Academic Libraries

Definition:

Library or group of libraries established, maintained and administered  by tertiary institutions to meet the needs of the students and staff.

Aims:

Research, Teaching and community engagement through the provision of information.

Provision of information for teaching – supplement and support the teaching function of the institution by providing information and sources of information that students and staff need. Emphasis on self study.

Provision of information for research.

Users: Undergraduate students, postgraduate students, academic staff, researchers, administrative staff and the community.

Functions:

Acquistions -  academics  and the librarian (subject librarian)

Record and information organization and retrieval – cataloguing and classifying

Physical use and preparation

Lending procedures ( eg. Zed card)

Information services

Instruction in use – undergraduate and postgraduate as well as lecturers and researchers

Guidance in library resources

Marketing

Special Services:

Library orientation sessions

Interlibrary Loans

Reciprocal arrangements

Database training

Short loans/Reserve collection