Student Worker Training: Services of the Library

The library homepage acts as a gateway to library services for many students. 

From the library web site students can:

• Look up materials
• Request materials
• Make study room reservations
• Access research guides in LibGuides
• See library hours
• And more

It's important that you know how to navigate the website so that you can aid patrons. 

Public Patrons can log onto a computer for 1hr per day at either the Circulation desk on the 1st-floor or the Reference desk on the 3rd-floor. Public patrons are logged onto public access computers by the desk worker. 

The library offers a variety of materials and collections, a list of what is available on each floor is found here.

It is important that you know where to find materials so that you can relay that information to patrons.

Checking out materials:

Patrons can check out on either the 1st-floor Circulation desk or the 3rd-floor Circulation desk. They must have a form of photo ID to check out. 

Check out periods are generally 4 weeks or 1 week, depending on material type.  

Finding Materials:

The second floor houses the main collection of books, which contains over 100,000 books. 

There is also a Recreational Reading and an Audio book collection on the second floor. When a student looks up materials on the library homepage, they will need the location and call number to find the material. 

A full list of collections and locations can be found here.

Inter-library Loan:

Inter-library loan allows patrons to request materials not available through the library or MOBIUS. The Circulation Specialist handles all Inter-library loan requests made here.

Journals:

Journals can be found in a few places, on the 3rd-floor near the Reference desk are waist-high shelving, these contain journals of the current year. Behind the computer lab on the third floor are the journals from previous years.

Many journals are available digitally here , when a student looks up the journal it will say if the library has physical holdings. 

Microfilm/Microfiche:

Microforms are the filmed version of a printed work. Microforms are in the form of microfilm, which is a reel or roll, and microfiche, which is a sheet or card format.  Most frequently, materials such as newspapers or periodicals are converted to a microform for the purpose of storage and/or preservation.

All Spiva Library microforms are located on the 4th floor behind the Curriculum Collection. The Government Documents & Audio Visuals help desk can aid with using the reader machines.   

MOBIUS:

MOBIUS is the consortium of more than 180 libraries from which MSSU students, faculty and staff can borrow materials through. Once requested books are sent and generally arrive in 3-5 business days. The site for MOBIUS is found here.

Faxing:

The library offers faxing at no cost, Patrons must be current student, faculty or staff of MSSU and have their ID. This is done at the Main Circulation desk. 

Headphones:

Headphones can be checked out at either Circulation desk. Headphones check-out for four hours. 

Study Rooms:

Current Students, faculty and staff can also check out study rooms at the Main Circulation desk. Rooms check out for 2 hours. Reservations can be made here.

Questions are recorded to aid in creating the FAQ and to show the frequent use of the library. Please remember to enter questions that patrons ask you.