Taking books home over Easter?

As you know, we usually renew your books for you automatically if they haven't been requested. However, over the Easter holidays things work a little differently.

Renewals

• Even though we will try to automatically renew your loans by Saturday 12 March, we may encounter some issues, such as another student requesting your book. Because of this, we’re asking you to please remember to check your library account through StarPlus, and renew any items due for return before going off home for the holidays.
• Once your book has been renewed, you’ll be able to keep it over the holidays and - as long as no one else requests it - we’ll continue to renew it for you once term starts. If someone does make a request for a book that you have on loan, you will need to bring it back to us by Monday 11 April.

Requests

• If you’ve made any requests for books that you no longer need over Easter, please remember to cancel them online.
• So that we can get your requested books to you even faster, if anyone has a book that’s overdue they won’t be able to place a request.

Read online

• If we don’t have a physical copy of the book you need, don’t worry, we also have a wide selection of e-books and other online resources available through StarPlus. Just log in to MUSE and read our ebooks from your desktop, wherever you are, 24/7.

If you encounter any difficulties, please contact the Library on 0114 222 7200 or email library@sheffield.ac.uk

Welcome to new students

Welcome to the University of Sheffield!  We hope you will enjoy your time here and hope to meet some of you at induction sessions arranged by your department.

To get you started on finding resources for your studies, check our Introduction to library & computing services web pages or pick up our QuickStart Guide from any library site. Our web pages contain links to our subject guides and a suite of information skills tutorials, together with one-minute videos on a range of topics. Check our one-minute video on how to borrow a book.

You’ll need your UCard and PIN to borrow books using our self-service machines. If you forget your PIN or want to change it go to https://www.shef.ac.uk/cics/password sign in, and follow the instructions.

When you borrow a book we’ll renew it for you automatically unless someone else wants it. We’ll send you a weekly borrowing statement by email, so check this carefully to make sure your books aren’t wanted back. That way you’ll never have to pay any fines!

Remember we’re here to help you, so come and speak to us. Our library HelpDesk can answer your email or telephone enquiries. Just email library@sheffield.ac.uk or telephone 0114 222 7200. You can also get specific subject help from your subject librarian.

Welcome everyone!

Welcome to all our new and returning students. There's lots we can do to help you in your studies - why not check out our new induction presentation and have a chance to win an Amazon voucher!

Introduction to Library services

Last chances for you to drop into one of our induction sessions tomorrow in the IC at 1pm in Collaboratory 1 and at 3pm in Classroom 3.

If you've missed out, or want a reminder, here's the presentation

IC Induction 2011

It's also showing on plasma screens in the IC and other library sites, and available from the Quick Link on our web page

Feedback from Lending Services Survey

We had a great response to our Lending Services Survey and thanks to everyone who took the time to respond.

The results of the survey are now available, along with comments.

General Library Intro for new students

Some of you may have been to one of our introductory sessions in the IC in Intro Week.  If you missed them, or just want a reminder,  here's a copy of the presentation. It's best viewed in full screen mode - just select View Full Screen from the menu in the bottom left hand corner.

Don't forget there's also lots of useful information on our web pages, available from the Library tab in  MUSE.

IC Induction 2010

Welcome to all our new and returning students!

Want to find out about Library and IT services? Come to one of the brief
presentations on Level 1 in the Information Commons week beginning 20
September, at 11am, 1pm, 2pm or 3pm.  These are followed by optional
tours by student ambassadors and demonstrations of equipment.

Just turn up - there's no need to book.  Student ambassadors and staff are also on hand at our other Library sites to help you find your way around.  You can find more information for new students at
http://www.shef.ac.uk/infocommons/students/gettingstarted and
http://www.shef.ac.uk/library/services/new.html

How long can I borrow books for? - a quick guide

You may have noticed that there have been some changes to how long you are able to borrow books for. After feedback from Library customers we have introduced a new variable loan status and during this year we will be trying it out at all sites. Rather than having both short and standard loan items on the shelves, the default status of a book will be standard loan but become short loan whenever an item is in demand. Items go back to being standard loan when the level of demand falls.

A bit more information:

• What is standard loan? - how long a standard loan is depends on the type of borrower you are e.g. one week for full time undergraduates and taught postgraduates, two weeks for part time and distance learning students and four weeks for postgraduate research students.


• How do I know how long I can take a book out for? - the self-service receipt or the date label in the book will tell you the date your book is due back. Please check this carefully as the item may have been requested by someone else, and have a shorter loan period.


• What is short loan? - items will become short loan when they are in heavy demand. Short loan will be two days for full time undergraduate and postgraduate students and four days for part time and distance learning students.


• What happens if the item I have out on loan is reserved by somebody else? - if an item is requested by someone else you may keep it until the due date, but you won’t be able to renew it. You will need to return it to the library.

Remember, if you have requested titles that are on loan we will send you an e-mail to let you know when they are ready to collect. Reservations will be kept on the held shelf for two days.

Take a look at the guide to using the lending service for more details.