Library FAQ
- What are the opening hours?
- What are the telephone numbers for contacting the Library?
- How do I join the Library?
- What should I do if I've lost my Library card?
- How do I find material in the Library?
- Is there more than one catalogue?
- What should I do if I can't find a book?
- What is the Short Loan Collection?
- What is a periodical?
- How many items can I borrow?
- How long can I borrow for?
- How do I renew an item?
- How do I reserve an item?
- Where do I ask if I have a question?
- How do I find information on a subject?
- Can someone show me how to research a topic?
- What electronic resources are available to me?
- Do I need a password to use electronic resources?
- Can I access electronic resources from off campus?
- What is ATHENS?
- How do I register for an ATHENS account?
- Do I need a password for off-campus access?
- How do I cite material that I've used?
- Are there computers I can use in the Library?
- Where can I print out my work?
- What photocopying facilities are available?
- Can I obtain items that are not held by the Library?
- Can I get access to other libraries?
- Where can I get more information?
Q: What are the opening hours of the libraries?
Library opening hours, and details of any changes, are available here
Q: What are the telephone numbers for contacting the Library?
The Library Office can be contacted on (01334) 462281 and the Main Library Service Desk on (01334) 462283. Contact information for specific Library Departments, including fax number and e-mail addresses, is given here
Q: How do I join the Library?
Staff and students at St Andrews are registered automatically. The ID/matriculation card also acts as a Library borrower card
University of Dundee/Abertay Dundee staff and students can register as borrowers on production of a current staff or matriculation card
Research postgraduates/staff of other Universities may also register for borrowing privileges with a valid Sconul Research Extra card from their own University Library
Non-members of the University are also welcome to use the Library. No fee is required for consultation, though a membership card must be completed at the Main Library Service Desk. Please bring identification that confirms your name and current address. A fee is payable if borrowing privileges are required
Please note – due to licence restrictions, only staff and students of this University are eligible to use the Library's online resources. The computer classrooms are also for University staff and student use only
Q: What should I do if I've lost my Library card?
If you're a St Andrews student, please complete the online form via: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/business-improvements/idcards/students and make an on-line payment of £10.00.
Staff with lost cards should e-mail idcards@st-andrews.ac.uk
or telephone (46) 2755/2532 to report the loss. See: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/business-improvements/idcards/staff
for more information.
Non-St Andrews students and staff, and Admitted readers, should report
lost cards and changes of address to the Main Library Service Desk (01334)
462283
Q: How do I find material in the Library?
Use the Library catalogues. Check SAULCAT, the online catalogue, first. It is accessible from both on and off-campus, and contains most material likely to be on student reading lists (if held by the Library). A Periodicals Search in SAULCAT will tell you which print or electronic journals are held by the Library; and a Special Collections Search will limit your search to a proportion of the older material held in Special Collections, Level 1 of the Main Library
If you can't find what you need in SAULCAT and the item was published before 1970, then you could try the PAGE-CAT too, which is shelved near the photocopiers on Level 2 of the Main Library
Q: Is there more than one catalogue?
Yes, in addition to SAULCAT, there is PAGE-CAT, the printed catalogue for older material, which is shelved near the photocopiers on Level 2.
It is advisable to search SAULCAT first, as it also contains details of older material, including maps and theses, but also try PAGE-CAT if you know that the item you need was published pre-1970. At the end of the A-Z volumes of PAGE-CAT there are Theses, and Maps and Atlases volumes, for older material.
There are also certain specialised catalogues for Special Collections material, and searchable Manuscripts and Photographic Collections databases. Staff in the Special Collections Office on Level 1 will be pleased to help
Q: What should I do if I can't find a book?
SAULCAT, the online catalogue, will tell you if the item has been borrowed. If it's not on loan and not where it should be on the shelves, it might be in the re-shelving section (near the stairs on Levels 3 and 4) or being consulted. If you still can't find it, ask at the Service Desk
Do remember to check the following :
- the loan status (Normal and 3-day loans are shelved on Levels 3 and 4; Short Loan on Level 2)
- the publication date (books published before 1900 are shelved on Level 1)
- the prefix eg 'per' means it's a periodical (on Levels 3 or 4 furthest from the stairs); 'f', 'Gov', etc all indicate where the item is shelved. See the Classmark Prefixes leaflet for more information
Q: What is the Short Loan Collection?
A collection of mainly undergraduate texts likely to be in heavy demand. Teaching staff ask Library staff to add certain recommended course readings to the Short Loan Collection, to ensure that students in larger classes are given the same opportunity for access
Borrowing periods are restricted to a maximum of four hours during the day, or overnight, or over the weekend, and reservations can be made up to several weeks in advance. You may borrow up to 3 books from the Short Loan Collection, at one time. The Short Loan leaflet gives information about borrowing and booking times
Q: What is a periodical?
A magazine, journal, newspaper, or annual publication which is published at regular intervals
The Library subscribes to a large number of periodicals, mainly in print form but also as e-journals. All of these are listed in SAULCAT, so if you're looking for a particular title, try a Periodical Title search in SAULCAT. However, if you're trying to find articles on a topic, try searching one of the many databases bought by the Library, which index a wide range of periodicals in a specific subject area eg Philosophers Index, Bibliography of the History of Art, etc
Some databases provide the full-text of articles online eg ScienceDirect (sciences/management), PsycARTICLES (psychology), etc. All the full-text periodicals included in these databases are listed, and linked into, from SAULCAT – over 5,800, at present
Q: How many items can I borrow?
Undergraduates – 25; Postgraduates – 40; Staff – 50; Subscription readers – 30; Admitted readers/Students elsewhere – 15. You may borrow up to 3 books from the Short Loan Collection, at one time, counted as part of these totals
Q: How long can I borrow for?
Subject to recall by another reader, undergraduates may borrow for a whole semester, staff and postgraduates for a whole year from the date of issue (stamped in each book). Undergraduates must return books by the following dates
If an item is recalled from you, by e-mail notice, the minimum length of time you will have it for, is one week
Q: How do I renew an item?
Postgraduates, staff and retired staff may renew material online via the View your Library Record facility, up to three times, if required. Undergraduates and Admitted readers must return material to the appropriate Library, before it can be renewed. Distance learners should e-mail library@st-andrews.ac.uk with any renewal queries
Q: How do I reserve an item?
If you see, from SAULCAT, that an item is on loan, you can use the 'Recall' button on the same screen to recall it for your use. The person who has borrowed it will be sent an e-mail notice requesting its return, and you will be e-mailed when the item is available for collection. Every reader will have an item for at least one week, unless it is recalled urgently, to be added to the Short Loan collection
Q: Where do I ask if I have a question?
The Service Desk acts as the first point of contact for enquiries. Staff there will arrange appropriate assistance for you, referring enquiries on to specialist staff or Library departments, if necessary. The IT Helpdesk deals with computer-related matters, including computer accounts, email problems and issues arising in the computer classrooms
Q: How do I find information on a subject?
If you're researching a topic and trying to find relevant books/articles, you will need more detailed information than a FAQ can provide. If you ask at the Service Desk, staff there will refer you on to appropriate staff
Q: Can someone show me how to research a topic?
Yes, the Library has staff who can introduce you to the most relevant print and electronic resources, for your subject. Information skills subject seminars are also held for groups, arranged in conjunction with Schools. Just ask at the Service Desk if you would like this type of individual help and staff there will refer you on to an appropriate person
Q: What electronic resources are available to me?
The Library subscribes to over 100 online databases to help you with your research. They cover most subjects taught at the University and vary from bibliographic databases (which give details of published articles, books, etc), to full-text, citation, image, mapping, newspaper, reference, open access, census, theses and alerting databases. Please ask for individual assistance with these resources, if you need it
Please note - due to licence restrictions, only staff and students of the University are eligible to use the Library's online resources
Q: Do I need a password to use electronic resources?
The Library's e-resources can be accessed without a username and password, in most cases, from any computer on the University network, including those in Residences. A few databases require an ATHENS username and password for on-campus access, but most can be accessed without this. The Databases page indicates what the current access requirements are.
All e-journals to which we are entitled to access are also freely accessible from on-campus. The best way to access a specific e-journal is to do a Periodical Title search for it in SAULCAT. In general, if you are asked for a username and password for access to an e-journal, it will be because we are not entitled to access it
Q: Can I access electronic resources from off campus?
SAULCAT can be freely searched from off-campus, and many of the e-resources bought by the Library can be accessed with an ATHENS account. Many e-journals can only be accessed from off-campus with a SARA (St Andrews Remote Access) dial-up account, or if they are included in a database bought by the Library, which you can access with an ATHENS account. The Off-campus access to Databases page gives more information
The Library and IT Services is currently investigating ways in which to improve off-campus access to e-resources and any changes will be widely publicised
Q: What is ATHENS?
ATHENS is a national authentication system, which controls access to online databases; it is not a database, as such. You need an ATHENS username and password for off-campus access to many of the databases subscribed to by the University Library. You may also need it for local access to certain databases, though most can be accessed on-campus without the need for one
Your ATHENS username and password is quite separate from your Computer Account username and password
Q: How do I register for an ATHENS account?
Register in person at the IT Helpdesk in the University Library, or at the Purdie and Physics/Maths Libraries (Mon-Fri). Once you have completed an ATHENS registration form, you will be given a username and password, which you use to self-register for an ATHENS account. Registration must be from a computer within the University
Distance learners who are unable to register in person should contact the ATHENS administrator
Q: Do I need a password for off-campus access?
Yes, unless you are using a SARA (St Andrews Remote Access) dial-up account. See the answer given above to 'Can I access electronic resources from off-campus?'
Q: How do I cite material that I've used?
Your School may have specific requirements that they would like you to follow, so do check there first.
Information about how to cite references will be added to the web pages shortly, but until then, some useful links are:
Q: Are there computers I can use in the Library?
There is a large cluster of 50-60 PCs on Level 2 of the Main Library which University staff and students are welcome to use for searching SAULCAT, library catalogues, online databases and the Internet, using e-mail, word-processing, spreadsheets, etc. They are not bookable, but waiting times, if any, are generally short
If you need any assistance with programs or e-mail, please ask the IT Helpdesk staff. Help with finding information and using the Library's online databases can be provided by Library staff
There is wireless connectivity to the University network, in the Library, if you wish to use your laptop, and IT Helpdesk staff can provide more information. There are also many other computer classrooms around campus which are freely available to staff and students of the University
Q: Where can I print out my work?
The PC cluster in the Main Library is networked to laser printers in the same area. If you need to increase your print quota, ask at the IT Helpdesk during the day, and at the Service Desk when the IT Helpdesk is not staffed (evenings and part of the weekend). If you have any questions about the PCs or printers, ask at the IT Helpdesk
Q: What photocopying facilities are available?
The main bank of photocopiers is near the stairs on Level 2 of the Main Library, adjacent to the SAULCAT terminals. There is also a colour photocopier in this area, and a photocopier on each of the two upper floors. Photocopy cards can be bought from the Service Desk or from the Photocopy Card dispenser on Level 2
If you need assistance, please ask the Library Janitors or Service Desk staff
Q: Can I obtain items that are not held by the Library?
Yes, we can obtain material not held by this Library for you, through the Interlibrary Loan/ Document Delivery service. Full information about how to use this service is given on the Interlibrary Loan web pages
Q: Can I get access to other libraries?
All members of this University enjoy reciprocal borrowing privileges with the Universities of Dundee and Abertay Dundee libraries. Staff and research postgraduates may also borrow from over 129 other academic libraries as part of the Sconul Research Extra scheme. Detailed information about access to other academic libraries, the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh, and the British Library in London, is listed on the Access to other Libraries page
The Other Library Catalogues page gives you access to the online catalogues of other academic, national and public libraries
Q: Where can I get more information?
The Library web pages contain detailed information about Library services and facilities, supplemented by printable leaflets and guides. However, if you need additional information or would like to talk to someone directly, you are most welcome to contact a relevant member of Library staff, or the Library Office (01334 462281; library@st-andrews.ac.uk), or to use the Contact Us form on the Library web pages
We will do our very best to help you.