Library and Online Resources

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Quick Links to LS&D pages

 

Introduction

General information for distance and online learners

The Learning Support and Development unit at Bolton has made special provision for distance and online learners and is set up to help students worldwide on many courses.

Information on the services available to distance and online learners is published at www.bolton.ac.uk/learning/generalsupport/dolearners.htm

Services

Catalogue access

The online library catalogue is linked from the Learning Support and Development home page at www.bolton.ac.uk/learning/.  Click on "library catalogue", then on "Log On", then on "Full Catalogue".   Alternatively, click on the "Quick link" at the top of this page.  Items can be located without having to enter any identification.

To check the status of your account, or to reserve* or renew books, go to the catalogue screen and click on the button to the left marked "Patron Functions". For "patron barcode", enter your 7-digit student number, as advised by the CET Postgraduate Programmes Office on enrolment. (If you live close to Bolton, you should have been sent an ID card by the CET Postgraduate Programmes Office for use as a library card. In this case the number appears below the barcode on the back). The library password is your date of birth, in a six figure format, in the order  day, month, year. For example, if you were born on the first of October 1976, the password would be 011076.

For full instructions on how to use the catalogue, check your account, reserve* and renew books, please refer the page on general services available to distance and online learners (linked from Introduction, above).

* The system does not yet automatically recognise e-learning students. Therefore, if you reserve a book, you should also inform the subject librarian by email asking him to look out for the book and to post it to you. Otherwise the book will be held at the reception desk as the standard arrangement is that students collect reserved items themselves.

Book loans

Books can only be posted to UK addresses. The normal loan period is 3 weeks but it is extended to 4 weeks for distance learning students. Up to 15 items can be borrowed at a time.

It is your responsibility to renew items or return them on time. Renewal can be by telephone or online via "patron functions" in the online catalogue - see above.

Fines for overdue items are charged at 10p per item per day for the first 10 days and 25p thereafter. If a fine is allowed to build up beyond £2.50, the library account will be frozen and further requests to borrow or renew items will be refused until the fine has been paid off in full.

Journal articles

Details of journals held in the library (both in print and electronic format) are included in the main catalogue. Requests to photocopy articles in stock should be addressed by email to the subject librarian; the copies will then be sent to you by post. If a journal item is not stocked by the library you should consider requesting it through the Inter Library Loan scheme (see below).

Inter-library loan

A book or journal item that is not available from the library may be requested through the Inter Library Loan Service operated by the British Library.  Your signature is required on the form, so unfortunately it is not possible to accept requests by email.  Distance learning electronics students should address requests to the subject librarian, Steve Crimes, clearly marked distance learning.  Bear in mind that each item supplied by Inter Library Loan will cost the university about £7 plus postage and packing.

Journal articles supplied by the Inter Library Loan scheme are photocopies and do not need to be returned.  The British Library will post items direct to  your home address but will only post books to addresses in the UK.   It is your responsibility to return books in time direct to the British Library.   Books are on a 3-week loan period and overdue items are charged at 60 pence per day. One word of warning: a few items (such as academic theses) can only be accessed by travelling to Bolton because the British Library issues them on a reference only basis. If you need to access such an item it would be better to use the services of your local public library.

Hardback binding

A professional hardback binding service is offered by the library for MSc dissertations. At the time of writing the cost is £32.50 for dissertations up to 250 pages and £34.50 for up to 500 pages. An additional charge of £2.50 per line is made for lettering on the front cover. The current rates are to be found in the LS&D price list.

Visiting the library in person

Students on distance learning courses are entitled to the same services as all other students and you are welcome to call in and use the library facilities at the university. The student registration card doubles as a library card and is required if you plan to visit Bolton and borrow books in person.

Excessive or inappropriate usage

The services described above are free to distance learning students but the true costs will be debited to the course budget. To encourage responsible usage individual accounts have been set up for each student. If there is evidence of excessive or inappropriate usage, charges will be introduced for the individual concerned.

Online Resources

Over the last few years there has been a tremendous increase in full text resources available online. Some databases however, provide only abstracts of articles that would then need to be obtained separately.

All relevant online resources available through Bolton are listed in the subject group's web pages at www.bolton.ac.uk/learning/subjects/comele/  where there are two sections, according to whether they are public access or password protected.

 

LS&D Guide to Electronic Information Sources in Engineering

This workbook explains the techniques for conducting online searches for articles specific to your interest from books, journals and newspapers. The workbook runs to 33 pages and the contents is listed below. Download pdf


CONTENTS of Engineering Workbook
 Introduction to electronic information sources
Which are the most useful electronic information sources in engineering?
Getting started - how to log on
LS&D home page
Moving around the engineering subject pages
Getting started
Logging into Athens
Accessing ANTE
Searching ANTE
Narrowing your ANTE quick search
Advanced searching on ANTE
Boolean logic
Looking at your ANTE search results
Marking your ANTE search results
Saving your ANTE search results
Printing & exiting ANTE
Searching ScienceDirect
Looking at your ScienceDirect search results
Saving your ScienceDirect search results
Printing your ScienceDirect search results
Exiting ScienceDirect
Accessing electronic journals

Contact Information

Steve Crimes, the subject librarian for electronics, is an expert in resources covering all aspects of electronics and would be pleased to help and advise.

Email: ami-lib@bolton.ac.uk

Tel. +44 (0)1204 903093 or 903094

Fax +44 (0)1204 903162

Steve Crimes
Eagle Learning Support Centre 
The University of Bolton 
Deane Road 
Bolton 
BL3 5AB, UK

 

Use of Other UK University Libraries

UK Libraries Plus scheme

Nearly two hundred universities and HE colleges in the UK have agreed to provide reciprocal library access to part time and distance learning students. The scheme allows you to borrow books from up to three libraries in your local area.

Details of the scheme are at www.uklibrariesplus.ac.uk

A list of participating libraries by geographic area is at: www.uklibrariesplus.ac.uk/memarea.htm

This is a free service but to join the scheme you must register through the subject librarian at Bolton. You will receive three vouchers, each of which may then be exchanged for a borrower's card from participating libraries.

The application form is available from Bolton, or can be downloaded from the UK Libraries Plus site and printed. Click on "Information for Students", "How do I Register", then "Registration Form".

 

SCONUL Vacation Access Scheme

Most UK university and HE college libraries honour the SCONUL vacation access agreement whereby students from one institution are welcome to use the library of another institution for reference purposes. However, this only applies during the vacation period of the institution whose facilities are being accessed.

The scheme makes no provision for borrowing books or for accessing electronic resources. To gain admittance you should be prepared to show your student ID card. The SCONUL web page also advises telephoning the library in advance of your visit to check if they have any other entry requirements in place.  Admission to other libraries is always at the discretion of the librarian or director.

For further details, refer to  www.sconul.ac.uk/use_lib/vacation.html

Links to the access policy for every UK academic library are to be found here: