Category Archives: Borrowing

Borrowing Books Over the Easter Vacation

Posted on by

With exams looming on the horizon, the Easter holidays are a good time to take breath and take stock before the Summer Term starts. It’s also a good opportunity to catch up with your reading – so why not stock up for the holidays safe in the knowledge that you won’t have to return or renew them until the start of term.

Our extended Easter vacation loan period begins next Monday, 18th March. All books borrowed from the Library or renewed after this date will be issued until the following dates for the following users:

  • Undergraduate Long Loan and Week Loan books will be due for return on the 1st May.
  • Undergraduate Finalist & Postgraduate Long Loan and Week Loan books will be due for return on the 3rd May.
  • Staff and Researcher Week Loan books will be issued until the 3rd May.
  • External & Alumni loans will continue on a 4-week rolling basis.

You’ll be pleased to hear that we do not recall books over the Easter Vacation. The last Recall notices will be sent out on Monday 18th March and recalls will restart on 29th April.

However, please be aware that any books issued from the Hold shelf that still have outstanding requests on them, will still only issue for One Week, so take care to check your receipt when borrowing.

Have Your Say! Library Focus Group

Posted on by

At the Library we pride ourselves on our openness to feedback, comments, and, when necessary, criticism. And thanks to you, we’ve made a number of changes to the ways we can help you get the best out of your studies.

From improvements to wifi coverage and IT facilities to loan recalls during vacations, to extended opening hours, you’ve told us what you’d like – and we’ve listened.

We’d like your help to help us help you again! We’re running a Library Focus Group on Wednesday 13th March at 12.15pm in Library Seminar Room 1 to get your feedback about how we’re doing. We’re open to discussion on any subject related to the Library – our resources, study spaces, skills support, anything you like.

By way of an added incentive, we’re throwing in a free lunch as well!

If you are interested in attending, please email library@lboro.ac.uk to register.

We look forward to seeing you – and hearing your ideas.

Inter-Library Loan Service Over the Christmas Vacation

Posted on by

The University Library will close on Friday 21st December 2018 and will re-open on Wednesday 2nd January 2019. Because of this and because of the probable delays to the post during the Christmas period, the Inter-Library Loan service will be temporarily suspended from Monday 17th December 2018 onward.

Any Inter-Library Loan or document supply request that we receive on or after Monday 17th December 2018 will not be ordered until Wednesday 2nd January 2019.

If you wish us to order something for you from another library before Christmas, please request it by Sunday 16th December at the latest.

Borrowing Books Over the Christmas Vacation

Posted on by

With Christmas and the end of term looming, we’ve already received several enquiries asking when our Christmas vacation loan period begins.

From Friday 7th December all Long, Week Loan and Leisure Reading books borrowed or renewed can be kept over the Christmas vacation.

1st & 2nd Year Undergraduate loans will then be due back on Wednesday 9th January.

Finalist & Postgraduate loans will be due back on Friday 11th January.

Book recalls will also be suspended from Friday 7th December, resuming again on 4th January, meaning as usual we will NOT be recalling books over the Christmas vacation, although please note that any books requested & borrowed from our Hold shelves with outstanding requests on them will still only issue for one week.

Take Something Horrible Home This Halloween!

Posted on by

Trick or treating not your thing? Then why not experience the spooky season from the comfort of your armchair by taking a dip into our very own Twilight Zone of horror & the supernatural here in the Library… if you dare!

We have an ever-expanding stock of horror novels among our Leisure Reading collection upstairs on Level 4, including Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Iain Banks, as well as graphic novels such as Alan Moore’s From Hell and the first book in the ever-popular Walking Dead series, as well as a wide selection of more classic spine-chillers downstairs in our literature section on Level 2 including Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and a wide range of classic supernatural tales by M.R. James, H.P. Lovecraft and Algernon Blackwood.

If your taste for the macabre is more visual than textual, then we have a comprehensive selection of books exploring every aspect of the horror genre on the big (and small) screen among our cinema & television collection down in the 791 section on Level 2, ranging from Alfred Hitchcock to Hannibal Lecter and Dr Jekyll to Dr Who.

Don’t forget that you can also explore the cobwebbed vaults of the British Film Institute and Box of Broadcasts (BoB) online if you’re looking for something creepy to watch… just don’t watch it alone!

While You’ve Been Away… Changes in the Library Over the Summer

Posted on by

A warm welcome back to all of our returning students! As usual we haven’t been resting on our laurels during the long summer break, and we’ve made a few changes since June…

Single Sign On. Over the summer we’ve begun work on streamlining access to our electronic resources by moving away from Athens authentication to a single sign on process using the University username & password. The project is ongoing and so you need to be aware that there are:

  • Some resources which have moved from Athens log in to Single sign on
  • Some resources are in progress
  • Some resources are still Athens authenticated.
  • You can keep up to date on developments through our news link here.

Self Collection of Hold Requests. We have started storing hold requests on the shelves in the High Demand section on Level 3 so that users can collect them and issue them without having to ask for them at the main desk. This only applies to our stock – Inter Library Loans will still be stored in the office behind the desk.

It’s very easy to use – books can be found in alphabetical order on the shelves filed under the first three letters of the user’s surname and the last three numbers of their ID. For example, our own Matt Cunningham would be CUN331. Where a user only has two letters in their surname, just use those two letters followed by the last 3 digits of their ID number.

New Decor. All the old workstation desks on Levels 1 & 2 have been replaced with new ones. We’ve added plasma screens displaying booking details outside of every Group Study Room in the Library, and the Help Desk on Level 4 has been removed to expand the study area.

Wifi Upgrade. IT Services completed their upgrade of the Wifi coverage throughout the building, so hopefully you won’t encounter any more dead spots!

Oh yes – and as you can see from the picture above, we had the Red Arrows fly over for the Graduation Ceremony. As the old police recruitment poster used to say – “Dull it isn’t!”

Welcome to the Library

Posted on by

So, you’ve made it to Loughborough – congratulations! At the University Library we take great pride in how we support all our new users – if you ever have a question about how we can support you, ask one of our friendly staff.

As a new student you are automatically enrolled as a member of the Library. your student ID card is also your Library card. Don’t lose it as you need to swipe in through the barriers to enter the Library and to use our self-service machines to borrow your books.

Getting the most of out of your Library

Academic Librarians will be out in the schools during induction week – look out for the Library session in your timetable. You don’t have to wait for the session to use us though – feel free to pop in when you arrive and have a look round, or just come along to one of the quick library tours & induction sessions we’re running over the first week of term.

We’ve also set up a dedicated web page for new starters full of handy tips about how to use the library and get the best out of us. Check it out here – http://www.lboro.ac.uk/services/library/students/about/welcome/

Get the Know How Library workshops

During the autumn term Library staff will be running workshops offering helpful guidance on a wide variety of academic practices including essay writing, note taking, time management and presentation skills. You can find more information about these workshops on our webpages.

Using the Library

Enquiry Desks

The Library offers an Enquiry Desk Service across all levels of the Library during standard office hours (Monday – Friday 9AM to 5:30PM).  User Services staff will be able to help you with most of your enquiries and if necessary will refer you to a colleague with more specialist knowledge.

The Enquiry Desks are staffed by a smaller team of Library staff until 10pm on weekdays, and throughout opening hours on Saturday and Sunday. The staff will be able to help you with most of your enquiries but may need to refer you to a daytime member of staff for detailed assistance.

Finding Information

For specialised help in finding information in your subject area, each School has its own Academic Librarian to offer support and guidance.

Academic librarians are available to assist all University staff and students to find and use information resources effectively, develop library collections to meet your needs and to be your contact point for any information related enquiry.  They have all developed expertise in the subject areas of their Schools and are very happy to help.

Study Spaces

The Library has a range of different study spaces, from silent and quiet spaces to group and social areas. There are also a number of spaces that you can book online including grpup study rooms, bookable booths on Level 4 and individual study carrels on Levels 1 & 2 . Ask at the Enquiry Desk to be shown how to book these rooms yourself.

IT Facilities

There are 250 PCs (excluding those dedicated to accessing Library Catalogue Plus) available in the Library with the majority of these located on Levels 3 & 4. The Library also has a wireless network throughout the building, enabling users to connect to the University’s network from their laptops.

The Library provides basic A4/A3 monochrome and colour printing/copying facilities. Before being able to print or copy you will need to purchase printer credits. You can pay for this at the main Enquiry Desk on Level 3 of the Library.

PC Clinic

The Student PC Clinic is now situated on Level 3 of the Library and is available to help with any IT queries you may have. It is staffed during standard office hours through until 6PM (Monday – Friday) and is open 12pm-2pm at weekends.

Library Café & Shop

We have a café situated on Level 3 which is one of the most popular on campus, not least of all because of their amazing breakfast cobs – as Library staff will testify! We also have a small shop situated near the entrance which sells a variety of snacks, stationary and basic essentials.

Leisure Reading

Here at the Library we’re championing leisure reading! Why? Well, not only is reading for pleasure a great mood enhancer, it’s also strongly linked to academic achievement. So, if you want to give your grades a boost, why not come and browse our dedicated Leisure Reading Collection? The Collection comprises a broad range of genres including contemporary fiction, graphic novel, biography, memoir, crime, fantasy, horror and science fiction – something to suit all tastes!

… And of course, look out for our favorite feline, Charlie the Cat. Your Loughborough experience isn’t truly complete until you’ve had a selfie with him!

Staff & Researchers Book Renewals

Posted on by

The due dates for all books borrowed or renewed by University Staff and Researchers can now be extended to 8th February 2019. Due dates for all books borrowed or renewed by Undergraduates and Postgraduates remains the same (3rd October and 5th October respectively).

Please note that all books are still subject to recall, so remember to check your emails regularly.

All IT Services Unavailable on Wednesday 11th July, 3pm to Midnight

Posted on by

The University is investing £1.3M on upgrading essential IT infrastructure, resulting in temporary downtime of all IT facilities across campus from 3pm on Wednesday 11th July. All University IT Systems will be unavailable during this upgrade, including telephones and printers.

The upgrade has an expected finish time of midnight, though services should also be considered as at risk the following day.

This upgrade will effect the Library considerably, as it will mean that there will be no IT access or provision at all once the work begins. As well as the printer and telephone networks across campus, the Library housekeeping system and Library Catalogue Plus will be unavailable as well.

In light of this, we have taken the decision to close the Library at 5.30pm on Wednesday July 11th instead of our usual later 8pm closing time. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

For further information, help and advice about the upgrade, please visit the IT Services website – http://www.lboro.ac.uk/services/it/staff/status/ – or alternatively contact the IT Service Desk via IT.Services@lboro.ac.uk.