Emails from 'thelibrary@gmail.com' ... NOT a spam!

We've noticed that our (gentle) emails - to help you remember about the due date of your library items, or to let you know about overdue items on your account - are directed mainly to spam folders.
To prevent this, just check your spams, see if an email comes from thelibrary@gmail.com and if it does, then right click on the email in question to authorise it, so that in the future... you can receive our notes to you, straight away!
Any question, just come to the desk or email us at library@dbs.ie

Getting closer to exams... 3 things to remember!

We are now entering the 'Dreaded Exam Period' and this means three things:

1) We open Sundays and bank holidays 11am to 5pm from the week starting March 24th until the week ending May 18th. All the 10 Sunday/bank holiday opening are listed in a previous post further below, and you can also see them all on the DS and AS library calendars on the Library website 'about the library' section: http://library.dbs.ie/AboutLibrary/Opening-Hours.htm



2) Most previous years' exam papers can be found on Moodle: click on the 'exam papers' link on the left hand side of your Moodle homepage. Exam papers are split by category - undergraduate arts, undergraduate business, postgraduate arts, postgraduate business, law and ICM/DBS diplomas/Springboard courses.





3) Fines double from April 1st until May 18th
So for 2-week, 1-week, 3-day & 7-day law (DS only) items, it will be €1.20 per item per day late.
And instead of €1.50 for 3-day loan, it will be €3.00 per day late.
DVDs remain at €3.00 per DVD per day late.

This is not a cynical revenue generating exercise by the library, this is a genuine attempt to keep books in circulation between all of you needing them for your revisions, and therefore prevent students from holding on to books while many others need them too.

Remember, fines are avoidable! Indeed, you can manage your account online yourself and see if you have books that are reserved by others (they will not be renewable), and renew your other books.
You can do so:
- online (click on the 'Access my library account' icon on the library website and login with the same login as your Moodle logins)
- at the self-issuing stations with your student card
- by telephoning the relevant library site (01-417 7572 for AS library / 01-417 8745 for DS library)



Good luck with your exams!

Three things

We are now entering the Dreaded Exam Period (cue rising organ music).  The Dreaded Exam Period means three things:

1) Fines double for the duration of the exam period.  Instead of €0.60 and €1.50, fines on overdue material will be €1.20 and €3.00.  This is not a cynical revenue generating exercise by the library, this is a genuine attempt to keep books in circulation and deter students from hogging texts that are in demand.

2) We open Sundays from 11am to 5pm.  We also open Good Friday and Easter Monday  11am to 5pm.  A separate post will appear in a day or two with details of DBS building opening hours during the Easter Weekend.

3) In response to the increased number of queries: Most previous years' exam papers can be on Moodle at this link.  You will need to login to access it.  Actually, just checking on Moodle there and I see that the link is prominently displayed in the site news section.  Exam papers are split by category - undergraduate arts, undergraduate business, postgraduate arts, postgraduate business, law and ICM/DBS diplomas/Springboard courses.  I stress,the papers are you looking for are probably there, but not necessarily.

Good luck with your exams!     

Doubling of fines - a reminder

As previously noted, from tomorrow fines for standard, week and short loan books will double for the duration of the exam period. We do this with the best of intentions; to try to ensure fair access to library materials for all students.

Avoid fines, especially when they double during exam time!

It is soon the time for your summer exams to start (good luck!) so to prevent more stress here are a few tips to avoid having to pay fines on overdue library items, especially because fines double during exam time (so that we can ensure fair and equitable access to library materials to all of you!)

Library books can be renewed:
- online (click on the 'Access my library account' icon on the library website and login with the same login as your Moodle logins)
- at the self-issuing stations with your student card
- by telephoning the relevant library site (01-417 7572 for AS library / 01-417 8745 for DS library)

The doubling of fines for 2011 will start being enforced on Thursday 21st April 2011.

Standard Loan (2-week) €1.20/day/book

7-day Loan €1.20/day/book

3-day Loan €3.00/day/book

1-day Loan (DVDs) €5.00/day/DVD

And remember, fines are charged on each item returned late and overdue items may not be renewed where a library account has a fine balance exceeding €5.00.

Exam time!

This is a good cop/bad cop posting (though you may think there's not much good cop content.)

1. To ensure fair and equitable access to Library materials in the run up to exams; from 22nd March 2010 , fines on standard loan and 7-day loan items will increase to €1.20 per day while fines on short loan materials will increase to €3.00 per day. To avoid incurring fines, Library books can be renewed online, at self-issuing stations or by telephoning the relevant library site (contact details are below). Please note that overdue items may not be renewed where a library account has a fine balance exceeding €5.00
I want to, and I think I need to, stress that we do this to attempt to ensure fair and equitable access to library books during the time when there's most demand for them. If you, as a student, are looking for a specific textbook for exam revision, but cannot find it because someone is keeping them past the due date, how would you feel? Doubling fines is an attempt to motivate people to return books on time when they most need to be returned on time. All monies garnered by library fines are reinvested in the library: your 60 cent fine for a book brought back one day late will contribute to purchasing the latest edition of your core textbooks or a new DVD that you will be borrowing one day. It's not like we spend the money on fine wine and expensive chocolates (despite my many requests). If this was an exercise in profiteering, don't you think we'd double the fines for late returns of DVDs?

Here's a article from a library academic journal discussing fines (you can access the link directly on campus). While he mentions the arguments for abolishing fines, I agree, partly, with the author when he says:

it seems to me that they serve a vital function for any library that requires efficient and equitable circulation of stock. It cannot be right that an essentially selfish act on the part of one user or a group of users deprives other users of access to that material.

2. To give you lots of notice: exam results will not be issued to students until all borrowed materials have been returned to the Library and outstanding fines cleared. Outstanding fines can be paid by cash or credit card at any library site. Payment must be received no later than one week prior to the release of exam results. If payment is received after this date then your results will not be issued for a period of up to 24 hours after the release date of results. This period is required to allow the examinations office time to update the relevant files.

3. During the period Monday 22^nd March until Saturday 15^th May, the 3 Libraries will be opened 11.00-17.00 on the following dates:

- Sunday 28^th March 2010

- Friday 2^nd April 2010 (good Friday)

- Sunday 4^th April 2010 (Easter Sunday)

- Monday 5^th April 2010 (Easter Monday)

- Sunday 11^th April 2010

- Sunday 18^th April 2010

- Sunday 25^th April 2010

- Sunday 2^nd May 2010

- Monday 3^rd May 2010 (May bank holiday)

- Sunday 9^th May 2010

So basically, we'll be open 7 days a week from 28/03 to 15/05

Returning Books to the Library

We spent a lot of money buying a self-issuing station, one of these. They're the bees knees, especially since you can configure them to return books too. We recently configured the station to accept book returns and some of you have started returning book there and placing returned books on the book trolley next to the station. Many many thanks. We think you're awesome. However, and let's face there has to be an "however", or else I wouldn't be typing this, a very small number of you are placing books on the book return trolley, the trolley with the signage saying "Place books returned on self-issue station here", that you have borrowed, but haven't returned. I'll say that again, a very very small number of students are borrowing books and returning them by placing them on the book return trolley and walking away. This does not return books. This drives staff mad. This also messes up student accounts, because books that have been brought back to the library, are left on student accounts, with fines accumulating. Fines and overdue books lead to loan stops on student accounts. Staff then have to go to find the books that were left there (usually when there's a big queue at the issue desk). It's a mess. At the moment we waive any fines that accrue, but we have a problem: we've just been told that the home for insane librarians is full, so do we get rid of the book return facility on the self-issue station, or leave things as they are (and drive insane the rest of our staff)? We might have to start changing fines for books left on the trolley that haven't been returned. Any thoughts? Anyone?... Anyone?... Bueller?* We probably will go with the fine option unless popular opinion requests otherwise.


* Obscure 80's cultural reference

Exam Period Fines

As the bad cop library blogger (thanks Laura!), it's my sad duty to inform you that fines will be doubled during the forthcoming exam period, which, in DBS Library terms, extends from Monday 6th April to Friday 8th May. We don't do this because we hate you, honestly. We do this to encourage prompt return of books during a period of heavy demand for library books. Hence, if you want to hog books while cramming for exams you will pay the price. Specifically the price you will pay is:

€1.20 / day Main Lending Material
€1.20 / day Week Loan Material
€3 / day Short Loan Material
€1.20 / hour Restricted Access Material

Ouch!

To reiterate, we're not doing this for the hell of it, we're doing this to deter late return of library books during the period in which they are needed most. If it makes you feel a little better (probably not), all income generated by fines becomes part of the library budget and is therefore used to buy new books, DVDs and electronic resources.

Please also note the following:
No award will be issued from the College until all items on loan have been returned to the Library and all outstanding fines cleared.
It is the responsibility of all borrowers to ensure accounts are clear before the vacation period

Good luck with your exams.