Holding DVDs at the Check Out Desk

You asked:  Can we please request DVDs that are checked out and have them held at the Check Out Desk like we can for books? 

Irma says: We wish we could offer this service.  However, processing a hold takes a fair amount of staff time.  As you can imagine the DVD collection is very popular and we would get many requests!  So, we need to devote staff resources to holds for materials needed for classes. 
 

Quiet floors

You asked:  Can we please make the quiet floors more quiet?

Irma says:  Floors 6 - 9 are quiet floors.  We've posted new signs (see the picture) that provide a better visual cue.  If you're having problems with noise on a quiet floor please use the Ask Us button on the Libraries home page (also available via mobile) to IM or text a staff member.  We're glad to come to the floor and address the problem for you.

Clearning computers

You asked:  Please clean the computers more often!
Irma says:  We do have students employees who clean the computers.  However, it's hard to get access to them since they're used so much!  We'll see about getting wipes on each floor.

Library literacy classes

You asked:  We need library literacy classes -- it's not just for freshmen!

Irma says:  We're delighted you're interested in such classes!  There are several ways to get help:

We work with many upper level classes as well as freshmen.  If you'd like instruction for your class please suggest it to your professor.  He or she may contact Amy Harris Houk at a_harris2@uncg.edu

Whenever you need help finding information or locating something in the Libraries be sure to ask at the desks in Jackson or Schiffman Libraries.  Our staff will be glad to help you!  And, there's online help available by chat or phone.

There are also several tutorials available 24/7 that you may use to help learn how to find great information. 

There are also online research guides available for every major and program at UNCG.  And there's a subject specialist for your major whose contact information is on these pages and will be glad to meet with you.

We look forward to working with you! 

The Libraries want to hear from you!

Welcome to new and returning students!  We'd love your suggestions about the University Libraries services and resources and recommendations for books or DVDs. You may leave a note in the suggestion box across from the Check Out Desk in Jackson.  Anonymous responses are posted on this blog.

Or, you may provide an online suggestion on this form.  We look forward to hearing from you!

New Libraries' catalog

You asked:  There are several things I liked about the old catalog that aren't  in the new one:

1.  Our own collections should be the default for searches.
Irma says:  There are two ways you can limit your search to the UNCG Libraries.  One is to click on "catalog" in the red box on the Libraries home page before entering a search.  Another is to go to the advanced search and limit your search to UNCG Libraries.

2. Searching  for a specific title can bring up too many hits.
Irma says:  Probably the best way to do this is to use the advanced search and use the drop down menus to limit to a title search. Putting quotes ("") around the title helps, too.

3.  It doesn't show the floor where the book is shelved.
Irma says:  That was a great feature in the old catalog. We hope we can add that later.  But take a look in the upper left hand corner of the catalog page that says "UNCG University Libraries."  There's a drop down menu that includes a "locations of materials" page that has a floor guide.

4.  We can't request holds for items checked out.
Irma says:  This feature should be added back very soon.  Look for publicity!  You may also request an Interlibrary Loan for any item that's checked out. 

More from Irma: 
We decided to move to this new system  in order to provide broader and deeper discoverability of information.  It provides "Google" like searching of books, articles, archives and much more from libraries across the globe so that  researchers  may find a variety of materials in one place.    Another driver for our decision was the fact that our old catalog was very outdated and no longer supported by the vendor.  We will continue to make improvements in the system.  This guide provides lots of helpful information for using the new catalog and our staff is available by phone, text, chat or in person. 

Journal Finder

You asked:  Can we please return to Journal Finder?  It was a great database!

Irma says: We appreciate your compliment about Journal Finder.  It was developed and maintained here at the University Libraries before being sold to WT Cox.  Over the past year we've been transitioning to a new integrated system, OCLC's Worldshare Management System (WMS) and, unfortunately, Journal Finder is not compatible with it so we had to replace it with WMS's journal tool. 

We decided to move to WMS in order to provide broader and deeper discoverability of information.  It can  provide "Google" like searching so that researchers may find a variety of materials (books, articles, archives and much more) in one place.   Another driver for our decision was the fact that our old system was very outdated and no longer supported by the vendor. 

To help you use the new system, including the journal tool, we have a Lib Guide.  



Also please don't ever hesitate to contact us for additional help with the journal tool or any other information need.