LIBRARY TOUR

Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library

Prof. Annmarie SinghSeptember, 2011

A.Singh, MLS

The Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library

The Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library is located on the south side of campus, at the south end of the Unispan which crosses Hempstead Turnpike. It is the 11-story building that houses the libraries’:

BooksJournalsGovernment documentsIndividual computersElectronic classroomsTraditional as well as technology-enhanced group study roomsQuiet areas for independent studyWireless internet accessCaféIn addition, the main building is home to:

•The Long Island Studies Collection•Rare Books & Manuscripts•University Archives•University Museum

The West Wing of the Axinn building is the location of the offices of the President of the University and the Provost. The East Wing of the Axinn building houses Institutional Research and the administration of Honors College .

A.Singh, MLS

MAIN FLOOR

This is the floor plan for the main floor of the library.

The major service points on main floor of the library are the (Click on the stars.): circulation desk, the reference desk and the classroom. Perhaps the most important part of the research collection is housed in the Reference Reading room.You can also accesscomputers, study space,the café, and the elevators from the main floor.

A.Singh, MLS

Unispan view of approach to Axinn Library

This is the view as you approach the entrance of the library from the south-end of the Unispan, coming from the Student Center.

A.Singh, MLS

View of entrance to Axinn Library from South Campus

This is the view of the entrance as you approach the library from the south campus.

A.Singh, MLS

Entrance to the library

This is the entrance to the Axinn Library. Outside the library, in this lobby, you will find a drop box for library materials so you can return books when the library is closed.

Across from the entrance to the library is a set of doors that lead to the Hammer Computer Lab, a 24/7 computer lab. Student Computing Services is located inside Hammer Lab. You will need to have your student I.D. with you so you can swipe into the facility.

You can also access the Cultural Center Theater and the University Libraries’ Special Collections through these automatic doors.

A.Singh, MLS

Lobby

When you first enter the Axinn Library, you will see the New Books shelf straight ahead of you.

[And you may hear a choir of angels sing, I don’t know…]

A.Singh, MLS

New Books Shelf

Items on the New Books shelf are new items acquired by the library that have not yet circulated. It is important to be aware of these new items as they will have their location listed as “Axinn – New Books Shelf,” in the online catalog. This is where you will find such items.

A.Singh, MLS

Lobby Seating

Behind the New Books shelf is a seating area.

A.Singh, MLS

Café

To the left of the New Books shelf, you will see the Café. We ask that students eat food in the café area. Beverages in covered containers are allowed throughout the library, but not in areas where computers are made available.

[OK? OK? OK?]

A.Singh, MLS

Elevators

The elevators are located in the same area as the Café, behind the nifty curtain of metal mesh, a material very similar to the maille shirt Frodo Baggins wore in the Lord of the Rings , however it is not made of mithril, as that was just too expensive.

A.Singh, MLS

Circulation Desk

To the right of the New Books shelf, is the Circulation desk. This is where you will check out library materials, check out group study rooms, access reserve items, and roll your eyes because you can’t take reserve materials out of the library.

A.Singh, MLS

Reserve materials behind Circulation Desk

Faculty may put books, book chapters, journal articles, or other special materials on reserve for your coursework. Reserve materials are held behind the Circulation Desk.

These materials can only be used in the library for a limited period of time. Items that are placed on reserve by faculty have a location of “Axinn Reserve Room” in the online catalog. There is no Reserve Room. We’re just messin’ with ya’.

A.Singh, MLS

Reference Desk

As you walk past the Circulation desk you will see the Reference desk in the center of the floor [universe]. This is where you will find people like myself, academic librarians. The librarians are faculty who are knowledgeable in the research process and the specific holdings of the University Libraries. Never hesitate to ask a librarian before you begin your research and during as well. You are knew to the scholarly research process. There is no reason why you should know how to do research in a specific field and/or how to access relevant materials your first semester of college. Take a few minutes to discuss your research with a librarian and you will be directed to the methods and materials most appropriate for your topic. This will save you time, energy and frustration.

A.Singh, MLS

Book Catalog Terminals

To the left of the Reference Desk are four computers. These computers are dedicated solely to the online catalog and do not go onto the Internet so ha, ha.

A.Singh, MLS

Public Access Computers

Beyond the Reference desk you will see 12 public access computers. These computers are to be used primarily for library research. Currently, the University Libraries make available over 177 electronic databases. Through these databases, you have access to approximately 47,000 full-text journals, as well as 39,000 full-text electronic books. Can you feel the pressure?

A.Singh, MLS

Reference Reading Room

Just beyond the public access computers, on the left, is the Reference Reading Room. This is a quiet study area that holds all of the print reference materials, such as specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries, yearbooks, almanacs, bibliographies, indexes, handbooks, directories, and other research tools that provide fundamental information on various topics, fields and disciplines.

A.Singh, MLS

Reference Reading Room

Reference materials are used throughout the research process to assist you with:• Obtaining biographical

information on founders and leaders in a field

• Defining terms, concepts and theories

• Obtaining an overview, synopsis and/or background on a topic/event

• Gathering data, statistics, and maps, both current and historical

These are activities you should perform at the beginning as well as throughout the research process. Doing so will help you to formulate a relevant, informed and focused research question and to refine it as you progress with your research. 

A.Singh, MLS

Main Floor Study Area

Outside the Reference Reading Room is additional seating for individual study.Group study rooms are available for group work [and general mayhem]. Go to the Circulation Desk to sign up for one. Just remember, whoever signs for the room, gets the bill…

A.Singh, MLS

Stairs to the Ground Floor

In the middle of the main floor there is a staircase that leads to the ground floor.

A.Singh, MLS

Ground Floor

Print journals are housed on the ground floor. When you reach the bottom of the steps, you will see the:[Click the yellow stars.] Periodicals service desk to your left Open stacks of periodicals straight ahead Group work tables to your right Study cubes with monitors for sharing multi-media assignments and group work against the wall The KIC scanner in front of the Periodicals Desk Copy machines and microform machines behind the KIC scanner

Down the hallway past the Periodicals Desk is a Student lounge area Student art exhibit area Elevators

Further down the hall are the Exhibit cases for Special Collections Restrooms

A.Singh, MLS

Periodicals Desk

Not all of our print periodicals are on the open shelves. If you do not see the journal you need in the open stacks, go to the Periodicals Desk for assistance.

A.Singh, MLS

Open Periodical Stacks

The open periodical stacks will be right in front of you when you reach the bottom of the stairs. Daily and weekly newspapers are available here.

A.Singh, MLS

Periodical Shelving lifts up for access to back-issues

The periodical shelves open up. By lifting the shelf, you will find back issues of the current periodicals inside.

If you need an issue which is not in the open stacks, go to the Periodicals Desk.

A.Singh, MLS

Copy Machines

The copy machines are located in front of the Periodicals Desk and operate on Dutch Debits and Printer Points that are on your ID card.

The KIC scanner (not shown here) is located in the copy machine area.

The KIC scanner is free to use and allows you to scan documents and save them to a USB drive or e-mail them.

A.Singh, MLS

Study Area

This student lounge area has a display of student art as well as leisure reading books.

A.Singh, MLS

Ground Floor access to elevators

Down the hallway past the elevators, you will find the exhibit cases of Special Collections and the restrooms.

A.Singh, MLS

2nd Floor

The second floor is where you will find the government documents library and comfortable seating for study.

A.Singh, MLS

John W. Wydler Gov’t. Documents Depository

The government documents collection numbers over 200,000 documents in paper format; 130,000 titles in microform; 1,400 titles in CD-ROM; and over 50,000 USGS topographical maps. These materials include: congressional committee hearings, Public Laws, the Congressional Record and it predecessor titles, Foreign Relations of the United States, the Census back to 1790, the Smithsonian Ethnology series and Supreme Court opinions.

The University is also a New York State Depository Library and holds of over 3,300 documents, all of which are fully accessible through the Library's online catalog.

A.Singh, MLS

3rd Floor Circulating Stacks

Floors 3 through 8 are where the circulating books are housed. The white lines on this floor plan demonstrate how the book shelves shift. Often students become confused when trying to find a book and often the reason is the call numbers will end on one book shelf and pick up again on a book shelf across the room.

Be aware that this happens on many floors and be ready to be annoyed.

A.Singh, MLS

Typical view of circulating materials – floors 3-8

Oooohhh…

A.Singh, MLS

Oversized Materials

Some items are larger than traditional books and require special shelving. We call such items Oversized materials and you will see them designated as such in the online catalog. These items are on the same floor as traditional sized materials in the same call number area. They are however, shelved separately on the shelves closest to the windows that look out onto Hempstead Turnpike. If you need to retrieve such an item, get off the elevators and walk to your right all the way to the windows and look in this area.

A.Singh, MLS

4th Floor Circulating Stacks

The 4th floor has group study rooms. You can reserve a room at the Circulation Desk.You may not live in the group study rooms.

A.Singh, MLS

Typical Group Study Room

Pretty.

A.Singh, MLS

5th Floor Circulating Stacks

Exciting.

A.Singh, MLS

6th Floor Circulating Stacks

The 6th floor is a QUIET STUDY FLOOR so SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

A.Singh, MLS

Quiet Study Areas

A.Singh, MLS

7th Floor Circulating Stacks

A.Singh, MLS

8th Floor Circulating Stacks

SHHHHHHHHHH.

A.Singh, MLS

Technology Enhanced Group Study Room

A.Singh, MLS

9th Floor

On the 9th floor is the David Filderman Gallery, an exhibit area where installations from the University Museum are on-going. There are quiet study areas available. The office of the Dean of the Library as well as my office is located on the 9th floor.

A.Singh, MLS

9th Floor Exhibit area

A.Singh, MLS

10th Floor

The 10th floor is the Rochelle and Irwin A. Lowenfeld Exhibition Hall. This area is reserved for conferences, presentations, and other such functions. There is limited availability of quiet study space available. Food, beverages and cell phone use are strictly prohibited.

A.Singh, MLS

Rochelle and Irwin A. Lowenfeld Exhibition Hall

THE END

Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library

Prof. Annmarie SinghSeptember, 2011