Library FAQs. . ask Westie!

Transcription

1 . ask Westie! Library FAQs How do I get a Library Card?... 2 Will I be fined for overdue books?... 2 Do I have to pay if I lose my Library Book?... 3 What and where is the library Catalogue?... 4 Can I renew my Library books?... 6 Will I be able to take out books if I forget my card?... 8 Does the Library have a Journals/Magazine section?... 9 Do we have access to any online resources?... 9 Can I download ebooks? How do I find books for my course? What if I can t find what I am looking for in library? What s Moodle? What are the opening times for the Library? How many computers are there in the Library? How do I get a Username and Password? I m a returning student, will my log-in details be the same? What if I forget my Matric number and password? Do students have to pay for Printing and Photocopying? Where is the Printer? Can I book time on a computer? How long can I use the computers for? What if I need a computer and they are all being used? Does the Library have Wifi? Can I buy stationery in the Library? Is there a Fiction section in the Library?

2 How do I get a Library Card? Ask at the Library Desk. You will need to fill in a Library Student Registration Form and will be asked for ID. (Your student Matric Card is usually sufficient). We work in partnership with the West Lothian Public Libraries so the library card you are given means you can use the College Library and also any West Lothian local library. You can borrow 5 books from us and 20 books from the Council service. You will need to re-register each year of your course. If you are already a member of the Public Libraries you still need to fill in a registration form but can continue to use your existing library card. Barcode Signature Will I be fined for overdue books? No, there are no fines for College books but if you borrow books from the Public Library you will be fined at their rate of 8p per book per day. Failure to return books to the College Library will however result in you being banned from access to the library PCs. Our finance department will also pursue the replacement costs of any long overdue items not returned. Letters reminding 2

3 you of overdue items are sent out automatically. We will also contact you by phone/texts. Avoid overdue fines by registering with Library Elf. Elf will remind you before your books are overdue, so you can renew them. West Lothian Council have subscribed to this service, so you don t have to pay. Elf can be found can be found on Council library pages or use the link below: Do I have to pay if I lose my Library Book? Yes, you have to pay to replace the book. Library staff will advise you how much. If, however, you can find a replacement copy for less, you can purchase it and hand it in to the Library. Failure to pay for lost books may affect whether you are allowed to graduate at the end of your course and you will be banned from using Library resources (including PCs) in all Libraries in West Lothian. 3

4 What and where is the library Catalogue? This is an online database that lists all our books, ebooks, dvds etc. As we operate in partnership with the West Lothian Public Libraries, the catalogue lists all resources held in the College, high schools and Public libraries. The catalogue is internet based and can be accessed anywhere with internet access. Simply go to the College Webpage, click on the Student tab and select Library, then Catalogue then click on the link displayed. The screen below will be displayed. Search by Author, Title, key words etc. A list of books and ebooks available will be displayed along with their location ie, the College, high school or one of the local libraries. You can then place a request on the book and select the location where you want to pick it up. As a student you are advised to choose the college as your pick up point as we do not always send college books out to the local libraries. Picking them up at college is more efficient. There is normally a charge of 60p for each book requested, however, as a West Lothian College student you do not pay request charges. Books are usually delivered to the college on a Tuesday and we will call you to let you know that the book has arrived. 4

5 Ebooks displayed are generally only available for West Lothian College students and you will require an Athens password to access them. Registration for Athens is explained later in this guide but if in doubt speak to the Library staff. You can access the catalogue from the following website: West Lothian Public Libraries offer an ebook service as well but they have a separate Catalogue ie., sp 5

6 service. Click on the link above for more information. Books can be downloaded to your PC, Laptop,Tablets etc. Can I renew my Library books? Yes. There are various ways to do this. You can ask Library staff to do it for you or telephone ( ). You can also renew your books online via the library web page. 6

7 You will require your Library barcode (found on the back of the Library card) and your pin number (usually the last 4 digits of your telephone number) to log in. 7

8 Most books are loaned out for 3 weeks but some will only be on 7 day or 2 day loan. It is only possible to renew your books 3 times and then they must be returned to the Library to allow other students to access them. If a book has been requested by another student you will not be allowed to renew it and must return it to the Library. If you need to use a book for the whole college year, it is probably best to have your own copy. Cheaper second hand copies can often be found on Amazon books. ( Will I be able to take out books if I forget my card? Yes. We will simply ask for your name and address to double check that you are a registered user. The public libraries may not issue books without a card though. 8

9 Does the Library have a Journals/Magazine section? We have a small journals section located next to the Library desk. The current issue of each journal is displayed and older issues can also be found by lifting the shelf lid. Older issues may be borrowed for a week. We normally hold journals in the library for up to a year and then pass them onto relevant departments. Do we have access to any online resources? Yes, a list of online resources can be found in the Library section of the College website. Click the Student tab at the top of the page and click on Library then Online Resources. Examples are: College ebook collections, Issues Online, UK Newsstand, Essential Articles etc. Simply click on the headers to gain access to these resources. If a user name or password is required we have detailed it below each header. Some of these resources require an Athens Username and password. Students can self register for Athens, simply click on the link below and follow the instructions. Once registered, a confirmation will be sent to let you know your account is active. Self registration must be done from a College PC but once the account has been set up you can use your account anywhere. If you have any problems with this process please speak to Library staff. 9

10 Can I download ebooks? Some ebooks can be downloaded, it all depends on the license under which they were bought. All books in our Ebrary and Dawsonera collections can be downloaded. Follow the on screen instructions given for each site. Keep in mind there can sometimes be issue around compatibility with the device you are downloading to. These specific collections can be searched from the following link: Remember all our electronic books are also available via the catalogue and can be searched for by author, title, subject etc If you need further help, contact library staff. How do I find books for my course? If you are given a reading list from your tutor you can search the library catalogue to find out if we have the specific titles listed. Remember you can use the drop down arrows on the catalogue to search by author, title, keyword etc. If you don t have a list of specific titles, you can search by subject. The subject search is by far, our most popular way of looking for information. Browsing the library shelves is also good way of finding information. It s not a big library, so take the time to have a look 10

11 around. We have lots of signs up to help you find the relevant areas for your studies. We use the Dewey Classification scheme to organise information. This allocates numbers to subjects. A general overview is: Overview 100 Philosophy & psychology 200 Religion 300 Social sciences 400 Language 500 Natural sciences & mathematics 600 Technology (Applied sciences) 700 The arts 800 Literature & rhetoric 900 Geography & history Specific examples: Subject Where you find books on the shelves Psychology 150 Human anatomy 611 Hairdressing Library staff are also always on hand to help. What if I can t find what I am looking for in library? If you can t find the item you are looking for, be it a book, journal, journal article etc, let library staff know. Library staff have access to a whole network of external resources. For example other college or university libraries, British Library, National Library of Scotland and a lot more. Please remember, it may take a few days for items to come from another institution. 11

12 What s Moodle? This is the College s virtual learning environment (VLE). It is an online interactive resource to which your tutors can add course materials and activities. To access Moodle open up the College website and click on Moodle Login at the right hand side of the page. You will be asked for a username and password. This is your Matriculation number for both. You can only access Moodle if your lecturer has uploaded materials and registered you for that course. If you have any problems with access speak to your Lecturer in the first instance or contact the VLE (Moodle) team on VLE@west-lothian.ac.uk. Or, again speak to library staff ( ) 12

13 Matriculation Number Matriculation Number What are the opening times for the Library? Term Times: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday Wednesday Friday 8.30am pm 8.30am pm 8.30am pm We are also open during the Easter and summer holidays but with reduced hours. Dates and times of opening are posted throughout the Library and on the College Website library pages. 13

14 How many computers are there in the Library? We currently have 24 PCs, 15 Laptops and a further 12 PCs in our Quiet Study Room. 10 of the laptops are kept in a chargeable cabinet and issued for use in the library at busy times. These are only issued in exchange for your student matric card. Signed out and signed back in again. How do I get a Username and Password? When you log in to a College computer for the first time, your Username and Password is your Matriculation number found on your student photo ID. You will then be prompted to set your own personal password. If you forget your number or password contact your Lecturer or Library staff for assistance. If you have not been given a matriculation card, your lecturer can still give you your number. I m a returning student, will my log-in details be the same? No. Your matriculation number will be the same but all accounts are reset over the summer. Therefore the first time you log in, you enter your matric number as your username and password then you will be asked to choose a new password. Just the same as in your previous year. Remember to save your work onto a USB 14

15 stick before the end of the academic year as all accounts are cleared by IT over the summer. What if I forget my Matric number and password? Library staff can give you your number but not your password. We would need to contact IT Support to reset your password. It is not always possible to get this done straight away. Please try to carry your card with you at all times and store your number elsewhere e.g., on your phone. It could save you a lot of hassle. Do students have to pay for Printing and Photocopying? Charges are as follows: Students: (Black & White) (Colour) 2p single & 4p double sided. 4p single & 8p double sided. Students have a 5 allowance. When this has been used up topups can be made at the Library desk. (minimum amount of 1.00) Public Users: (Black & White) 10p single & 20p double sided. (Colour) 20p single & 40p double sided. 15

16 Where is the Printer? It is situated next to the Careers area in the Library. Prints will not be released until you enter your student number into Log in Screen. There are clear instructions on the printer and throughout the library. Can I book time on a computer? Yes. We have a booking system called MyPC. If you need to book a PC please speak to any member of the Library Staff. Only the 24 PCs can be booked. The PCs in the Quiet Study room are available for student use, on a first come first served basis, between 8.30am 1.30 pm every day. We will take group bookings outwith these times. The five fixed laptops opposite the Library desk cannot be booked. It is advisable to book at least one day in advance. How long can I use the computers for? When you log in you will be allocated 2 hours on that computer with an automatic option to extend that time by 45 minutes. When your time is running out, a warning will appear on your screen at 15 mins, 10 mins and 5 mins intervals before your time is up. If you require more time, speak to Library staff, if the library is not busy, they will extend your time. If your session ends and you have not saved your work it will be lost! What if I need a computer and they are all being used? We also have 10 laptops that we can issue to students for use in the library at busy times. These are issued in exchange for your matriculation card. We will require you to fill in a Loan form and will keep your Matriculation card until the laptop is returned. 16

17 These laptops can only be used in the Library. They cannot be loaned out overnight. Does the Library have Wifi? Yes. Login details are available at the Library desk ie., Connect to: WLC _Guestx Username: wlcvisitor Password: visitor Note Validation number and type in box. Can I buy stationery in the Library? We only sell poly pockets (10p each) but the Grab n Go snack bar sells basics like pens, pencils etc. Is there a Fiction section in the Library? Yes, there is a small section opposite the Library Desk but you can request books from local libraries via the Library catalogue. We can also try and source books elsewhere for you e.g Napier so please come and ask if you are struggling to source a book. Remember there are specific guides available in the Library and on the College website that will give more detail on some of these questions. Library staff are always willing to help. 17

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