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The University Library...

Right so I checked on the computer last night and the library had 2 copies of The Network Society by Jan Van Dijk which is supposed to be very good and highly beneficial to my studies. Yet when I went there this morning and checked the computer both copies had been taken out, and wouldn't be returned for another 2 weeks!!! So now I can't possibly in the world look at that book and use it to help me with my media essay ¬¬.

University library's shouldn't only just have 2 copies of one book, not to mention an extremely good book when they have loads of copies of everything else!

Reply 1

TheSownRose

Can you place a hold? :confused:

Reply 2

hannah_dru

You're lucky there's 2! We mostly only have one copy of a lot of books. I even found pages missing in a book I was using for a final year essay the other day. I'd put a request on the book you need.

Reply 3

River85

Original post by welshmun

Right so I checked on the computer last night and the library had 2 copies of The Network Society by Jan Van Dijk which is supposed to be very good and highly beneficial to my studies. Yet when I went there this morning and checked the computer both copies had been taken out, and wouldn't be returned for another 2 weeks!!! So now I can't possibly in the world look at that book and use it to help me with my media essay.

University library's shouldn't only just have 2 copies of one book, not to mention an extremely good book when they have loads of copies of everything else!

Can't you put a hold on it meaning it will be returned sooner/can't be renewed?

Are all books two week loans or can some be shorter? If you do have shorter loans, for popular books, then perhaps it's worth mentioning this to your department and the library? Try and persuade them to change the loan period for that book and any others you find in short supply? Ask if your department has a member of academic staff allocated to dealing with library issues (instructing library staff books to buy, books to put on reserve...)

This does not help you at the moment but remember that you should have reference access at libraries across other universities. Will you be able to find it anwhere local?

I can appreciate it's frustrating, I've been in a similar position many times over the years, but you need to do something about it.

Quite often I'll find that there's only one copy of a book and this has been taken out. At Durham, as with most universities as far as I'm aware we have three hour, three day and three week loans. There's a limited space in the short loan (three hour) section, but I don't understand why, if they only have one copy of a book (whether it is popular or not) many are three weeks. Whenevr only one copy of a book is available it should be three day. If two copies, and it isn't particularly in demand, have one three day and one three week. If it is in demand have both three day.

It gets particularly annoying when you find research postgrads and staff have taken the only copy. They are allowed to have books for three months or more.

Fortunately the university is making more of an effort to listen to students and hear their concerns. We can tell them which books are in short supply and they will try and resolve the issue. Just ask at your university library and see if they can help.

Finally, and I know you can't do this for all books, but if you can't find a book in the library then have you conisdered purchasing it yourself? Many can be bought fairly cheap on Abebooks, Amazon Marketplace and sites like that. I'm a bookseller myself and I can assure you my prices are reasonable :p:

You'll be able to find "The Network Society" for about £6 including postage with most orders being dispatched within one working day.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 4

welshmun

Original post by TheSownRose

Can you place a hold? :confused:

I have but its too late for the assignment that I was trying to do. It just annoys me that they can only have 2 copies in huge university library.

Reply 5

emeleh

As useful as it would be, if they had more than 2 copies of every book imagine how big the library would have to be!

Reply 6

Joinedup

you can view most of Van Dijk,J. (2006), The Network Society (2nd ed) on google books http://books.google.com/books?id=b7ktTPViIYMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:ISBN1412908671#v=onepage&q&f=false

Also if you talk to the subject librarian they can sometimes order copies

FWLIW there's a three tier system for set texts and popular/seminal books here
3 week loan
1 week loan
reference only

so it's usually not a problem to get hold of a book - even if it means you have to use it in the library.

Reply 7

BeautifullyTragic

I work in my uni library and helped with the cataloguing. Basically the tutors send the library lists of their key texts that they want the library to have, along with how many students do that module. The uni has to have at least 1 copy for every 10 students, plus at least 1 reference book for books that are considered 'core.' So if there's a module with 20 students, and the book isn't that 'important' according to the tutor, then they might only have 2 copies.

Reply 8

polka_dott

I just wish that when they know a book will be in high demand for a module there should be shorter loans on them for a while so more people can try to get to read them!

Reply 9

ultimate mashup

Check another university's library! It is possible to do this via the SCONAL system. Especially useful is you go to uni in city with two or more universities!

Reply 10

JKGB

I've had this problem before and it's very annoying, even more annoying when you place a reserve on a book and no-one returns it on the day. :angry:

Try another uni's library, or maybe a non-university library?

Reply 11

KJane

Original post by River85

Finally, and I know you can't do this for all books, but if you can't find a book in the library then have you conisdered purchasing it yourself? Many can be bought fairly cheap on Abebooks, Amazon Marketplace and sites like that. I'm a bookseller myself and I can assure you my prices are reasonable :p:

You'll be able to find "The Network Society" for about £6 including postage with most orders being dispatched within one working day.

What other books do you generally stock? Got a link? :smile:

Reply 12

River85

Original post by KJane

What other books do you generally stock? Got a link? :smile:

Erm...I'm afraid I can't provide a link as that would constitute advertising (which is against the rules).

I don't have a particularly large stock at the moment. Many of them are my old university books (have about 100 books, having sold around 40 in the past two months). My speciaist interest is philosophy (especially the history and philosophy of medicine, ethics), ancient history and politics.

I hope to increase my stock come the summer when I have more room.

Reply 13

KJane

Original post by River85

Oh god, sorry I forgot about that, I just saw bookseller and was like 'Ooo!' I'm a massive bookworm, I'm looking into philosophy, any books you could suggest then?