that items for Short Loan are in stock.  If they are not in stock please order for the library indicating that the items are required for the Short Loan collection.

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The library has a One-Week Loan category in addition to the Short Loan collection in order to ensure that as many students as possible have access to books which are in heavy demand.  These books can be identified on the catalogue by the term One-Week Loan in the 'Loan' sequence.  In addition these books can be identified on the shelves by a BLUE DOT on the spine of the book, together with a BLUE DATE LABEL inside the book.  These books are shelved on the open shelves in the library.  If you wish to place any item on One Week Loan please contact any of the faculty subject team or any of the Issue Desk staff. We would advise you that if you place copies of items on short loan, additional copies should be purchased for One Week Loan.

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Part-time students are often at a disadvantage when trying to find the books they need.  In order to accommodate their particular needs the library has introduced a collection of books for use by part-time students only.  Books may be borrowed for one week at a time and they can be renewed once only by the usual methods (providing there are no reservations on the item/s). All items on Part-Time Loan are indicated as such in the catalogue. The Part-Time Loan collection is located behind the Issue Desk. Should you wish to place items on the Part-Time Loan collection please order additional copies of the books for either standard or one-week loan.

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A facility exists in the Short Loan collection for a copy of an article from a journal to be held as an offprint. Offprints are available for loan from the Issue Desk and are for use in the library only. They are accessed via the library catalogue using Author/Title search or Author search (i.e. using the name of the lecturer who placed them on Short Loan).

All staff must adhere to the copyright legislation and as such only one copy of any item can be held as an Offprint. The source of reference of the article is also required by the legislation and must be provided by the lecturer.

Items for the Offprint collection should be given to the staff at the Issue Desk who will then arrange for the material to be added to the collection pending copyright clearance.  Offprints are normally added to the catalogue within at least one week.  However should there be a delay in the process a record of the file will be kept at the Issue Desk until the information appears in the catalogue.

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The Library subscribes to over two thousand printed journals. Increasingly we are subscribing to online journals, and there are approximately 15,000 titles available via the Web. The list of subscriptions is normally renewed every year during the month of October. Cancellations and new subscriptions are also made at this time. If you wish to recommend a new title for the library to subscribe to, please forward the following details to the subject librarian, the exact title, ISSN, price, publisher and address. Given budgetary constraints we cannot guarantee that proposals for new subscriptions will be processed.  However, the likelihood of a new subscription being accepted will be enhanced by the release of funds from a cancellation of an existing subscription of similar monetary value. Any proposed cancellations will have to be agreed by all relevant staff on the campus concerned. Preference is given to journals that are available online, if possible.

Should a new course be developed, please discuss journals provision with the subject librarian in order that an approach for additional funding may be made to the Director of the Information Services Department.  A review of the journal provision within the library is carried out on a regular basis.  We do appreciate the co-operation given by staff during the period of these reviews.

Journals are not available for loan.  However, there is provision for staff only to borrow journal and reference material for short periods only under very exceptional circumstances. The subject librarian or any member of staff will arrange this on request when necessary. Journal titles are accessed from the library catalogue using Title search and specifying “Journals” from the options below.

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If students are to make full use of the library's resources, they need to be given an introduction to the services we offer and to be taught some of the techniques necessary for finding the material they require for their coursework.  At the start of each semester, a joint library/IT induction programme is organised for new students which comprises either a short presentation or a brief tour of the library during specified sessions at the beginning of the first semester.  These students are also given an introductory guide outlining key services the library offers. All staff will be notified of the dates and times of these tours before the start of the semester.  For the scheme to reach as many students as possible we ask for your co-operation in encouraging new students to participate.  During the rest of the academic year introductory tours of the library for new students can be arranged by contacting the subject librarian or any member of staff.

The Engineering team will deliver classes and workshops on Information Skills to your students. These can be tailored to specific subject areas and should be arranged well in advance of the date required.  The Library also subscribes to RefWorks which is a bibliographic management software package and training can also be provided to staff and students on the use of this software.

These sessions can be delivered either in your classroom or lecture theatre or alternatively can be held in the library.  To arrange a class please contact any member of the Engineering team.

Similar sessions are also arranged for academic staff and research students, either on an individual or group basis .  If you would like to brush up on your information skills and keep in touch with the new developments in the Library, please contact us to arrange a time. The Engineering team arrange regular seminars to update academic staff on new developments within the Library. Please try to attend these, they are the ideal opportunity to keep up-to-date and to let us know what you think of Library services.

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University staff are able to use the document delivery service (formerly the inter-library loan service) to obtain material not held in any of the campus libraries that is necessary for their research and that they cannot reasonably be expected to consult by any other means. Request forms are available at the various service points in the library or by using the online equivalent available from the Borrower Info page of the library catalogue.  Staff are permitted up to eight requests per week (this may change due to financial limitations).  For further information please contact a member of Issue Desk staff.

Most requests for document delivery loans are satisfied within approximately one week though you should always allow up to three weeks.  Also each time we obtain something for you it costs the library a minimum of £6.00.  Money spent on document delivery loans is money that is not available for the permanent acquisition of library stock.  The system of allocation of loans is always under review and staff will be notified directly of any changes when they occur.

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In the Jordanstown Learning Resource Centre (LRC), there is a wide collection of material in various formats i.e. slides, DVDs, videos, microfilm, CDs etc., relevant to many of the University's courses. These items are situated on the top floor of the library along with relevant equipment for their use. Most of the material is available for loan.  Recommendations for purchase for the Non-Book Media Collection can be forwarded to the subject librarian.

Off -Air Recording of television programs is available by contacting the subject librarian in advance with the relevant details.

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The use of photocopiers for the purpose of photocopying library material is available on all the campus libraries.  All of the photocopiers are card-operated.  Please note that there are no Departmental photocopy cards held by the Library.

The Copyright Act as it relates to photocopying is to be strictly adhered to in the library.  It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the law, however it may be useful to be aware of the following points.

You may ONLY copy:

• Library material

• a single copy of each item

• One article from a journal issue

• 5% or one chapter from a copyright work.

For further information on copyright issues please see the following library web pages:http://library.ulster.ac.uk/info/copyright.htm

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CLOSING PROCEDURE:

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There is a wide range of information sources accessible via the library homepage on the University’s web pages.  Simply locate the library homepage http://library.ulster.ac.uk/ and click on Databases. Here you will find an A to Z listing of all the databases we subscribe to. Alternatively, you can access a list of Engineering specific databases here. As we now subscribe to over 400 databases, the most important electronic resources for each subject area are highlighted within each school. See here for more details.

All of the above are available on networked University PCs. Certain requirements are necessary to operate some of these databases.  Netscape 4.00 /Internet Explorer 5.00 or greater is needed as well as an ICA Browser Plug-in and a recent version of the Adobe Acrobat Reader.  All Library PCs and IT Labs have these software already loaded.  Further details can be found on the Electronic Information Services page at: http://library.ulster.ac.uk/electronic/newuser.htm

Paper abstracts and indexes:
Staff should remember that not all information is held electronically and that the library has several paper-based sets of abstracts and indexes to journals. Examples at Jordanstown include:

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Staff involved in academic reviews are asked to arrange a meeting with the Faculty Librarian well in advance of the proposed assessment, the earlier the better. This is to ensure that library resource and service provision for the particular subject area is comprehensive and up to date. Areas of concern should be: sufficient book stock; types of loan period; number of copies; range of databases available; documentation for these; general library guides, specific subject guides; provision of classes on database use; journal subscriptions.  The Faculty Librarian will be happy to discuss any concerns academic staff may have in this area.

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SCONUL Research Extra is a nationwide scheme which allows academic staff and research students (PhD, MPhil or similar) to borrow books from the libraries of 130 higher education institutions in the UK and Ireland.  To join the scheme, you will need to obtain an application form from the Issue Desk in any of our campus libraries.

Certain criteria are necessary before acceptance on the scheme. Applicants must be in good standing with the library i.e. no overdue books or outstanding fines. Library staff will take the completed form and process it for you.  Cards are valid for one year from the date of issue and must be renewed annually. For more informatio, click here.

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From the library homepage in the section Contact Details, you will be able to use the following online forms:

• Subject Enquiry

• Comments and Suggestions on Library Services

• Contacting Library staff

• Comments on Web pages

• Online ‘Recommendation for Purchase’ form

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If you require advice or guidance in finding information please ask the Library staff. Contact details of the members of the Engineering subject team are given below.

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