FAQ
- What are the library's hours?
- Check the Steely Library Hours page for current information, on the menu on the left of this page.
- Help! I have to do research -- where do I begin?
- Never fear. The Reference librarians are here to help you with any library research projects. We can help you develop a strategy for searching electronic periodical indexes, reference books, NKUIRE, the Internet, other libraries' catalogs, and any other source that will help with your particular research project. For one-on-one assistance, consider making an appointment with one of the Reference librarians for a Research Consultation. Please don't hesitate to ask at the Information Desk for assistance, call 572-5456, or email the Reference Department. See the Ask a Librarian link, accessible at the bottom of all of Steely Library's webpages for all available options.
- Can I access the library's databases from home?
- Yes. You will need your NKU student ID and password. From Steely's home page, click on Databases and Indexes. Click on the database you wish to access. For more information, see our instruction page.
- How do I find books in Steely Library?
- Search NKUIRE, the library's online catalog. The Reference 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 (see below). 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.
- How do I connect to NKUIRE from home?
- You can reach NKUIRE through the World Wide Web.
- How do I check out books?
- NKU students may check out up to twenty books at one time. Take your books and your valid NKU picture ID to the Circulation Desk. The lending period for undergraduates is three weeks; for NKU faculty, one semester; for staff and graduate students, 30 days. Books may be renewed one time unless someone has placed a hold on them. For more information, call the Circulation Desk at 572-5457 or 572-6312.
- Where do I get reserve materials?
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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 NKU picture 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.
- I need to type a paper. Is there a computer lab in the library?
- Currently, there are two PCs for word-processing in the reference area (3rd floor), ten PCs on the 4th floor, and fifteen PCs in the Steely Loggia area. There are also several computer labs in various buildings on campus.
- How do I find periodicals in Steely Library?
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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.
- What if Steely Library doesn't have the materials I need?
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NKU students, faculty, and staff may request that Steely Library obtain materials from other libraries. This service is called Interlibrary Loan. Plan ahead, as it can take between one and two weeks to receive Interlibrary Loan materials. You can request Interlibrary Loan materials using the ILLiad interlibrary loan system. New users must complete a one-time registration process in ILLiad. Call the Interlibrary Loan office for more information, 572-6365.
Another option is to locate the book or article at another area library. Most of the libraries in the vicinity belong to the Greater Cincinnati Library Consortium, or GCLC. You can search their catalogs via the Web. Use your NKU picture ID (and proof of current enrollment) at any participating GCLC library to check out materials. A free GCLC directory is available at Steely Library's Circulation Desk, and Information Desk.
- What about printing & copying?
- There are copiers on the 3rd and 4th floors of the Library. Your NKU ID doubles as a copy card; you can add money to your card at any copier or cash-to-card machines. Photocopies are five cents each if you use your ID, ten cents if you use coins. You must have your NKU ID card to print from the computers in the Reference Area at ten cents a page. People NOT affiliated with NKU can purchase a print card at the Circulation and Reserves desk.
- Where can my study group get together in the library?
- The library has two group study rooms on the second floor and one on the first floor. The rooms are available to NKU students, faculty and staff only, and may be reserved for two hours per session. Room schedules and keys are kept at the Circulation Desk near the front entrance. The rooms may be reserved up to one week in advance; when not reserved they are available on a first-come basis.
- Can I access email and the Internet in the library?
- Yes, we have a number of PCs in the Reference area, ten on the 4th floor, and several computers on other floors of the library, with access to the Internet using Netscape and to the WEBMAIL system for email. Also, in the library loggia there are fifteen PCs which can be used with access to the Internet, NKU email, and NKUIRE.(Note: All print jobs from these Loggia PCs are printed to the printer in the reference area of the 3rd floor of Steely.)
- Does the library have government documents?
- Yes, the Library has ½ million documents from the Federal and Kentucky State governments. Ask at the Reference Desk or call 572-5456 for more information.
- 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. All NKU students, faculty and staff may check out materials from the LRC.
- 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.
- Are undergraduates allowed to use Chase Law Library?
- Yes. Chase Law Library (in Nunn Hall) is open to any NKU student who needs to use the information housed there. Undergraduates who simply need a place to study or read are encouraged to use Steely Library instead.
updated: Sunday, 01-Apr-2007 16:56:09 EDT