Home | Library Services & Information | The Reading Shelves

The Reading Shelves

 

The Reading Shelves are a new addition to reader services whereby patrons are allowed to hold library materials in one convenient location to use for ongoing research. A major benefit is patrons will no longer need to check out a large number of books and subsequently transport them back and forth to the Library since there will now be space within the Library to house them.

Reading Shelves Location

The 16 Reading Shelves are located in the Reading Shelves Room on the basement level, across from the bound journals.

How do the Reading Shelves work?

  • Place a desired item on any (but preferably empty) Reading Shelf. The item will be charged to the Reading Shelf. You are then free to retrieve the item from these shelves for use at any time during the hours that the Library is open.

  • When a reader no longer needs the item and the item can be removed from the shelf, a Discharge flag will be available for them to place in the item. Library staff will then take the item and discharge it so that it can be shelved back into the regular collection.

  • There are only a few restricted types of materials that may not be placed on the Reading Shelves. These items are: Reserve Books, Reference Books, Journals, Interlibrary Loan Books, Borrow Direct, and personal books.

Note:

  1. Items placed on the Reading Shelves are subject to recall by other patrons at any time. If an item is recalled by another patron, library staff will pull the item from the Reading Shelf, discharge the item, and place a notice on the Reading Shelf that the item has been removed. Two options that are available if the item is still required are Borrow Direct and Interlibrary Loan.

  2. The Reading Shelves are unattended or ‘open’ shelves, which means that anyone can remove materials from the shelves at any time. Therefore you should never leave materials that are required or essential to your research.