|
| How do I get there? |
From
Interstate Highway 694, exit south on Silver Lake Road then turn west
on 5th Street NW. United is approximately 1/3 mile on the right.
Or use this link to Mapquest,
the Spencer Library address is already filled in as the destination,
simple type in your address and Mapquest will do the rest. |
|
| Can I use your library? |
| While
current students, faculty, and staff have priority in using our library
resources, we welcome other patrons as well and will do our best to
help you find the resources you need. |
|
| How
long can I have the materials I check out? |
Permanent
faculty and staff have one-year check-out privileges.
Current M.A. and M.Div. students (except when on leave), anyone taking
a course during an academic term, and adjunct faculty (when teaching
a course in the current term) have academic term check-out privileges
(limit 25 items at a time).
D.Min. students have 60-day check-out privileges (except when taking
a fall or spring term course on campus, when they have academic term
check-out) with one renewal of 60 days.
Extension borrowers have 6-week check-out privileges (limit 15 items
at a time) with one renewal of 60 days. Extension borrowers include
students from Bethel, Luther, or Saint Paul Seminaries, United alums,
church, and community members (minimum age 18).
AV MATERIALS CIRCULATE FOR 6 WEEKS FOR ALL PATRONS.
REFERENCE MATERIALS AND PERIODICALS DO NOT CIRCULATE. |
|
| Can I get materials from other libraries through your library? |
| Students,
faculty, and staff may request materials from other libraries. Depending
on where the item(s) are located, turn-around time for requests may
take from two days to three weeks or more. Some fees may apply. |
|
| Can I get materials from your library through other libraries? |
| Library
users who live at a distance may request materials through the inter-library
loan services of their public or academic library. |
|
| Do you charge a fee for using the library? |
| At
this time we do not charge any fees for the use of the library. We
welcome donations from our extension borrowers. |
|
| Will you fax or e-mail materials? |
| No.
Our staff is very small and the library does not have its own fax
machine; therefore, we are not able to copy and fax materials to any
of our patrons. |
|
| Will you mail materials? |
| We
will mail materials to D.Min. students and on an occasional basis
directly to alums who live at a distance. |
|
| Will you do research or create a bibliography for me? |
| No.
It is our policy not to conduct bibliographic or resource searches
for patrons. However, we are happy to help patrons learn to find resources
for themselves through our catalog and databases. |
|
| Do you charge fines? |
| We
do not charge overdue fines; however, a standard charge of $35.00
is applied for each lost or unreturned book. This charge is automatically
generated after three overdue notices have been sent with no response. |
|
| Can I see what I have checked out? |
| Yes.
Access your patron record through the Spencer
Library Catalog. On the front page to the catalog, click on the
PATRON button and log on with your last name and library card barcode
number. |
|
| How can I tell if a resource is available? |
| To
see if an item is available for check-out, open the title you would
like in the catalog. At the bottom of the first screen (Bibliographical
Information) you will see the word: STATUS. Here you can see if an
item is checked-out or not. |
|
| Is your library accessible to people with physical disabilities? |
| Somewhat.
Access ramps are located at the main entrances to the seminary. There
is an elevator in the library, and the distance between the stacks
is ADA compliant for persons in wheelchairs, although staff assistance
would be needed for books on the high or low shelves. A wheelchair
accessible computer is available for use in the computer lab. The
library does not yet have adaptive equipment for people with visual
or auditory disabilities. |
|
| Can I borrow from your library directly? |
| Any
person over the age of 18 can have borrowing privileges. |
|
| Will you pull and hold books for me? |
| On
an occasional basis we will pull and hold one or two items for patrons
who live at a distance. |
|
| Will you help me with my work in the computer lab? |
| The
library staff will try to trouble-shoot brief problems with computers
or printers and provide help with Reference databases. All other hardware
and software questions or problems should be referred to United Seminary's
Computer Help Desk. Student colleagues are often willing to help one
another with specific computer questions. |
|
| Can I have access to the FirstSearch databases? |
| FirstSearch
is a paid subscription database and therefore is available by remote
access to current students, faculty, and staff. All other patrons
must come to the library and access FirstSearch from the library computers. |
|
| Can I renew or place my own holds and recalls online or by phone? |
Holds
and recalls are initiated at the point where the record of the item
you want is displayed on the screen. Click on the REQUEST button in
the menu bar at the top of the screen, log in, and choose the appropriate
option.
HOLD REQUEST: A hold request indicates that you want to see this item
when it is returned to the library. You do not need it urgently and
are willing to wait until the library staff contacts you to say the
item is now available. NOTE: a hold request does not mean the library
staff will retrieve the item from the shelf and hold it at the circulation
desk for you.
RECALL REQUEST: A recall request indicates that you urgently need
the item. The library staff will contact the person who currently
has it and request that the item be returned to the library, if they
have had it longer than 3 weeks. Please, use this option judiciously:
Does the library have other copies? Is the item available at another
library through the inter-library loan system? Recall requests should
be made only when it is clear that the Spencer Library holds the only
easily accessible copy. The library staff will contact you when the
item is returned.
To renew an item, go to PATRON INFORMATION from the catalog’s
front page and login. The CHARGED ITEMS section displays the books
charged to your name. To renew, click the box in front of each item
you wish to renew, then press RENEW ITEMS. |
|
| Can I have Reserve books held for a particular day and time? |
| Ordinarily
Reserve books must be kept available on a first-come, first- served
basis. Therefore, library staff will set aside Reserve books for scheduled
use no more than once per term per student. |
| PDF |
| EReserveList |