ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BELFASTONLINE LIBRARY TOUR

Outside the Foyer, you’ll find the book bin. Use this for returning books when the

library isn’t open.

We’re at the rear of the college- just upstairs from the canteen and resources department.

Where we are:

Photocopiers

In the library foyerWe have 3 copiersThey’re card operatedThey can print double sided- ask our staff to show you!

There’s a machine for

topping up your print credit…

…and one for buying copy cards

to use with the photocopiers.

Inside the Library: The OPACs

The OPACs (Online Public Access

Catalogue) are just inside the library

doors.

This is where you’ll find the shelf mark

for material you want to borrow.

You can get access to the catalogue from any PC. Go to www.smucb.ac.uk

, and follow the links for Academic > Library > Library

Catalogue.

How to use the catalogue

To perform a basic search on the OPAC, just

enter the author’s second name, and the first word or two of the

title of the book you want, and click

“search”.

Click on the title you want to borrow.

Details of the item are up top. The “shelfmark”

is the code used to identify the book you want. You’ll need to

write the whole thing down.

The “Loan Type” tells you how long you can borrow an item for, and will tell

you where the item is to be found in the library.

The “availability” tells you when a copy of each type will

become available.

“Copies” and “Loans” tell you how many copies there are for that Loan Type, and how many

of those copies are on loan.

Loan types

We have 3 main loan types:

Main Stock- Can be borrowed for 3 weeks at a time.

1 Week Loans- Borrowable for 7 days at a time.

Consultation- Can be borrowed for 3 hours at a time.

You get them from different areas of the library.

The next part of the guide shows you where to get them, but if you are having trouble

finding something, just ask a member of staff.

The Issue Desk

This is the issue desk.

Please queue here to borrow, renew or return books.

You must have your student card

to borrow.

You also come here for “Consultation” items, exam past papers, “Offprints.” All of these are available for a 3 hour loan period.

You can also borrow one of the library’s 20 laptops, available for use in the library for up to 4 hours.

One-week loans

Facing the issue desk are the One Week

Loans.

You can only borrow 3 of these at a time,

for a week each… but they can be renewed just like other books.

All one week loans should have a sticker to identify them as

such.

The Stacks

These bookshelves hold the Main loan books. They

can be borrowed for 3 weeks. At the end of each

row, there is a shelf guide.

It tells you what type of books are on that

row.

If you’re having trouble finding something though, just ask!

Numbers 001-699 are downstairs, 700-999 are

upstairs.

The Help Desk

Stressed?Lost?

What’s an “offprint?”

How do I reserve a

book?

I can’t use the library catalogue

thing!

How do I access e-journals? What *is* an e-journal?

I want to book a study room so I can

work with my friends!

I don’t know how to get at

the online resources!

I can’t find this stupid book on

the shelves!

I can’t find *anything* about my dissertatio

n topic!

I DON’T KNOW

WHERE TO START

WITH THIS ASSIGNME

NT!!!

Don’t panic…

If you’re having any trouble using the library, want some pointers on how to get the

most out of your assignments, or just need to book a study room, come and talk to our

staff at the help desk.

You’ll also notice that some of the things on the catalogues

have prefixes to their shelfmarks, like P/ or F/ or M/. Staff at the help desk can help

you find these sections.

Study Room

Next to the study room, we have the oversized

material.

If your book reference has an F/ in front of it, it’s likely to be here.

If you need to work on a project with people, you can book one of two study rooms in the library. The ground floor

study room has a computer and a projector.

Journals

We have a small

collection of print journals, located just behind the

main stairwell.

They’re arranged

alphabetically by title.

The current issue is on the shelf.

Lift the shelf and push it back for the

previous year’s issues!

You can take them out to photocopy, by filling in a form at the

issue desk. Older issues are upstairs. We also have more than 4000 e-journals. Ask at the help

desk, and we’ll show you how to get at them.

Computers

We have plenty of computers for you to use. They can be

found throughout the library, and there are 20 laptops

available at the issue desk for use in the library.

We have 2 student printers. Make sure you print to the library!

The printer downstairs is black and white, and is called HP4200N_Library.

The upstairs printer can print colour (at 15p/page), single and double sided.

It’s called Dell5110_Lib.

Upper Floor

At the top of the stairs, to the right, you’ll see

older issues of journals.

To the left, there are some computers.

The library office is staffed for most of the day. Don’t be afraid to

ask here for help.

The Upstairs Stacks

“Main” books with shelf numbers 700-999 are

found upstairs.

If you’re studying Arts, English, Geography or History, expect to spend some time up here over the course of

your degree!

You’ll also find teaching practice

material at the back, along with media items

like DVDs.

Our Regulations

Noise

Please respect your fellow students- do your talking outside

the library.

If you do talk, you’ll be asked to keep

quiet by a member of staff.

Phones

Keep your phone on silent while in the

library.

Don’t answer or make calls.

If you do, you’ll be asked to leave the

library.

Food & Drink

You can bring bottled water into

the library.

No cans or cups of tea or coffee

please.

No food of any sort may be eaten in the

library..

Ask A Librarian

If you’re lost or can’t find what you want:

Talk to one of our members of staff.

Ask for help at the Help Desk

Or

Email: library@smucb.ac.uk

Or

Phone: 028 90268237