Frequently Asked Questions
- Locating Materials and Services
- Checking Out Materials
- Other Services
- Research Questions
- Library Building
Locating Materials and Services
Use the ILLINET Online Catalog to find books, CDs, holdings of magazines and journals, computer files, maps, spoken word recordings, musical recordings and scores, and videos/media. ILLINET Online can be used to search materials at Booth Library as well as the holdings of 65 other Illinois libraries.
See the Shelving Plan and Booth Library Map to determine the location of your materials.
You can order a book or other materials through interlibrary loan by filling out the Interlibrary Loan Request Form. Materials from other ILCSO libraries may also be requested online through the ILLINET Online catalog.
You can order an article
through interlibrary loan by filling out the
Interlibrary
Article Request form.
You may also fill out paper request forms to submit at the Circulation Desk. For assistance, call Circulation Services at 581-6071 or Interlibrary Loan at 581-6074. Please allow plenty of time for this service.
Additional information about ILL is available on the Interlibrary Loan at Booth Library page.
To find articles, search the article indexes on the Magazines, Journals & more page. These databases contain either full-text articles or citations for articles. For more specialized subject searching, please note the "Resources by Subject" menu that links to particular subject areas.
Check the online Booth Library Periodicals List. You can also check the black Booth Library Periodicals List books available at all service desks, or do a "Start of Magazine/Journal Title" search in the ILLINET Online catalog.
Where can I find something my instructor put on reserve?
Print reserve materials are placed at the Periodicals/Reserve Desk which is located at the bottom of the stairs in the Atrium. CDs, videos and other non-print reserves are placed at the Library Technology Services desk on the 4000 level. These materials are searchable under the "Course Reserves" tab in the ILLINET Online catalog.
Electronic reserve materials are available from the library homepage under the "Reserves" link in the left-hand menu.
May I access library resources from an off-campus location?
Yes. Please see the instructions
on this page:
Remote
Access to Library Resources
Does the library have videos, CDs, DVDs, etc. to check out?
Yes, the library has holdings of popular and educational items. The videos, CDs, and DVDs are located on the 4000 level. You can check ILLINET Online to see if a specific title is available.
The Reference Desk is the place to ask for assistance in finding information you need. However, all service desks can answer questions relating to their area or direct you to Reference for further assistance.
For how long may I check out a book?
Books: 4 weeks
The Panther
Card is required
to check out materials. Library patrons are charged a monetary fine
and/or replacement cost for overdue and lost library materials.
How
many library items may I check out?
There is no official limit to the
number of items you may check out.
General Stacks books may be renewed
for an additional four weeks. Journals may be renewed once, for one additional
day. Items may not be renewed if they have been requested by another
patron.
You can renew a book by telephone at 581-6071. Phone
581-6073 to renew journals, and 581-6091 to renew media items.
You may also renew materials yourself using the My Account feature
of
ILLINET Online.
Interlibrary loan books may sometimes
be renewed by calling 581-6074.
Please see the About
Your Library ID Number web page for the latest information on Library
ID numbers.
What if my ID doesn't work?
Please call 581-6071 or stop by the
Circulation Desk.
Will
I be fined for an overdue book?
Yes. Fines for overdue books
are 25 cents per day per item. Audio-visual materials and periodicals
are $1 per day per item. Reserve materials accrue at 25 cents
for the first hour and 10 cents per hour for each additional hour the library
is open. The maximum fine is $10 per item. How can
I see what materials I have checked out?
Go to the ILLINET
Online catalog and click on My Account in the top menu
bar.
Login with your Library ID number and last name to view a list
of library materials checked out to you through ILLINET Online.
You may also use My Account to renew materials.
May I
photocopy in the library?
Copy machines are located in the
copy rooms next to the Atrium on each level of Booth Library. There is
also a large copy room to the west of the Circulation Desk.
Cost is $.05 per copy. Coin-operable photocopy machines are located
in several copy rooms. Microform printers cost $.10 per copy.
It is the responsibility of the individual to comply with U.S. Copyright
Law. The law is posted near each machine.
Is there
a change machine in the library?
Yes, in the large copy room to
the west of the Circulation Desk there is a change machine and a machine
to add cash to your Panther Card.
May
I use my Panther Card to photocopy?
Yes, many copy machines in the
library take the Panther Card. You may add cash to your Panther Card
using the cash-to-chip machine in the copy room just west of the
Circulation Desk.
We also have copy machines that
accept coins. There is a change machine in the copy room near
the Circulation Desk.
Is
there a campus or pay phone in the library?
Yes, campus and pay phones are
available in the library. Check the library
map for locations.
Is there
a place for me to get together with a group?
Group study rooms are located on
the 4000 level of the library.
Restrooms are available throughout
the library. Check the library
map or ask at a service desk for directions.
What
should I do if there is an emergency when I am at the library?
During an emergency, please follow
the directions of the library staff. In the event of an injury or
security problem, report the incident to a staff member.
Does the library
provide assistance to individuals with disabilities?
The south entrance is accessible to individuals with
disabilities. Facilities are identifiable by the universal disabled
symbol: Lost items found in the library are held at the Circulation
Desk.
Can I make overheads
at the library?
Yes, overheads can be made at Library Technology
Services on the 4000 level.
Where can I get on the
Internet?
The computers in the open lab on the 4000 level provide
Internet access.
The computers in the 4000 level computer lab may
be used to check e-mail and access the Internet.
Where can I do word processing?
The computers in the 4000 level lab provide word
processing.
What is the difference between databases and
Internet Search Engines?
The library subscribes to numerous
online databases that
allow you to search for information from established, reputable sources.
By contrast, Internet
search engines (such as Google) will only find information that is
available for free on the World Wide Web. It's important to remember that
you generally get what you pay for. Be
sure to evaluate
carefully any information retrieved from an Internet search engine.
How can
I find journal articles?
Full-text databases such as Infotrac and EBSCO often contain
full-text articles.
Citation databases allow you to search for articles
and
citation information, but generally do not provide full-text.
In addition, indexes such as these sometimes allow you to search for
books, book
chapters, dissertations, and other information. What is a peer-reviewed,
refereed or scholarly journal?
Peer-reviewed, and refereed journals
(sometimes
referred to as scholarly journals) contain articles that have gone
through a
peer-review process. When an author submits an article for
publication,
it is sent to others in that field of study for review. The reviewers
will often suggest changes for the author to make and decide if the article
should be printed at all. Usually such articles are research-based
and contain a bibliography.
What is microfilm or
microfiche?
Microfilm is a type of photographic film containing
microphotographs of the pages of a book, periodical, etc. It comes on reels.
Microfiche is a flat piece of film containing microphotographs
of the pages of a book, periodical, etc. It looks like a sheet of plastic.
Special readers are available for viewing microfilm
and microfiche in the microforms area, 1000 North. Please ask
for assistance at the Reference
Desk. It is possible to copy from
microfilm and microfiche. The machines take Panther Cards or coins
and the cost is $.10 per copy.
Where can
I find information about the library renovation?
An information page about the library
renovation project is
available on our website. Just click on the above link.
For whom is Booth Library
named?
Booth Library is named for Mary Josephine Booth (1876-1965).
She headed the library for 41 years, from 1904-1945, except for 2 years
during World War I, when she worked overseas for the Red Cross and the
American Library Association. She retired in 1945, five years
before the library building named in her honor was completed. Her portrait
hangs in the north foyer of Booth Library.
Current Bestsellers: 1 week
Journals: 1 day
Videos: 1 day
Sound Recordings: 1 week
If an item
designated as lost is returned, the patron is assessed the fines
that have accrued
to a maximum of $10 and a $15 processing fee.
.
Booth Library's TTY (text-writing telephone) number is
581-6072. The library also has a CCTV magnifying reader and a Galileo
Reading System to assist individuals with visual impairment.
Please call the library at 581-6072 or ask a staff member if you need
personalized assistance.
Lost Panther Cards are sent to the
Panther Card / Telecommunications
Office (3040 Student Services Building).
Once you find an article citation, check the Booth Library
Peridicals List to find out if the article is available online or in
print.
To search for articles online, go
to the Magazines,
Journals and more
page. Some specialized indexes are available in print only. For
help in identifying and locating these indexes, ask at the
Reference
Desk.
