Complete service policies and procedures are available elsewhere.
Blumberg Memorial Library honors the privacy of its users, in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association and Texas state law. The library staff does not give out information about library users. This includes personal information such as addresses, phone numbers, or identification numbers, as well as usage information such as titles of items a person has checked out or a person’s reading habits.
Books – Each year a portion of the library's budget is utilized for the purchase of items requested by individual departments. The library’s departmental book budget is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with the restriction that any item over $200 will need special justification from the ordering department. The Faculty Procedures Handbook outlines the faculty’s responsibility in the selection of materials as follows:
Responsibility for the selection of library materials lies with both the librarians and the faculty. The University Librarian has the final responsibility for the maintenance and development of library collection, facilities and services.
The departmental faculty will bear primary responsibility for recommending the acquisition of materials in their subject fields. Departments are expected to recommend library purchases which will develop the entire field of their disciplines. Because the librarians are in a position to observe the quality and balance of all subject areas, they will select and purchase materials in all subject areas. (From the Faculty Procedures Handbook, p. E-1)
Departments are strongly encouraged to use the library materials budget. Library liaisons (see description under “User Services”) distribute Choice cards to department chairs each month as a selection tool for faculty members. These cards may be signed and submitted as requests. In addition, an online book request form is available on the library’s Web site (http://www.tlu.edu/library). Requests may also be submitted to the Technical Services Librarian on a Book Request Card (an example is given in Appendix A).
Faculty members should always feel free to consult with the librarians about purchase of materials; the librarians will also consult faculty members about particular items for the general and reference collections that are within the faculty member's area of expertise.
Serials – Requests for periodical subscriptions should be placed with the Assistant University Librarian; requests should be accompanied by a rationale for each title. The first year's subscription price is charged to the requesting department's library materials budget; subsequent years are paid through the library's serials account. Each spring the Faculty Library Committee considers these requests and other adjustments to the serials collection.
Electronic Resources – The library provides information in both electronic and traditional print formats. Each of these formats has enough advantages and disadvantages to make them viable library resources. The library provides access to online databases that are available through cooperative agreements with the TexShare Library Consortium. The library also subscribes to non-TexShare databases. These resources may be accessed from any computer on the TLU network by visiting the library’s home page (http://www.tlu.edu/library). TLU students, faculty and staff may also log onto these resources from off campus (instructions may be found on the library’s home page). Faculty may submit requests for the addition of electronic resources to their library liaison or to the University Librarian.
Gift Policy – The same standards of selection that govern acquisitions are applied to gifts. In accepting gifts, the library reserves the right to select items it needs from gift materials, and to dispose of the rest as the library deems suitable. The library does not normally accept collections of materials with restrictions that require special handling or prevent integration of items into the general library collection.
The library will not accept for deposit materials that are not outright gifts. Museum or archival-quality objects are not accepted for inclusion in the library’s general collection.
The library will supply acknowledgement of items only; the donor is responsible for any appraisals. Prospective donors must obtain any required monetary appraisals for income tax purposes before items are donated to the library, since this cannot be done after donated materials are dispersed.
Agreements – Blumberg Memorial Library interlibrary loan (ILL) policies are established in accordance with the American Library Association Interlibrary Loan Code, 1968, the Council of Research and Academic Libraries (CORAL) agreement, and the Amigos Bibliographic Council agreement. Any items loaned or borrowed must fall within U.S. copyright law.
Borrowers – TLU students, faculty, and staff in good standing may borrow books and photocopies through interlibrary loan. Non-university users may not use TLU interlibrary loan, and will be referred to the local public library for such services. Any borrowed item is subject to the renewal regulations of the lending library.
Charges – There are no charges for loaned books or photocopies of journal articles. Borrowers with outstanding overdue ILL items will lose all borrowing privileges. (Interlibrary loan codes obligate the library to take action to recover such losses.)
Procedures – Online forms for requesting interlibrary loans (journal article or book) are available on the library’s home page (http://www.tlu.edu/library). In addition, forms may be obtained at the circulation desk.
Digital Document Delivery – The library utilizes the Ariel digital document delivery system. This system provides faster delivery by allowing the exchange of documents via the Internet with institutions that also utilize the Ariel system. Ariel is used whenever possible to speed delivery of requests.
TexShare Membership – Blumberg Memorial Library is a member of the TexShare Library Resource Sharing Program, which is administered by the Texas State Library. Membership is open to all institutions of higher learning in the state of Texas.
As a member of TexShare, Blumberg Memorial Library subscribes to selected subscription databases and participates in the TexShare borrowing card program. Not all TexShare institutions choose to participate in cooperative borrowing, so users should contact a library staff member for details about obtaining and using a TexShare borrowing card. Blumberg Memorial Library also participates in the TExpress courier service.
CORAL Membership – The Blumberg Memorial Library is a member of the Council of Research and Academic Libraries (CORAL). This organization, consisting of 22 academic and special libraries in the greater San Antonio area, facilitates library cooperation among its members. CORAL has established local area regulations for interlibrary loan, collection development, and other networking functions.
The majority of CORAL libraries have online catalogs that can be accessed directly on the Internet. Students and faculty may choose to order items from CORAL libraries through interlibrary loan, or may visit some of the CORAL member libraries to use their collections or check out materials directly using a TexShare borrowing card. Restrictions may apply to direct check out, so please contact a TLU librarian for more details if you wish to check out materials at a CORAL library.
OCLC Membership – The Blumberg Memorial Library is a member of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC). Over 50,000 libraries participate in cooperative cataloging and resource sharing through OCLC. As a member institution the library is allowed to borrow books and periodical articles from participating institutions around the world.
Schedule – Librarians and full-time library staff members work reference duty in rotation from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday during regular sessions, with the exception of the lunch hour. In addition, on Sundays and evenings when the library is open, a librarian or staff member is available to answer reference questions. The library Web site also features an e-mail based reference service called “Ask a Librarian”.
Library Use Instruction – TLU’s librarians are eager to work with classroom faculty members to develop effective assignments using library resources. Research has shown that library instruction is most beneficial to students if it is linked directly to classroom assignments. Hence, the library’s instruction program utilizes problem-based learning. Session effectiveness is also greatly enhanced if the course instructor attends and participates in library instruction sessions. Faculty members are encouraged to arrange for library instruction, classroom demonstrations, and other library sessions with the Instruction Librarian or with a library liaison (see below).
Freshman Library Instruction – Librarians collaborate with faculty teaching freshman composition classes to develop library instruction sessions that are designed to orient the freshman student to the library and provide an introduction to the appropriate use of information resources. Library instruction may include class visits to the library, librarian visits to the classroom, integrated modules, graded assignments, and other activities. The library also offers an online tutorial entitled “Bulldog Basic Library Manual Skills” (or BBS), which may be used as a stand-alone module or may be integrated into other library or classroom activities. A link to the BBS online tutorial may be found at http://www.tlu.edu/library.
Library Liaisons – Although TLU is a small campus, it is important that classroom faculty have a personal contact among the library faculty. Specific library liaisons have been assigned to the academic departments to collaborate with classroom faculty on effective development and use of the library’s resources. Liaisons are charged with making personal contacts with the faculty members in their Colleges. They collaborate in collection development activities, development of subject bibliographies (including traditional and electronic resources), development of specific library-related assignments, and provision of general support to classroom faculty members.
Faculty Development – The librarians offer professional development workshops that highlight new library developments. In addition, the office of Instructional Technology Support is located in the library. Short courses and classes in the use of technology are offered in the library computer lab and in other settings around campus. Faculty members are encouraged to call extension 6870 to make an appointment for individual help in developing materials that integrate technology into the curriculum.
Access to Electronic Resources – All of the library’s online database subscriptions can be accessed from any computer on the TLU network. Library users may search all these databases at no charge. Current TLU students, faculty or staff may use their own Internet service provider connections to access the library’s online databases from off-campus. Instructions for off-campus access may be found on the library’s home page (http://www.tlu.edu/library).
The library's Voyager automation system integrates all library functions (including the library’s online catalog, circulation, cataloging, and acquisitions). Students may use the library’s public access computers to conduct research in the local catalog or resources beyond the library’s walls. The catalog features links to area libraries and online databases, as well as access to resources on the Internet. The library's catalog can be accessed from computers anywhere in the world via the Internet.
Research Resources – The library offers a set of online Subject Guides to assist students in research. The Subject Guides may be accessed from the library’s home page at (http://www.tlu.edu/library). The library does not offer bibliography compilation services for individuals.
Publications – Library guides and point-of-instruction publications are routinely published and are available at the circulation desk. Examples include The Library Guide, Library Floor Plan, How to use the online library catalog, and others.
Academic Support – Many Supplemental Instruction (SI) and tutoring sessions take place in the Academic Support Room/Classroom A or the Teaching Theater. For more information about the Academic Support Center and its services call Extension 6305 or visit the Center’s Web site at http://www.tlu.edu/Academics (click the Academic Support Center link under “Additional Programs”).