Your Library Out Loud Podcast:
Distance Education Services
Transcript
Welcome to CSU Library’s podcast on Distance Education Services.
If you are studying by Distance Education, which we call DE, you have access to a range of library services and resources. We will start this podcast by talking about services and resources available to all students, regardless of location, and then go on to mention services available to students living in Australia.
All students can use the library catalogue to request a photocopy of a book chapter, or of an article from a journal. These are usually scanned and sent to you electronically, and there is no charge for this service.
Please note that, if the journal article you need is not held by CSU Library, you can request it as an Interlibrary copy, and we will obtain it for you from another library. For undergrad students, there is a charge for this service, but it’s a free service for higher degree students.
All CSU students, including overseas students, can access the eReserve collection, and eBooks. The eReserve collection contains book chapters and journal articles that are available directly from the library catalogue. You can locate these items by searching the library catalogue — you can search using the Subject Code if you like — and you will get immediate access to the full-text of the chapter or article.
EBooks are books that are available online. These are included in, and available from, the CSU Library catalogue, but you can also find specific information about eBook collections, and search specifically for eBooks, at our eBook webpages, which can be found in the Find information menu on the left navigation bar on the Library website.
Another menu item in the Find information menu is Subject Support. If you are new to studying, or would like a refresher on tackling an assignment or research topic, this might be just what you need. Subject Support resources are grouped under the headings of CSU’s main subject disciplines, and include links to specific information resources as well as a step-by-step introduction to the information-gathering process.
The Subject Support pages will, amongst other things, link you to online databases relevant to that subject. But you can also link to all the databases to which CSU subscribes, from the Journal databases menu item in the left nav bar on the library website. This takes you to the various lists of online databases, which you can access to search for citations and full-text articles.
Before you start searching online databases, you might like to check out the online Help resources that we provide for you. The library website includes an extensive array of self-help resources, mainly located under the headings of FAQs and How to use the library. These range from simple written guides, through video and podcast tutorials, to the interactive online tutorials known as InfoSkills@CSU. They cover all the different aspects of library resources and services.
If would like to ask a question or ask for assistance, there are various ways you can contact us. Students in Australia and overseas can contact us by Live Chat. This only operates at certain times: for a 24/7 service, use our online Ask a Question form. The Ask a Question service includes a searchable Knowledge Base of previous questions and answers, and you might find the answer to your question there.
There is also a Library Forum to which you can post messages and questions.
Students who live in Australia can contact us by phone, using the freecall number 1800 808 369. But note that, like the chat service, this only operates at certain times.
Students who live in Australia need to be aware that, yes, you can borrow books and other items from the Library, and this is done by requesting a loan via the library catalogue. When requesting loans, be sure to select Home address in the pick-up/delivery location before clicking on Go. We will send the items to the address listed in your library record. We pay the forward postage but you need to pay the return postage.
For DE students, the loan period for most items is 28 days with two renewals. The loan period for DVDs and Videos is 14 days, and these items aren’t able to be renewed.
Did you know that you can check your library record via the catalogue? This enables you to do a number of things, including making your own online renewals.
If you are wanting to renew your books yourself, please note that there are some things that will prevent you from renewing loans:
- If you have a library item that is overdue
- If another student has requested a loan of the item you wish to renew
- if you have library fines of $10 or more.
Finally, as a student at CSU, you do have access to a whole network of libraries in Australia. For a start, we can obtain items for you on Interlibrary loan (similar to the Interlibrary copy service already mentioned).
And, if you are fortunate enough to live close to another university, you may be able to borrow from that university library, under the ULA — University Libraries Australia ’ scheme. There are conditions, and some libraries will charge a membership fee, but it’s a service that’s worth checking out. Have a look at our online FAQ titled Borrow from other libraries.
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