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Quiet Study zones not so quiet after all

Suggestion/Comment

The increasing use of laptops in quiet zones in the libraries is not helping at all!! I for one cannot stand the consistent clanking of keyboards by someone sitting next to me or further away when I'm trying to read/study journal papers that require deep concentration. The EPS library quiet zone used to be a haven for students requiring serious silence for study (not typing out assignments etc), but the addition of PCs with the loud keyboards has totally destroyed this environment.

I know this is pretty far-fetched, but is it possible at all to allocate a space just for quiet reading and no laptops...

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one having this problem trying to concentrate reading when the person next to you (or even a few meters away!) is banging on his/her laptop keyboard.
Name: Rocky

Library Answer

Hello Rocky
Thank you for your suggestion regarding the use of laptops in quiet zones in the library. At the beginning of this year we placed some computers in the silent area on level 3 of EPS due to a large number of student requests.
In order to try and lessen the impact of keyboard noise on those studying we will look into getting some quieter keyboards for these computers. EPS staff will also monitor laptop and ipad noise in this area to ensure that these items are set on silent mode.
There is an area on level 1 of the EPS Library, behind the journal stacks, that is a silent area and has no computers in it. This area might be ideal for your silent study.

Kind Regards
Lisa Matthews
Customer Services Co-ordinator (Education)

A computer needed on level 7

Suggestion/Comment

Could you please put a catalog computer on floor 7? There is sufficient room for one and it saves an unnecessary trip down a floor to search for book locations.

Kind Regards
Andrew

Library Answer

Dear Andrew,

Thanks for your suggestion. We will certainly do a space assessment to see if we can install a computer on that level.

Kind regards
Coral Black
Associate University Librarian (acting)

Binder in Central Library

Suggestion/Comment

Dear Library,

There used to be a thermal binding machine for us to use on the main level (2), where did it go? I don't get the impression it was highly used, but still, it was really handy. I had a scout around and couldn't see it, where is its new home?

Kind regards,
Andy

Library Answer

Many thanks for your enquiry about the binders in Central Library. The UC CopyCentre will be moving back into the Undercroft this week and all binding equipment will be located in their new space on Level 1.

Kind Regards

Coral Black
Customer Services Manager

Recalling Books

Suggestion/Comment

The system whereby the due date of a book is suddenly updated when the book is 'recalled' is really unhelpful. Not for me, but I bet it's really inconvenient for the people who is waiting on the book I have. Twice in a row now, a book I have in my possession has been recalled at short notice, and both times, I've been unable to return the book because I've been out of Christchurch at the time.

The due date you get given when you get out a book should to be the EARLIEST at which you will need to return that book. If you wish to keep it longer than that, you should need to renew the loan. Some date which you MIGHT be able to keep the book until if nobody else wants it totally unhelpful. If the due date was earlier, then I would have made arrangements to get the book back by the said date. Instead, I thought I had it for another week, and so I'll be away from Christchurch whilst the book sits around unused.

Also, in this particular instance, the problem could have been solved if there was some way for me to return the book before my flight: why does the EPS library not have an after-hours return slot?

Edwin

Library Answer

Thank you for your comments about returning material over the summer vacation and the recall service that we operate. We do have returns boxes located at all of the Libraries and they are in operation when the Library is closed. I am sorry you were unable to locate the one at EPS, we will look at improving the signage to help with this in the future.

I understand the frustration with the recall of material, especially when you are away from Christchurch. This policy aims to ensure we have maximum circulation of our resources so that everyone gets a chance to borrow the book they need even if it's only for a short period of time. On the whole we do achieve this but it isn't a perfect system and can cause some problems.


Regards
Coral Black
Customer Services Manager

Central Library Heating

Suggestion/Comment

This is my fourth year and it is still the same!!! The central library is too hot during the end of year exam period!!! Lets just not have heating.

Zach

Library Answer

Yes, we agree it is very hot in Central Library at the moment. We have contacted Facilities Management about the heating and staff will start opening the windows early in the morning which should help. Level 4 is probably the coolest floor in the Library so you may want to use that for you study.

Regards

Coral Black
Customer Services Manager

Wireless Printing

Suggestion/Comment

Have the campus libraries considered a wireless printing service? It is not always possible or convenient to get access to a library computer and I feel that it would be highly beneficial if students could gain access to printers through a wireless network.

ICT Services Answer

You can connect/access all available printers in the University including those in the libraries provided you have active internet and wireless connection. Please see instructions below if you are using a Windows7 machine.

1. Click “Start” button
2. In the “Search Programs and files” field, type \\ucprint1. A login authentication dialogue box will come up.
3. On the login dialogue box, type your login and your IT password. This will bring up the list of “all” the printers that you can install in your laptop.
4. Find the name of the printer then double-click it. This will download the device driver (program that your PC use to talk to the specific printer)
Note: All Uni printers have their name/s printed on a pink sticker on its front side.
5. Follow instructions on the installation process. When finished, a printer window comes up bearing the name of the printer you just installed and that’s done.

You can install any printer you want, just be sure to select the correct name of the printer when printing stuffs.

If you are using a Mac laptop, which entails a different setup, please drop by the ICT Service desk at Central Library for immediate assistance.

Kind regards

ICT Service Desk Adviser

Law Library heating

Suggestion/Comment

Can you please turn down the heaters at the law library? with the hot sun and the heaters on,it gets too warm. As a result,I can't focus as i am uncomfortable. A few of my friends have the same issue. Its quite nice and queit so opening the windows will drisrupt other students due to protests,lawn mowers etc And the windows are not to be opened anyway cause they have signs up saying that.

Thank you :)

Library Answer

Thanks you for your comments about the heating in the Law Library. I agree, it is warm at the moment and have contacted Facilities Services to have the heating turned off. Staff within the Library will also monitor things and open the windows as needed.

Many thanks

Coral Black
Customer Services Manager

Google Earth machine

Suggestion/Comment

That Google Earth machine is always out of order. Can you get it fixed. I'm always disappointed when I can't have a go on it, because it is awesome.

Richard

Library Answer

Hi Richard,

Thanks for letting us know. ICT Services look after this computer so we'll let them know. If there are problems in the future, please let the ICT Services person at the Library desk know and they will deal with it.

Kind regards

Simon
Blog Administrator

Lights in Education Library computer room

Suggestion/Comment

Hi,
People have complained in the past about the lights constantly turning off in the level two computer room. The response was that it saves power, only happens when the library is quiet, and people should just move around. But I think that minimises just how much of an issue the current setting is. The timer is around 5 minutes which means that even with the 9 people currently sitting in here the lights are repeatedly turning off. The motion sensor is also not brilliant so someone has to stand up or walk across the room to start them back up again, and at such a frequency it is actually quite disruptive. When I've attempted to use the room later in the evenings it's almost impossible to focus properly on a task while having to stand up so often.

Timed lights are a great idea and I think should be used more often, but should be balanced against the room's function. I've never come across such a short interval used in spaces where people aren't doing tasks that require movement. If the sensitivity of the timer could be increased that would be best the best option, but increasing the interval would work too.

This is the best computer lab on campus, and one of the quietest, I'd love to be able to work on essays here after dark.

Thanks for reading!

Mike

Library Answer

Thanks you for bringing this to our attention as we didn't realise it was such a problem. We will contact Facilities Management and see if they can change the setting on the lights to help solve or at least reduce the problem.

Regards
Coral Black
Customer Services Manager

Giveaway box

Suggestion/Comment

Myself, and surely many others, have some textbooks and technical books to give away. They would be wasteful to discard if they may be useful to other staff or students. I would like to suggest a free giveaway box in the library where such books can be left and anyone can take free. Books that stay around too long can be disposed of with other disposed books. May be worth a try to see how it works.

Michael

Library Answer

We currently have free table in the Education Library which people often use for this purpose. In terms of the Law and EPS Libraries we put free tables out as and when we need to throughout the year and we are happy for students to add books they want to pass on to others. We don't have anything as such in Central Library but I think this is something we can look at and see what we can do in the future.

Regards
Coral Black
Customer Services Manager

Squeaky doors

Suggestion/Comment

Perhaps the stairway doors in the Central Library could be greased as the are very squeaky and irritating

Dannielle

Library Answer

Thanks for alerting us to the noisy doors in the Central Library. We have checked these over and they should now close silently.

Isabel Milward

Team Supervisor|Customer Services
Library Research & Information Services

Booking rooms (Level 2 Central)

Suggestion/Comment

Why can't students book the large discussion rooms on level 2 (rms 212d/e)?

Currently there is no way to book, or even check if someone else has booked the rooms when I might want them.

It's hard enough getting people to attend discussions without further discouraging them by not being able to guarantee the room.

As a result, I don't even think about using these rooms. Instead I book less satisfactory rooms (Like on Lvl. 11) that are smaller, and lack whiteboards, and are on the 11th floor... or in other libraries at the other end of the campus...

It would be nice if we (students) could book these rooms.

Kerryn

Library Answer

Thank you for your feedback regarding these rooms. The booking of the seminar rooms L212D and 212E, as well as L210, are managed by the University-wide room booking service and software and at this point are not bookable by students. The booking software functionality does not enable the bookings for a particular room to be viewed. I will forward your comments to the appropriate person for their response.

Isabel Milward

Team Supervisor|Customer Services
Library Research & Information Services

Photography section needs to reopen

Suggestion/Comment

Hi there,

We haven't had access to the Photography section of the library for most part of our degrees, and this somewhat confuses me. There are approximately 25 students who would probably be in the library browsing every day if this section was open, something that is crucial to the research component of our assignments. It is no good looking online the books we can get out - we need to see what the photographs are of in order to tell if they are appropriate for us to use. The library's system of photographing the book and putting the image online is not satisfactory, and we waste a lot of time looking up books on the internet just to see if they are what we are looking for.

I am proposing, on behalf of Photography that you move the Photography section to somewhere where we can access it. We need our books, this is so important to our studies. We are currently having to set up our own library of our personal books to borrow off each other, as we don't have anywhere else to browse.

There have been numerous complaints from students and tutors on this matter, and we would like to see it resolved as soon as possible so we get the resources we pay for in our course fees.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Chrissy

Library Answer

Hi Chrissy

Many thanks for your very useful feedback. We have been aware of this difficult and unfortunate situation, but have simply had nowhere available in the Central Library to move the TR collection to, with all the other post-quake issues and remediation to consider.

I am happy to tell you, however, that we now have a space available on Level 4, in the discussion room in the southwest corner, where we will be relocating the TR books on Wednesday next week (after the room has been cleared and tidied). It is locked at present, but will be unlocked and accessible once the TR books have been reshelved in there.

Please let me know if you have any further library difficulties.

Kind regards,
Max Podstolski
Liaison Librarian

Library link on New UC website

Suggestion/Comment

I noticed the new home page of the unviersity has the library under 'research'. I find it odd that there is no direct link to the library the way it used to be on the old home page. I think positioning the link to the library under 'research' may result in difficulties for our undergraduates to find the library link on the website. Undergrads who do no engage in research as such, may perceive the heading 'research' as irrelevant to them, and may not look under that heading. It may also send a message to undergrads that the the library is not part of their learning. I am sure this was not the intention of whoever decided on the new position of the library link, but I would be happy if it were to be repositioned on the same line of headings starting with " study", "courses', "departments" etc.

Mary

Library Answer

Dear Mary

Thanks for taking the time to write to us. The Library is now linked under “Quick Links”, “Teaching” and “Research”. We will continue to look at this issue as it's important to us for staff and students to have easy access to our library site.

Kind regards

Heather Jenks
Associate University Librarian

Discussion room =/= Gossip room

Suggestion/Comment

Unfortunately I'm not quite confrontational enough to let the guilty know. Are any of the as yet unopened floors in Central going to be Silent Zones (similar to the one in EPS)? Because that would be fantastic! 'Quiet Study Area' is not quite obvious enough for some.

Library Answer

All floors in the tower will be Quiet student when they are re-opened later in the year but we will be reviewing the zoning of floors to make sure that we have some areas that are silent.

Coral Black
Customer Services Manager