Continuing the series of Things You Should Know About the Library, librarian Elaine Magusin shares additional Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: I’m a new staff member at the university and would like to know how long the loan periods are on library materials. Are there overdue fines?
A: Loan periods for staff are different than those for students and external borrowers. Most library materials are signed out to staff until March 17, 2003, no matter when you sign them out. If the book was signed out on March 13, 2003 you would technically have the item for four days. However, we automatically renew all materials borrowed by staff until the following March. Periodicals can be signed out to staff for a period of one week. Periodicals do not circulate to students.
If an item has been recalled you are required to return the item to us within a period of two weeks.
Q: I’ve been looking for a book listed in my course study guide and AU Library doesn’t have it. I live in Calgary and was wondering if there was a way for me to find out if the U of C has it?
A: Yes. We have compiled a list of library catalogues from across Canada on our website. You can choose to search these catalogues using the same interface that AUCAT uses, or you can search them using their own interface. You can find these catalogues here:
http://library.athabascau.ca/otherlib/others.htm
What’s new:
AU Library is investigating the potential of the newly founded Virtual Reference Canada program. This initiative, founded by the National Library of Canada, is a free bilingual network of libraries and research institutions across Canada and provides access to the staff expertise of these institutions.
The program works by matching metatags in member profiles to the metatags in the incoming question and routes the question to the institution with the resources to answer it. Questions are expected of a nature in which a response can be provided as opposed to document delivery.
If anyone has a question they think could be answered using this service please contact the library (ext. 6254).