Collection Services Frequently Asked Questions
Monographs
Ordering items for the Library Collection
Q. How do I recommend items for the collection?
A. We accept publishers' catalogues with your requirements clearly indicated, reviews, email, Web and telephone requests.
Q. How do I check if a title is still in print?
A. Contact the Resource Acquisitions Team. For books you can search the title in Global Books In Print which is accessed from the Library Catalogue or Database pages.
Q. Can I request out of print books?
A. Yes. We can often source these directly or through booksellers in various countries who are willing to do this for us.
Q. Can I find out the cost of an item before ordering?
A. Yes, contact the Resource Acquisitions Team.
Q. Can I request from a wide range of publication sources?
A. In most cases we use an agent who sources from the publishers for us. This means that, although we need to know the name of the publisher we do not deal directly with them.
Q. Do you have a fax number/email address which I can use to contact a publisher?
A. We have databases and reference tools which have this type of information. We'll do our best to help. Please contact the Resource Acquisitions Team.
Q. Can you supply us with information about our Department's book allocation?
A. Monthly financial balances are provided to Library Liaison Officers. The Resources Acquisitions Team can also supply you with a report of titles ordered whenever you require.
Cataloguing and 'In Process' items
Q. Can I check the progress of an order?
A. Please contact the Resource Acquisitions Team, who can supply this information on request.
Q. Do you let me know when books I have ordered arrive?
A. A weekly list of new items is sent to each department's library liaison person. You can follow the progress of an order on the Library Catalogue. At any stage you can place a request on the item, which means that it will be catalogued urgently for you.
Q. Can I have access to 'in-process' books?
A. If you are looking for an item in the Library Catalogue which has the status "In process", this means that the item is awaiting cataloguing or labelling. If you need to use the item, it can be catalogued urgently for you. Place a request on the "In Process" item. "In Process" items which are requested are given priority for cataloguing and should be available within 10 days.
If your need for an item is more urgent, visit the Resource Acquisition Team, currently on level 5 of the Central Library. We can usually have the item ready for you the next day, as long as no-one else has already requested it. You can also consult the book in Library Support Services.
Serials
Q. There is a journal article I would like to read, but the volume is being bound. Is it possible to have access to it?
A. Please place a request on the item. You will be notified when the item has been returned to the Library and is available for you to borrow.
Q. How long does it take for newspapers to arrive?
A. The Press is delivered daily and is available in the Central Library and the Engineering, Law, and Physical Sciences branch libraries by 9 am. The Dominion Post and the Otago Daily Times arrive the day of publication and are available by 2pm. The Times arrives approximately one week after it is published in England. The Saturday edition of the Australian takes approximately 3 days.
Q. How can I tell if a journal is still currently published?
A. We can obtain information about the status of a journal through our online databases. Please contact the Resource Acquisitions Team.
Q. How can I tell if a journal is held by another library in New Zealand?
A. Up to date holdings information is available in the national database Te Puna. Please ask at the Information or Service Desk in any of the libraries.
Q. Is there an electronic version of this journal on the Internet?
A. Check the Library Catalogue for full text electronic journals subscribed to by the Library. We receive information from publishers about their electronic serials and we can also obtain information through our subscription agents' databases. Please contact the Resource Acquisitions Team.