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Frequently Asked Questions: Answers Q: How do I find out the meaning of this abbreviation on my (Law) reading list? A: Some reading lists, in particular those relating to Law, use abbreviations rather than stating the whole title of the journal in which an article appears. To find out what the abbreviation stands for, look it up in the K 51eviations (K 51, copies available on the Fourth Floor in the Law Reference section, and in the Reference room on the First Floor)
Q: I have left personal items in The Library. Where can I find Lost Property? A: Property found on The Library premises should be handed in at the Circulation Desk on the ground floor. These are then passed to the Patrol Officers at the end of the day and then retained at the Estate Management Helpdesk for six months, after which period if the item is still unclaimed it is disposed of. The University accepts no responsibility for property lost or damaged on University premises. Borrowing Items from the Library Q: How do I borrow books from the Library? A: All students are automatically registered with the Library. To borrow anything, you need your University registration card, which is also your Library card. Look up the books you want on the Library catalogue, find them on the shelves and then take them to the Circulation Desk on the Ground Floor where they will be issued to you. Alternatively you can use the self issue machine to issue books to yourself, it is located by the Circulation Desk.
Q: How many books can I borrow at any one time? A: Undergraduates can borrow 15 books, taught postgraduates can borrow 20 books, research postgraduates can borrow 25 books and members of staff can borrow 30 books at any one time. Students and staff can also borrow 8 Short Loan books at any one time in addition to this allocation.
Q: How long can I borrow books for? A: Some books have fixed loan periods, such as 3 day and 7 day loans, and may only be borrowed for this amount of time, although they may be renewed as long as no-one else has reserved them. Short Loan books can be borrowed for 4 hours at a time, or overnight, and cannot be renewed, although they can be returned and checked out again as long as no-one else has booked them. Most other books in the Library can be borrowed for 2 weeks by undergraduates, and until the end of term by postgraduates and staff.
Q: How do I know when my books are due back? A: If your books were issued to you at the Circulation desk, each book will have been stamped with the date it is due back inside the front cover. If you issued your books to yourself using the self issue machine, a receipt will have been printed out for each book which includes the date it is due back. Alternatively, you can view your library record online through the Library catalogue. Click on the relevant option, and then enter your University username and password to see which books you have out on loan and when they are due back.
Q: How can I renew my books? A: Books can be renewed at the Circulation desk, or over the phone (01206 873187, Mon-Fri 9am-9.40pm, Sat 9am-5.40pm, Sun 2pm to 6.40pm in term-time & Mon-Fri 9am-5.10pm in vacation), or online through the Library catalogue. Books cannot be renewed if they have been reserved by another user. You do not have to wait until the due date before you renew items. For more help with renewals see the Renewals help page in the catalogue.
Q: I can't renew my books online. Why not? A: If you have fines of more than £3 or your book has been requested by someone else, you may not be able to use online renewals until the fines are paid. Books cannot be renewed online at the end of the Summer term; all books must be brought to the Library for renewal at this point. For more help with renewals see the Renewals help page in the catalogue.
Q: What happens if I bring my books back late? A: If you return your books after the date they were due, you will be charged a fine. Fines are charged at the rate of 50p per item per day, or £1 per item per day, if the book has been reserved by another user. Short Loan fines are £1 per hour, or per part of an hour. If you accrue fines of over £3, you will not be able to borrow any more books until the fine has been reduced. Fines can be paid at the Circulation desk.
Q: Can I pay fines online? A: It is possible to pay fines online via myEssex. Click on myAdmin and then web payments in the my money section. You will then need to use the webpay method to make an unspecified payment for the amount that you owe the Library. It is then necessary for you to contact the Library by emailing libline (non-essex users should add @essex.ac.uk to create the full email address) to advise us that you have made the payment so that we can clear your library record as this does not happen automatically. Webpay web page http://www.essex.ac.uk/webpay/
Q: What is a recalled book?
A: Any book may be recalled from you, if it is requested by another reader.
You will be sent a recall notice by e-mail, giving you
seven days in term and
fourteen days in vacation from the date of the notice in which to return the
book. (If the original due date falls within this period, then the book
remains due on the original date.)
Q: My book was originally due back at the end of term/two weeks after I borrowed it, but I have received an email to say it is now due back earlier. Why can't I keep the book until the original date? A: The book has been reserved by another user, so the due date has been brought forward. This is to ensure that as many users as possible can benefit from the shared resources in the Library. You will usually have at least five days from the date of the email to return the book. If you still need the book, you can make your own reservation on it once you have returned it.
Q: How do I reserve a book that is out on loan? A: If the book you require is already on loan, click the Recall button on the catalogue record for the book you want to reserve, or fill in a white reservation card, available from the Circulation or Enquiry desks. For more help with reservations see the Recalls help page in the catalogue.
Q: How will I know when the book I have reserved is ready for collection? A: The Library will send you an email to say that the book is waiting for you. It will be reserved at the Circulation desk for you for five days from the date of the notice.
Q: How do I borrow Short Loan items? A: Items in the Short Loan Collection may be borrowed for 4 hours or overnight from 4 hours before the Library closes (usually due at 10am the next day). If you do not collect the book within 30 minutes of the requested start time it may be borrowed by another reader.
Q: The book I want is in the Short Loan collection. Can I book it for a certain time period in advance? A: Yes, Short Loan books can be booked through the Library catalogue. Click on the link 'book a Short Loan item' on the catalogue record for the book you are interested in. You can then choose a date and time to reserve the book. You can have up to 10 different bookings at a time but only one booking per title. For more help with short loan bookings see the Bookings help page in the catalogue.
Q: How do I cancel a Short Loan booking? Login in to your record, using the link 'My Library record' on the library home page. Click on the button 'future bookings'. Click on the button 'Cancel all' or tick the box next to the booking you wish to cancel and click 'cancel selected'. For more help with cancelling bookings, see the bookings help page.
Q: I am having trouble booking a Short Loan book. What is wrong?
i. You cannot book this material:
-
there is a fine of over £3 on the record
iv. Booking Period has exceeded the maximum
- ensure you have not tried to book for greater than 4 hours
Q: Can I borrow books over the vacation? A: Books may be borrowed over the vacation, usually from two weeks before the end of term. They are usually due back on the first Wednesday of the following term. Over the vacations, 3 day and 7 day books may be borrowed for the entire vacation. During the summer vacation, books may still be reserved by other users, so you may find you have to return books earlier than the end of the vacation. Look out for emails from the Library and check the Library website towards the end of each term for detailed arrangements on vacation borrowing.
Q: How do I return a book? A: Items can be returned to the Circulation Desk during the core opening hours and they will be removed from your record immediately. When the Circulation Desk is closed and at other times you may return items to the orange book drop box in the Library Foyer. Please do not put DVDs or videos into the box as they may be damaged by heavy items landing on them. These items may be handed to the Exit Desk Attendant. When the Library is closed the blue book drop box at the Library Entrance will be open for returning items; DVDs and videos may be placed in here if you are unable to return them in core opening hours. The combination of services means that you can return items 24/7 but putting items in the return boxes will not clear them from your record immediately so please check when the box will next be emptied. Check the notices on the box for more details.
Q: I've lost my registration card. What should I do? A: You must let the Circulation desk know IMMEDIATELY if your card has been lost, so that the Library can stop anyone trying to use it illegally. You should also let the Registry know so they can issue you a replacement card. You cannot borrow from the Library without your registration card. Please treat your registration card in the same way you would a credit card; do not lend it to someone else or ask a friend to take books out for you on their card.
Q: I've lost one of the books I borrowed from the Library. What should I do? A: You should let the Circulation desk know as soon as possible. If you cannot find the book, you will be charged the replacement cost of the book plus an administrative fee.
Q: I returned all of my books to the Library, but when I check my Library record, it shows I still have one book out. What should I do? A: Check the shelves in the Library to see if the book is there. If so, bring it down to the Circulation desk so it can be checked in from your record. If it isn't there, check again that you do not have it and then explain the situation to the Circulation desk staff who will keep checking the shelves for the book.
Q: I'm a new member of staff at the University. How can I borrow from the Library? A: New members of staff are automatically registered with the Library once they have signed their contract at Human Resources and received their Campus Card. The Campus Card also serves as a Library card for borrowing. Visiting academics will need to visit the library to have a card created for them, we will require a letter from the department concerned to confirm who you are and your local address.
Q: How do I use the Library photocopiers? A: You need to buy a card from the Circulation desk for £1, £2, £5 or £10, depending on how much copying you want to do. The card can then be inserted into the machines above each of the copiers. There are instructions by each copier which tell you how to use the copiers, and how to follow copyright law.
Q: How do I find the book I want in the library? A: All of the books in the library are listed in the Library Catalogue which can be searched using the catalogue terminals in the Library, or on the web at http://serlib0.essex.ac.uk . You can search by Author or Title, or by Keyword if you do not have a particular book in mind and just want to see what there is. Once you have identified the book you want, make a note of the classmark at the top of the record. You can check which classmarks are on which floors here.
Q: The item I want is out on loan (e.g. Availability shows as "DUE 16.12.11"). How can I get hold of it? A: Items which are on loan can be requested by clicking on the Recall button on the catalogue record, or by filling in a white reservation card, available from the Circulation or Enquiry desks. For more help with reservations see the Recalls help page in the catalogue.
Q: What does "At Desk" mean? A: When an item's availability shows as "At Desk" in the catalogue, this means that someone has requested the item, and it is waiting for them to collect it from the Circulation desk. It is possible to look at items which are "At Desk", and to photocopy from them in the Short Loan section, but they must subsequently be returned to the Circulation desk.
Q: What does "Just Catalogued" mean? A: When an item's availability shows as "Just Catalogued" in the catalogue, this means that it has recently arrived in the Library and should be available from the shelves within the next couple of days.
Q: What does "Being processed for stock" mean? A: When an item displays the message "being processed for stock" in the catalogue, this means that it has recently arrived in the Library but has not yet been fully catalogued. These items can be requested by clicking on the Recall button on the catalogue record, or by filling in a white reservation card, available from the Circulation or Enquiry desks.
Q: What does Store A/B/C mean? A: Most of the material in the Library is available from the main shelves, however some items are kept in closed stores. To access these items, you need to request them in advance, using an online Store request form, or one of the blue slips available from the Circulation or Enquiry desks. Material is collected from the stores twice a day, to be available at 10.30am and 2.30pm.
Q: How do I know where to find the item I want in the Library? A: All items in the Library have a "classmark" which reflects the subject of the item and determines where in the Library it is shelved. Most classmarks are a combination of letters and numbers and can be found at the top of the entry in the catalogue for each item. There are signs all around the Library which explain which classmarks are on each of the main floors and there is more information on the classification scheme here.
Q: I've found the classmark for the item I want. How do I know which floor to go to? A: There are signs all around the Library, for example in the paternoster cars and on the landings of each of the main floors, which explain which classmarks are located on which floors. More information on the classification scheme is available here.
Q: Where are items which have the classmark "XD"?
A: Items with an "XD" classmark are part of the Library's photocopy
collection. The current collection (XD 4000 and above) is kept behind the
Circulation desk on the Ground Floor. To access these items, tell a member
of staff at the Circulation desk the four or five figure number which makes up the
rest of the classmark.
Q: The item I want is not on the shelf, even though the catalogue says it is "In Library". What can I do? A: It is possible that someone else may be using the item within the Library, or that it may have been recently returned and has not yet been re-shelved, so it is worth checking the trolleys opposite the entrance to the paternoster on the Ground Floor, and those on the floor itself. If you still cannot find the item, fill in a white reservation card, available from the Circulation or Enquiry desks, and tick the box marked "Available but not on shelves".
Q: I can't find the item I want on the catalogue. What can I do?
A: It may be that you need some further guidance on using the catalogue, and
how each of the different searches works; in which case you could have a
look at the help pages in the catalogue.
Q: The item I want is shelved at "East 15". What should I do to get hold of it? A: This item is held in the library at the East 15 Acting School at the Loughton campus. If you are a student or member of staff at East 15, you can visit the library there to check availability and to borrow items. For more information on facilities, see the East 15 library page. If you are based at either Colchester or Southend, please check The Albert Sloman Library Catalogue and/or the South Essex College of Further and Higher Education library catalogue to see whether there are copies held at either of these locations. If no copies are held at the relevant library, please use the online book suggestions form to request that a copy be purchased for the relevant library and reserved for you.
E-Resources (databases, e-journals & e-books) Q: How can I find out the password for a particular database? A: The Databases & E-Resources menu contains details of the major databases which are available through the Library, including whether or not a password is needed, and links to what the password details are. Most databases can be accessed by entering your University of Essex username and password, whether you are on or off campus. See also Help with accessing e-resources.
Q: How do I get an ATHENS password? A: You do not need an ATHENS password to access our e-resources. The majority of our e-resources will require just your usual University of Essex login, if you access via the Library website or Catalogue. If you are accessing a resource via a third party website or resource i.e. from a Google search look for the 'institutional login' or 'Shibboleth login', this again requires your usual University of Essex login -
for more information on this login see: Q: Can I access a particular database from off-campus? A: This information can be found on the catalogue record for each individual database - use the E-Resource and Database menu to find the resource you want. See also Help with accessing e-resources.
Q: How do I get help in using a particular database? A: This information can be found on the catalogue record for each individual database - use the E-Resource and Database menu to find the resource you want. See also Help with accessing e-resources. The Library produces user guides for many of the main Library databases, which are available online from the record for each resource, or in the form of yellow leaflets opposite the Enquiry desk.
Q: I cannot access the online version of the journal I want. How do I get access? A: If you are experiencing difficulty accessing an online journal first make sure you check the holdings information in the Library catalogue record. If the holdings cover the particular journal issue or journal article you wish to access and you are trying to access the journal from a PC on campus, please contact libline. If you are trying to access a journal remotely (i.e. off -campus) please check Help with accessing e-resources.
Q: I'm being asked for a password to access an online journal. What should I do? A: The majority of Library online journals require your University username and password for off-campus access. In addition, some journals have a unique login, details of which can be found in the Library catalogue record for that journal - click on 'get login'. If this does not apply, it may be that the Library does not have an online subscription to that journal - check the holdings information in the Library catalogue for details. If you are still having problems, please contact libline with the journal title and volume details.
Q: Can I download or print from an e-book? A: Most e-book providers allow you to copy & paste selected text, or print a limited number of pages. However, printing the entire eContent or large sections of an item violates copyright laws and precautions are taken by the e-book provider to protect those copyright laws. If a suspicious usage pattern indicates excessive printing or copying, the activity is logged and you will be contacted.
Using Computers located in The Library Q: Where can I access my University email/word processing facilities in the Library? A: All of the computers in the Library have Word and Outlook on them. You can also access Webmail from the University website.
Q: How do I change my network password? A: From the Start menu of any PC, choose Programs, and then Accessories, and then Essex Password Changing.
Q: How do I know how many printing credits I have left? A: If you're logged into a PC in the Library, you should have a small program running in the bottom right hand side of the screen You can click the Details link which will take you to a web page with all your personal print accounting details on it. Alternatively, click here for the same.
Q: Where can I bu Vouchers can be purchased from the Circulation Desk, the Computing Service helpdesk entrance from Square 4 or the Student Union shop. To uoload the voucher, choose Accessories, then Printer Accounting (voucher credit) from the Start menu. Credit can also be purchased online through the Computing Service website. From the Start menu, choose Accessories, then Purchase printer credit online.
Q: Where will my printing come out in the Library? A: There are seven printers in the Library: Printers 0a and 0b (lib0a and lib0b) are on the ground floor in the Large Reading Room, Printer 1 (lib1) is on the first floor, Printer 2 (lib2) is on the second floor, Printer 3 (lib3) is on the third floor, Printer 4 (lib4) is on the fourth floor and Printer 5 (lib5) is on the fifth floor. When you send something to print in the Library, you have the option of sending it to any of these printers. Click here for more information on printing in The Albert Sloman Library
Q: My document has not printed. Why? A: If the document you sent to a printer in the library has not been printed: i. check you have credit in your printing account. If you're logged into a PC in the Library, you should have a small program running in the bottom right hand side of the screen You can click the Details link which will take you to a web page with all your personal print accounting details on it. Alternatively, click here for the same. ii. check that the printer does not have any faults. If the printer has a fault and the fault has been reported by The Library to Computing Service, the printer will have a notice on it. If there is no notice, check the display screen on the printer, if it needs paper, toner or has any other message on the screen, report this to the Enquiry Desk on floor one. iii. large documents, graphic intensive documents or large pdf documents can sometimes take a while to spool into the printer, usually if this is happening the message processing data... er, usually if this is happening the message processing data... or Job for [username] appears repeatedly on the printer display screen. For more information, see the ISS page on help with printing.
Q: Can I access the University's wireless network from the Library? A: The University's wireless network is available from the Large Reading Room and all of the landings in the Library. Floors 2 and 3 also have good access on the Square 5 side of the floor. Further information on registering and connecting is available from the Computing Service website. See also Eduroam.
Q: Can I print to the Library printers using my wireless device? A: There are two ways to print to a wireless device: 1. Staff/students with an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad can now print to
any of our lab printers at Colchester, Southend and East15. The only
pre-requisite is the installation of the PaperCut app and that the
device is connected to Eduroam. More details/instructions here –
http://www2.essex.ac.uk/cs/services/printing/iosprinting.htm
Q: Why can't I access online reading lists in the Course Materials Repository (CMR)? A: When trying to access online reading lists in the CMR, you will be prompted to enter your University network username and password. You need to type CAMPUS\ in front of your username in order for your username and password to be accepted. If you have typed in your username without CAMPUS\, the system may add some other information in front of your username. Delete this, and put CAMPUS\ in instead and try again.
Theses Q: How do I find out details of theses which have been produced by my department in the past? A: The Library receives all PhD and MPhil theses, and a number of theses from other categories. More information about how to search for theses is available from the Essex Theses page, including links to listings by department.
Q: How do I get access to theses once I have found one that I want to look at? A: Theses are kept in the stores and may only be consulted in the Library. Fill in a form at the Circulation desk or use the online Store request form to ask for a thesis from store.
Q: How do I look for theses produced by institutions other than the University of Essex? A: Three databases can be used to look for theses: British Library EThOS (UK Higher Education theses, many in full text), Proquest Dissertations and Theses (U.S. bias) and Index to Theses (U.K. bias). For further information, see the Databases & E-Resources menu.
Q: I need to arrange to have my thesis bound. How do I go about this? A: Theses for binding should be brought to the Enquiry desk (e-mail: libline Tel: 01206 873192) on the first floor of the Library. Theses cost £36 a copy (up to 400 pages, if there are more than 400 pages the thesis will have to be bound as 2 or more volumes). This should be paid for at the Income Office, situated on Square 2. The Income Office will issue a receipt which you must bring in with your copies. Copies should be printed out, single or double sided. Guidelines on thesis submission and binding are available from the Information for Research Students page on the University website. The University is an Associate Member of the British Library's EThOS project, which aims to make the research output of UK doctoral students available in electronic form to interested parties worldwide. Further information about the project is available here. Once you have deposited your copies with us Library staff will inform the Registry and deal with the bound copies. If you wish to submit additional personal copies for binding, the Library is very happy to arrange this for you.
Accessing other libraries Q: When I am at home during vacations, can I use my local University Library? A: Undergraduate students and postgraduate students following taught courses at UK and Irish universities and HE colleges will normally be granted reference use of other higher education libraries free of charge during the vacations of the host institution. For more details, see the Access to Other Libraries page.
Q: I've heard that the Library is a member of SCONUL Access. What benefits does that have for me as a student at the University?
A: SCONUL Access is a reciprocal access scheme under which particular
categories of users are permitted to borrow books from other libraries
participating in the scheme. This scheme replaces UK Libraries Plus and
SCONUL Research Extra and carries forward the basic principles of these
schemes.
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academic staff on open or fixed term contracts SCONUL Access also provides for a reference only service for most:
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full-time undergraduate students If you would like to avail of the services available under this scheme, please call in person to the Circulation desk on the ground floor of the Albert Sloman Library [preferred method], or fill in and return the online form. Please be aware that some member libraries may not offer access to all categories of user. Check the information on the SCONUL Access website for the libraries that you are interested in to find out if you are eligible to use their facilities. For more details, see the Access to Other Libraries page.
Finding and using journals and journal articles Q: Where can I find the most recent issues of journals? A: The most recent issues of the journals which the Library subscribes to are kept in the Current Periodicals area of the Reference room on the first floor of the Library. Older issues of journals can be found at the same classmark on the upper floors. Sometimes recent issues of journals are kept at the Current Periodicals desk outside the Reference room and can be requested from there. Check the "Latest Received" information on the catalogue record to find out if this is the case.
Q: I can find the most recent issue of the journal I want in the Current Periodicals area, but not the issues just before that. Where are they? A: Some of the shelves in the Current Periodicals area have storage space underneath. Usually the most recent issue of a journal will be on the top of the shelf; if you lift the shelf up, the preceding issues from the same year will be underneath.
Q: How can I tell which volumes of a particular journal the Library has? A: If you search for a journal using the Periodical Title search on the catalogue, and then look for the information labelled as Holdings, you should be able to see which volumes of the journal are contained in the Library. For example, if the Holdings information says "Vol. 1- 1974-", this means we have from volume 1 onwards in the Library. To find out which is the most recent issue received by the Library, look at the information labelled "Latest Received". If we have access to any online issues of the journal, this information will be included as Holdings in a separate catalogue record, in which there will also be a link to access the online holdings. You will usually need to enter your University username and password to get through to the online issues.
Q: I've checked in the Current Periodicals area and on the shelves upstairs, but the issues of the journal that I want are not available? Where are they? A: It may be that the issues you want have been sent off to be bound together into one volume. To find out whether this is the case, click on the "Latest Received" information on the catalogue record and see whether the boxes for the relevant issues are marked "To Bind" or not. Items usually take two weeks to return from being sent to binding.
Q: I cannot access the online version of the journal I want. How do I get access? A: If you are experiencing difficulty accessing an online journal first make sure you check the holdings information in the Library catalogue record. If the holdings cover the particular journal issue or journal article you wish to access and you are trying to access the journal from a PC on campus, please contact libline. If you are trying to access a journal remotely (i.e. off -campus) please check the Guide to accessing e-resources
Q: I'm being asked for a password to access an online journal. What should I do? A: The majority of Library online journals require your University username and password for off-campus access and it is usually necessary to access them via the Library catalogue in order to be prompted to log in. In addition, some journals have a unique login, details of which can be found in the Library catalogue record for that journal - click on *get login*. If you are accessing the journal from a third party website, such as a search engine, it may be possible to log in using an alternative or institutional login - see Guide to UK Access Management Federation login for details .If this does not apply, it may be that the Library does not have an online subscription to that journal - check the holdings information in the Library catalogue for details. If you are still having problems, please contact libline with the journal title and volume details.
Q: The Library does not subscribe to the journal that I am interested in. What should I do? A: First double check the catalogue to make sure the Library does not have a subscription. It is necessary to access some online journals through the links in the catalogue, rather than from a search engine, in order to be recognised as a member of the University of Essex. If the journal does not appear in the catalogue, you can request specific articles via Inter Library Loan. If the journal is of particular relevance to your studies, you may want to ask your Head of Department, or departmental Library representative to request that the Library takes out a subscription. Please note that it is not always possible for the Library to take out new subscriptions, and that the department may be asked to identify journal subscriptions for cancellation in order to offset the cost of new subscriptions.
Q: How do I find journal articles on a particular subject? A: The Library subscribes to many different journals, both in print and online. However, the contents of these journals are not indexed in the Library catalogue. To find journal articles on a particular subject, you will need to use a resource which indexes the contents of journals, such as the electronic resources accessible from the Databases & E-Resources menu, or the printed indexes and bibliographies shelved in the Reference room on the First Floor. Some of these resources are very general in scope (such as Web of Science), and some are more subject specific. To find out which resources are relevant to your subject area, see the subject listings of databases, or go to the subject resources page for your department. For more help in this area see the Information skills pages.
DVDs, Videos, Audio Materials, Exams Papers & Microfiche/film Q: How can I find out which films the Library has on DVD and video? A: Clicking on DVDs or videos from the A-Z index of the Library website will take you to an alphabetical list of all DVDs or videos. Alternatively, a classmark search in the Library catalogue for "DVD" or "Videotape" will also bring up a list. You can also choose to limit most catalogue searches to DVDs and videos by choosing this option from the drop-down which usually reads "View Entire Collection". You can also browse DVDs in the Short Loan section on the ground floor; take the box of the DVD you want to borrow to the Circulation desk to collect the DVD itself. Most videos are kept in store and must be requested using the store requests form once you have identified something you want in the catalogue. There is a small number of videos which are kept at the Circulation Desk (designated as Videotape Circulation Desk in the catalogue). These must be requested by number from the Circulation Desk.
Q: Where can I watch DVDs/videos in the Library? A: There are DVD and video players in the Reference room on the first floor, on the left hand side of the room. Headphones for use with the players are available from the Circulation desk. Additionally, the PCs on the first floor which are next to the Enquiry desk can be used to watch DVDs. The three PCs nearest the stairs will play Region 2 DVDs and the three nearest the Enquiry desk will play Region 1 DVDs. There are also four PCs in the Large Reading Room, facing the glass partition and next to printer lib0a which can be used for watching DVDs. The two nearest the printer will play Region 2 DVDs and the other two will play Region 1 DVDs. DVDs and videos can also be taken out of the Library to be watched elsewhere. It is a good idea to check the format information on the catalogue record to ensure the DVD/video you want to view is compatible with your viewing equipment. Region 1 DVDs and NTSC format videos can only be played on an American or multi-region player.
Q: I'm having problems watching a DVD. What is going wrong? A: Check what region the DVD is by looking at the label inside the case. If it is a Region 1 DVD and the DVD player you are using is not set up as multi-region, then this will be the reason why it is not playing. If you are using the PCs next to the Enquiry desk in the Library, you can watch Region 1 DVDs on the three PCs nearest the Enquiry desk, and Region 2 DVDs on the three PCs nearest the stairs. There are also four PCs in the Large Reading Room, facing the glass partition and next to printer lib0a which can be used for watching DVDs. The two nearest the printer will play Region 2 DVDs and the other two will play Region 1 DVDs. The DVD software does not start up automatically, but can be found by going to Start, Programs, Applications, DVD player. Headphones need to be plugged into the green socket on the left of the front of the PC, not the headphone socket on the DVD drive itself.
Q: How can I look at past exam papers? A: Past exam papers for the last five years can be found in the Short Loan collection on the Ground Floor. In addition, past exam papers are available online as part of the Course Materials Repository.
Q: The catalogue says that the item I want to look at is on microfilm/microfiche. How do I get hold of it, and where can I look at it? A: Microfilms and microfiche can be requested from the Current Periodicals desk outside the Reference room on the First Floor. If you want to look at newspapers on microfilm, it is useful to know which month/year you want to look at. If you want to look at parliamentary papers on microfiche, you will need to know the command paper or House of Commons paper number (from 1979/80 onwards) or the sessional volume and page number (from 1801-1978/79). Equipment for looking at microfilm and microfiche is available in the Reference room. Ask at the Enquiry desk if you need assistance.
Q: I want to print out from microfilm/microfiche. How can I do that? A: There are printers for microfilm/microfiche available in the Reference room on the First Floor. You will need a photocopy card to operate the printers. Ask at the Enquiry desk if you need assistance.
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