Library Information for Current Students

Welcome to the University of Alabama Libraries. This page provides general information about the Libraries for current students. This is page 2 of a three page document.

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5. Locating Library Material

Use the catalog [http://library.ua.edu/] to locate materials of all types: books, journals, theses and dissertations, videos, newspapers, government documents, etc. Once you have obtained a call number for an item, you may go directly to the stacks to retrieve the item. The stacks of all of the University Libraries are open to the public. Use the databases [http://www.lib.ua.edu/databases/dbsearch.htm] to locate articles from journals or newspapers.

Books:

Use the catalog's basic or advanced search options to look for books by author, title, subject, keyword, etc. For assistance, ask at the reference desk or go to finding books page on the Libraries website. [http://www.lib.ua.edu/find/findingbooks.htm]

Journals:

Use the catalog's basic or advanced search options to look for print journals in the Libraries. Pick Journal Title from the drop down menu when looking for a particular journal. Electronic journals are available through the E-Journals page on the Libraries website. [http://www.lib.ua.edu/ejournals/]

Articles:

Use the databases page [http://www.lib.ua.edu/databases/dbsearch.htm] to locate articles on a particular topic. For assistance, ask a librarian or go to finding articles page on the Libraries website. [http://www.lib.ua.edu/find/findingarticles.htm]

Theses and Dissertations:

Use the catalog's Advanced Search option to locate theses and dissertations by UA students. Search the keyword "thesis" together with subject keywords to identify theses and dissertations on a particular topic. UA theses and dissertations may also be identified through the database Current Research at the University of Alabama. Theses and dissertations from other universities may be found through the database Digital Dissertations, available on the databases page. [http://www.lib.ua.edu/databases/dbsearch.htm]

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6. Library Services

Renewals:

To renew an item, you may bring it into the library, or you may renew electronically through the Libraries' catalog. The following items may not be renewed: items that are overdue or have fines, items that have been recalled or placed on hold by another patron, or items needed by a professor for Course Reserve. Renewal limits vary, depending on patron group and the type of material.

To renew online, first access your patron account:

Go to the University Libraries' home page

Click on Your Library Account

Enter your University ID and your last name.

Click on Login

Then, complete the online renewal:

Look at the Charged Items List, which is a list of items you have checked out and the dates they are due back.

Click on the Renew box on the left of the screen for each item you want to renew.

At the bottom of the Charged Items List, click on Renew Items.

Check the box to the right of the item. If it was renewed, a new due date will show. If the message Not Renewed appears beside an item, you must bring that item to the circulation desk at the library where it was checked out.

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Holds and Recalls:

You may request an item that someone else has checked out by placing a hold or a recall. You may place a hold or recall in person at the circulation desk or electronically. If you place a hold, you will be notified when the item is returned, and it will be held for you for 10 days; the original due date on the item remains unchanged. If you place a recall on an item, a new due date will be assigned, making the item due 10 days from the date the request is placed. You will be notified when the item is returned, and it will be held for you for 10 days. Holds and recalls may not be placed on items that are not checked out.

To place a hold or recall online:

In the Libraries' catalog, find the record for the item you want.

Make sure the status is Charged.

Click on Holds/Recalls.

Enter your Patron ID and last name. Click Login.

From the drop down menu, select Hold or Recall

If you want any copy of the item, select Any Copy. If you need a particular copy of an item, select the box with the item barcode.

Enter your Patron ID.

Select the pick-up location. This is where you will pick up the item. It does not have to be the library that houses the item.

Click Submit Request.

If your request was successful, you will see the message "Your Patron Initiated Request Was Successful." If the request was not successful, you will receive a message that your request failed.

Need assistance in placing holds or recalls? Just ask. The staff at any of the Reference or Circulation desks will help you.

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Annex:

The University Libraries recently completed construction of a Library Annex to supplement the existing facilities. Seldom-used books and journals were transferred to the Annex.

For general information about retrieval of Annex material, see the Annex Service Policy. [http://www.lib.ua.edu/policies/servpolic.htm]

To request a specific item in the Annex, use the holds/recalls/requests link in the Libraries' catalog:

Locate the item you want in the Libraries' catalog.

Confirm that the location is "Annex."

Click on Holds/Recalls/Requests at the top of the page.

Enter your patron ID and last name. Click Login.

From the drop-down menu, select Request from Annex. The "number available" tells you how many remaining items you may check out.

If you want a book, choose Select an Item. If you want a journal, choose Select an Item; then select the appropriate volume from the pull down menu or enter this information manually in the form.

Select the pick-up location. This is where you will pick up the item.

Enter your patron ID.

Choose Submit Request.

If your request was successful, you will see the message "Your Patron Initiated Request Was Successful." If the request was not successful, you will receive a message that the request failed.

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Rush Cataloging Request:

A rush cataloging request[http://www.lib.ua.edu/forms/rushcat.htm] form may be submitted by University of Alabama faculty, staff, and students to request an item that appears in the Libraries' Catalog but is listed as "in process" or "on order" and thus is not yet available for circulation.

Suggest a purchase:

If you are a University of Alabama student, faculty member, or staff member, you may suggest a purchase [http://www.lib.ua.edu/forms/matpurchase.htm] of a particular book (not textbooks), video, journal, or database for the University Libraries collections. Your suggestion will be forwarded to the appropriate subject selector.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL):

Material that is not available in the UA Libraries may be obtained from other libraries by Interlibrary Loan. [http://www.lib.ua.edu/interlibloan/] First time users are required to complete an online registration form. To request an item through Interlibrary Loan, you must first identify yourself to the Libraries' ILLiad system. Registration has three purposes:

Entering your personal information into the ILLiad system means you will not have to supply the information again when making future requests.

Having your e-mail and regular mail addresses on file with Interlibrary Loan enables us to notify you promptly and deliver materials accurately when your request arrives in the library.

By specifying a Username and Password of your choosing, you will have secure access to information about your requests. You will also be able to review the list of items you have requested in the past.

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Course Reserves:

Materials selected by instructors or professors for use in a particular course are available in either electronic or print format. To locate reserve materials from the Libraries' home page

Click on Catalog

Click on Course Reserves

Use the drop-down menus to identify the Instructor, Department, and Course/Section number

Click on Search

If the Library Location is E-Reserves, the item is available electronically; click on the title and then on the works "Click here for on-line document"

If the Library Location is one of the Library reserve desks, the item is available in print at that desk

Library Instruction:

The University Libraries provide tours, orientations, and classes on library sources and research strategies. In addition, individual consultations with subject specialists are available for advanced research. Please remember that we want to help you accomplish your research and succeed academically. For details/contacts please consult the instruction librarian in the appropriate library. [http://www.lib.ua.edu/instruction/classes.htm]

Ask-A-Librarian:

Brief questions about library resources and services may be submitted by email. In addition, a librarian is available online for live assistance, Monday-Thursday, 1-4 p.m. To submit a question, go to Ask-A-Librarian. [http://www.lib.ua.edu/forms/ask.htm]

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