Gateway Community and Technical College
Frequently Asked Questions
- How can I get a library card for Steely Library?
- How do I find books in Steely Library?
- What is the check-out period for most items?
- How many times can I renew an item?
- Do I have to bring the item in, to request a renewal?
- What is the overdue fine rate?
- Is there a grace period for overdue items?
- What is the maximum fine per item?
- What if I lose an item?
- What happens if I find the lost item after I've paid for it?
- How do I find magazines and journals in Steely Library?
- Where do I get Reserve materials?
- How much are photocopies?
- What and where is the LRC
- What's in the Special Collections & Archives Department?
- -
- How can I get a library card for Steely Library?
- Your Gateway ID card acts as your library card in Steely Library. Please be sure to bring your Gateway ID with you when you visit Steely Library.
- -
- How do I find books in Steely Library?
- Search NKUIRE, the library's online catalog. The Research and Instruction librarians are happy to help you use this system. NKUIRE is accessible on all floors of the library (see our maps) and from off-campus. Steely uses Library of Congress (LC) call numbers to shelve books. If you are unfamiliar with this system, see our guide explaining how to find books on the shelves.
- -
- What is the check-out period for most items?
- Items from the Steely Circulating Collections are loaned for 21 days to most borrowers. Reserve items are loaned for varying periods; from 2 hours, library use only, to one week.
- -
- How many times can I renew an item?
- Regularly circulating items may be renewed one time, if the item has not been requested by another patron. Reserve items, and Media Collection items may not be renewed.
- -
- Do I have to bring the item in, to request a renewal?
- No, renewal requests can be accepted in person, by telephone, or by email.
- -
- What is the overdue fine rate?
- Fines for regularly circulating items are 25 cents per day for each day the library is open. The fine for Reserve items is 25 cents per hour.
- -
- Is there a grace period for overdue items?
- There is a five day grace period for regularly circulating items. On the sixth day that an item is overdue, the fine is $1.25 per item.
- -
- What happens if I find the lost item after I've paid for it?
- Notify a Circulation supervisor, when the item is returned. A refund request can be made for the replacement cost. The check will be mailed to you, from the Accounts Payable Department, usually within seven working days.
- -
- How do I find magazines and journals in Steely Library?
-
Magazines, journals, and newspapers are kept on the first, third, and fourth floors of Steely Library. Current issues are shelved in alphabetical order on the "Unbound Periodicals" shelves on the third floor, near the copiers. Older issues are usually available in microfilm, microfiche,(Microforms are found on the fourth floor, or if older than twenty years, in the closed stacks on the first floor) or bound volumes (most of these can found on the third floor behind Reference, while some older or less frequently used ones are located in closed stacks on the first floor.)
Some older issues are available online in full-text. To find out if the library owns a specific periodical, you can search NKUIRE for the periodical title. The NKUIRE record will tell you what format the periodical appears in, whether online, print, or microform. If you need assistance locating a periodical, operating the microform reader/printers, or need something retrieved from the closed stacks, please ask at the Information Desk.
Copies of microforms cost ten cents per page. A few of these machines take DIMES ONLY (you can get dimes at the Circulation Desk on the third floor) while the other machines require a copy card with a balance on the cash stripe in order to print. If you need help finding articles about a particular topic, ask at the Information Desk for assistance using periodical indexes.
- -
- Where do I get Reserve materials?
-
Sometimes your instructors will place articles, books, or other materials on reserve so that the whole class can use them. Steely Library maintains two reserve collections: reserves in traditional paper format, and electronic reserves.
Traditional reserves can be found at the Main Circulation Desk on the third floor of Steely Library. The borrowing period may be 2 hours, 24 hours, 3 days or 1 week, depending on your instructor's preference. To obtain traditional Reserve materials, present your Gateway ID at the Circulation Desk. For questions about traditional reserves call 572-5457, or 572-5723.
Electronic reserves are found on the Internet at http://ereserves.nku.edu. Your instructor will give you a password that will enable you to access the reserves for a particular course. For questions about electronic reserves call 572-6026.
- -
- What and where is the LRC?
- The Learning Resource Collection, located on the 4th floor of Steely Library, is a library for educators. It contains materials appropriate for use by preschool through grade 12, including textbooks, computer programs, games, activities, and the juvenile book collection. Equipment is available for the production of teaching materials.
- -
- What's in the Special Collections & Archives Department?
- Special Collections & Archives, on the first floor of Steely Library near the Welcome Center, contains many unique collections, including materials relating to Kentucky history, Appalachia, the Ohio River, and other areas of interest. Call 572-6158 for more information.
updated on 06/16/04
