University of Kent

In exceptional circumstances a friend or family member can authorise you to borrow books on their behalf.

If you have been asked to borrow an item for someone else, visit the Templeman Library Loan Desk during staffed hours and present the KentOne Card/Library Card of the person on whose behalf you are borrowing, plus your own identification (either your own KentOne card, or another form of ID if not a member of the University). Without both IDs, the loan cannot be approved.

You will have to fill in a form at the Loan Desk. The person who has authorised you to borrow for them will be sent an email notifying them that the book has been issued to their Library account.

Items confined to the Library and Document Delivery items cannot be borrowed on behalf of someone else.

Borrowing an item on your own card and then lending it to someone else is not recommended, as you will be liable if the item is returned late or lost.

Due to licensing agreements, only members of the University can access subscription e-resources online. But visitors to the Templeman Library can access a selection of e-resources via the dedicated walk-in user PC. More information

• Archival Sound Recordings
• Census Dissemination Unit
• Census Geography Data Unit (UKBORDERS)
• Census Learning Resources
• Census Registration Services
• Digimap service
• ESDS - Economic and Social Data Services
• ESDS International
• JORUM
• MIMAS Landmap Mediterranean
• Samples of Anonymised Records (SARs)
• TTILT
• Zetoc

• Ensure you are looking within the relevant Library collection by checking the Location/Loan type field in the catalogue record.
• Ensure you have checked the Loan status in the catalogue record: is the book perhaps on loan, awaiting collection, or missing? See the Loan status ^[11] page for more information.
• The book may be waiting to be reshelved. There are reshelving areas on each level of the Library. They are usually near the entrance of a wing and are identified by a sign that says 'Books awaiting shelving'.
• Bear in mind that items are sometimes being used within the Library without having been issued.
• Go to the IT & Library Support Desk for assistance: staff will help you look for the item and take appropriate action if it can't be found.

• If you get no results, try using fewer search terms; you can always filter your search results afterwards.
• Try checking your information against Google or Amazon - you may be working from an inaccurate reference.
• Go to the IT & Library Support Desk on Level 2 Centre of the Templeman Library for assistance, especially if the item you cannot find is on a reading list.

If you find a subscription-only resource via a search engine be aware that the University may not necessarily subscribe to that resource, or may subscribe to via a different access route. You can check the A-Z of e-resources to see if we have a subscription.

If the resource supports Shibboleth you may be able to choose 'University of Kent' from the drop-down list of institutions and login using your Kent IT account details. Your safest bet is always to use the links on the Library website to access e-resources.

The Athens Authentication system used to access online resources is no longer used at Kent. The system was replaced by a new system in July 2008. The new authentication system has a range of names, such as Federated access, UK Federation, Shibboleth and other variations.

Records for all theses and dissertations are on the Library catalogue; you can search for them by author, title and in many cases by specific subject.

You can also browse the catalogue by classmark for theses in your subject area: a list of subjects with direct links to the catalogue is available on the Thesis Collection page.

Staff and postgraduates can borrow journals for one week, unless they are marked as 'Confined to Library'. They cannot borrow the current issue. Undergraduates cannot borrow journals.

More about what you can borrow

Journals in the Main Collection are shelved near the books of the same classmark, but in separate sequences with green shelf labels - see the green areas on Library maps. An exception to this are journals with classmarks beginning with 'per Z', where journals and books are shelved in a single sequence.

Science and medical journals (classmarks Q-R) are shelved on Level 1 East (the books at those classmarks are on Level 2 West). Older issues are in Open Store; ask at the Welcome Desk if you need access to Open Store.

Visit the other libraries pages to access the catalogues of other libraries and for information about access schemes and requesting material.

Search engines (such as Google ^[2]) are extremely useful, particularly when you have meaningful keywords and need information on a narrow and well defined topic. Links to commonly used search engines are available from the Library pages under Search Engines ^[3]. The downside is that the sites found by using a search engine will be retrieved entirely by keyword, and the information they contain may not be authoritative. Ask yourself, for instance:

• who wrote it? What qualifications do they have for writing on the topic?
• are they affiliated to any known association or institution?
• is it up to date?
• is there any commercial bias?

Internet Detective is a free internet tutorial designed to help you develop the critical thinking required for internet research. It also addresses issues such as copyright and plagiarism

We strongly recommend that you always access online resources through the links on the Library pages. You will be asked for a username and password both on and off campus and you should enter your University of Kent login and password.

It is possible to access some of our subscription resources through other routes: if you see a link for 'Shibboleth' or 'Federated access' you may be able to select 'University of Kent' from a drop down list, if we have a subscription to the resource. You will then need to enter your Kent username and password. Occasionally, a resource will already know that you are at Kent and will omit the first step.

If an item is not available at the library where you are based, but is available at one of the other two University of Kent libraries, you can request it through the inter-site loan service.

If you need an item that is not available at one of the University of Kent libraries, the document delivery service will try to borrow it for you from elsewhere. More information about document delivery

Your Library account will show you if:

• the item has been recalled by someone else. Return this item before it becomes due.
• you have built up fines of more than £10. Contact the Loan Desk.
• you have too many items on loan. Check your borrowing allowance.
• you have a Core Text book that is more than 3 days overdue. Contact the Loan Desk.

Other possible causes:

• The item is a 24 Hour Loan item - these cannot be renewed online. If you wish to renew a 24 Hour Loan item you have to take it to the Loan Desk in person.
  
• You have renewed the item online more than 10 times.

If you have any problems renewing items online contact the Loan Desk immediately:

• in person: Templeman Library, Level 1 West
  
• telephone: (01227 82) 3572
  
• email: lendingenquiries@kent.ac.uk
  

The Microform Collection and the Microform Room ^[12], where reader-printer machines for all microform formats can be found, are on Level 2 Centre.

Most titles are kept for one month in the newspaper collection on Level 1 East and then relegated to Store. If you wish to consult newspapers in the Store, please ask at the Loan Desk on Level 1 West between 9am-5pm Monday-Friday.

Finding books or print journals

Go to the Library catalogue. For books, enter  the author's surname and one or two words from the title into the Search for: box. Omit the author's first name or initials. Click Submit.

For journals, enter keywords from the journal title (not the article details) into the Search for: box. Click Submit.

To find the item on the shelf: look at the Location/Loan type in the search results. This tells you in which collection the book is held. Within each collection, items are organised by Classmark:

• in the Templeman and Tonbridge libraries this is a combination of letters and numbers, eg HL 3853.G7: first find HL between HK and HM, then find the number within HL.
• in the Drill Hall Library it consists only of numbers, eg 363.856: the numbers after the dot are decimal, ie .856 comes after .84

If the book is in the Templeman Library in the Core Text Collection find it on Level 1 West.

If the book is in the Templeman Library in the Main Collection, click on the word CLASSMARK in the search results to see a list of classmark locations linking to Library maps.

Finding online journal articles

Go to the online journals page. Enter the journal title (not the article details) into the search box, click Search.

If online full-text is available, the search results will display this: compare the coverage dates with the date of the article you are looking for and click on the supplier who covers that date range.

Login with your Kent username and password and browse to or search for the article.

Subject guides for each subject area are available online. They list (and link to) the most important online and physical resources, and some list the services most likely to be of benefit if you study a particular subject.

• Visit the reading list pages and search or browse for the reading lists for your modules, with direct links to catalogue records or other resources.
• Links to your reading lists may also be available in your modules in Moodle.

Library opening hours at all 3 campuses vary throughout the academic year:

• Templeman Library opening hours
• Drill Hall Library opening hours
• Tonbridge Library opening hours
  

• Templeman Library borrowing rights
• Drill Hall Library borrowing rights
• Tonbridge Library borrowing rights
  

The Core Text Collection, located on Level 1 West of the Templeman Library, is an essential support to coursework. It contains books and photocopies of articles which you have been asked to read and which will be in high demand. It also contains CDs, videos and DVDs, and controls the booking of group rooms and audiovisual equipment within the Library. More information about the Core Text Collection

The Library catalogue will tell you if something is in the Core Text Collection: look at the 'Location/Loan Type' field of the catalogue record.

Loan periods in the Core Text Collection range from 4 hours up to one week. Fines can be high. Please make sure you know when your loan is due back. Core Text Collection items can be returned through the book drop at the back door of the Library when the Library itself is closed.

Check the Library pages under Reading lists ^[14] to see if we have online information for your list. First select your department (or School), then the appropriate level (300, 500 etc) and finally the module number. Module convenors are responsible for maintaining their online lists and you should contact them if up to date information is not available. If a current list is not there, you will need to check the catalogue for individual items.

These are oversize items: 'q' stands for quarto and 'f' for folio.

In the Main Collection, oversize items will be shelved near the books of the same classmark, but on separate shelves. Look for pink areas on the Library maps and pink shelf labels in the shelving areas; the shelves with oversize bookse are often along walls.

In the Core Text Collection, quartos and folios are integrated into the same sequence with the normal size books.

Books without classmarks are usually new orders or books recently received. To request, use the online Unavailable book request form ^[9]; paper forms are available from the Loan Desk and IT & Library Support Desk.

If the item has the status 'Being processed...' or 'Copy received as of...' it will be made ready for you within two working days. If the item has not yet been received we will contact the supplier to try and speed up the order and it will be reserved for you when it arrives.

Store: complete an online Store request form; paper forms are available on Level 1 Centre or Level 2 Centre. Store collections take place at 9.30am and 2.30pm on weekdays, and material becomes available at 11am and 4pm.

Open Store: if you are a member of academic staff or postgraduate, or an undergraduate requiring access to scientific and medical journals, you can browse in Open Store. Ask for the key fob at the Welcome Desk on Level 1 Centre. Store material can also be requested online; paper request forms are available at the Loan Desk on Level 1 West or on Level 2 Centre.

Templeman and Tonbridge Library

To make an online reservation, search for the item you need and, when in the main record, click on reservations in the top line. Follow the prompts to enter your student number, last name and other details.

Vacations: online reservations are not available just before and during vacations. Contact the Core Text Collection desk on Level 1 West who will be able to help you.

Collecting reservations

• Templeman Library: from the Loan Desk during staffed hours
• Tonbridge Library: visit the loan desk

Drill Hall Library

Reserving Drill Hall Library items

Templeman Library or Tonbridge Library items

You can renew items online through the Library catalogue:

• Click Borrowers (top menu) and enter your student number and last name as prompted.
  
• Select the items you would like to renew and click the Renew loans button.
• Note: 24 hour loan items cannot be renewed
  

You can also renew items by telephone on (01227 82) 3572.

Drill Hall Library

Renewing Drill Hall Library loans

1. Check for the DVD or video you need on the catalogue and make a note of the item number(s) (usually starting VO or VA).
   
2. Take the details to the Loan Desk and they will issue the DVD or video which can then be watched using one of the viewing facilities within the Core Text Collection itself. 

DVDs and videos are confined to the Library. More information on DVDs and videos ^[13], including locations of viewing facilities, is available. 

Double-check the catalogue record to ensure that you are looking in the correct collection (check the Location/Loan Type field). Is it out on loan?

If the catalogue says that it is Recently returned, check the reshelving bays and trolleys on the relevant floor. Reshelving bays are usually near the entrance to each floor and are clearly marked. Items on reshelving bays will not be in strict classmark order, but all books at similar classmarks will be together.

It's possible that a reader may be looking at the book within the library - in which case it would not be checked out as 'on loan' but would not be on the shelf.

If you still cannot find the book, please ask at the IT & Library Support Desk.

• Go to the Library catalogue ^[4] and enter your search terms in the box. Usually the author's last name and one or two words from the title is enough. Avoid using an author's initials or first names.
• You should then see a list of items which match your search terms. Click on any title to see a more detailed record.
• This 'availability' screen will tell you:
  • how many copies of the book we hold
  • which loan categories they have (Core Text Collection [1 week loan] etc)
  • where they are shelved (Main collection, Core Text Collection etc)
• If your book is in the Main collection, click on the word CLASSMARK in the catalogue record and you will see a diagram of locations. If you click again on the links marked Level 2 East or Level 3 West, etc, you will see a map of each area. Use first the letter(s) and then the numbers in the classmark to find the book you need on the shelf. To borrow the book, use the self issue machines on Level 1 Centre.
• If your book is in the Core Text Collection, make a note of the classmark and go to the Core Text Collection on Level 1 West. Find your book on the shelves and then use the self issue machines within the Core Text Collection. More on the Core Text Collection

Visit the Support and contacts page for details of all help and support available. In the Templeman Library, help is available from the following enquiry points:

IT & Library Support Desk (Level 2 Centre)

• IT and Library enquiries
• study bedroom support
• student PC support
• laptop loans
• telephone: (01227 82) 4999
• email:
  • Library enquiries: library-enquiry@kent.ac.uk ^[4]
  • IT enquiries: helpdesk@kent.ac.uk ^[5]

See the IT Services help and support page ^[6] for more information.

Loan Desk (Level 1 West)

• all borrower and Library account enquiries
• document delivery and inter-site loans
• Core Text Collection enquiries
• Part-time Collection enquiries
• Videos/DVDs
• Store requests
• telephone: (01227 82) 3572
• email: lendingenquiries@kent.ac.uk ^[7]

Self-issue and return machines are available on Level 1 Centre and in the Core Text Collection. See the Templeman Library borrowing pages ^[8] for full details on borrowing, renewing and recalling items.

Welcome Desk (Level 1 Centre)

• Library access
• IT account and password enquiries
• Open Store access
• telephone: (01227 82) 4777