Membership Services

Nathan Library

 ::  Guidelines

Here is information on how the Nathan Library works and the rules of the Library.

Contents

Access

Who can use the Library

• Fellows, Members and Affiliates of the Victorian College of Optometry
• Staff of the Victorian College of Optometry
• Staff of the National Vision Research Institute
• Staff of the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences
• University of Mebourne students enrolled in subjects and courses in the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences
• Univerity of Melbourne researchers, including University of Melbourne honours degree students, by arrangement only
• Technical and research staff of industry by arrangement only

Identification

Eligible users of the Library must wear their identification badge in the Library.

Visitors must report to the enquiry desk at the main entrance and obtain a visitors badge before proceeding to the Library on the first floor.

Who cannot use the Library

• Secondary school students
• Undergraduate students not enrolled in subjects or courses in the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences
• Individual members of the public

When is the Library open

8.30 am to 5.30 pm Monday to Friday.

The library is also open to 6.00pm for members and other eligible users on the third Tuesday of the month from February to November.

Staff of the Department, the College and the NVRI and graduate students in the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences can obtain a pin number to gain entry to the Library after hours. This provides access to the main collections but not to the reserve collection.

The reserve book collection window is open for limited hours from

• 8.45 am to 9.45 am
• 1.00 pm to 2.30 pm
• 4.30 pm to 5.15 pm

Members of the College, staff of the Department, the College and the NVRI and higher degree and post graduate diploma candidates can obtain books from the reserve collection outside these hours when the main Library is open.

Where is the Nathan Library located

First Floor Cnr Keppel & Cardigan Street Carlton, Victoria 3053. Click here for map

Services of the Nathan Library

Browsing in the Library
All authorised users are welcome to browse in the Library during opening hours.

The most recent journal issues are on display in the journal rack.

New books are displayed near the OPAC computers in the library. All books on display can be browsed or borrowed. Just ask the Library staff if you want to browse or borrow a new book that is on display.

The display cabinets in the entry foyer are also used for permanent and changing exhibits related to the dynamic life of the organisation.

Finding a book or other Library materials

Use the Nathan Library electronic catalogue

All books and other materials (except some specialised items such as books of historical value) have a call number. The number is the classification number of the book or item. The number is based on the Dewey system of subject classification. Books are arranged in order of their call number.

The catalogue will tell you the section of the library where the book is shelved.

Books are to be found on the south wall of the Library. Journals are in the free standing shelves along the west wall. Reference books are held in the central reference cabinet. Reserve books are indicated by the letters RES in the call number. See the Collections below for more information on the various sections of the Library.

Borrowing books

Ask the Library staff to be issued with a borrowing card. You must have proof of identification that establishes that you are an eligible user.

Members of the College can borrow main collection material by post or in person. The charge is $11.00 (includes GST) per item. Books borrowed by post must be either returned in person or returned well packed by registered mail.

Loan conditions

• Main collection
  • All authorised users are entitled to borrow an unlimited number of books, conference proceedings, audio cassettes, or reports held in the main collection.
  • The loan period for material in the main collection is 14 days.
  • Members of the public can borrow this main collection material through their institution's Library or their Municipal Library using the inter-library loan system.
• Renewal of loans
  • Loans can be extended for a further 2 weeks by phone or in person before the due date provided the item has not been requested by another user or is not an item in frequent use.
  • Undergraduate students who wish to renew a loan in person need do so during window opening hours.
• Reserve Collection
  • Books and other items held in the reserve collection may be borrowed overnight or over the weekend by official users but must be returned by 9.30 am the following morning to enable maximum access for others.
  • A maximum of two reserve items may be borrowed at a time.
  • Reserve items may be borrowed for use in the Library for up to two hours.
  • Note that equipment loans (ie trial lens sets & schematic eyes) made to undergraduate students are subject to a borrowing fee.

Returning books (and other borrowed Library material)

Borrowed books should be returned to the reserve window when the window is open.

At other times, return books to the returns box. The returns box is in the Library during Library hours and is placed outside the library when the library is closed so books can be returned after hours.

Do not return items to the trolley or elsewhere in the library as your name will not be cleared of the loan.

If an item does not fit in the returns box (eg. Folio books, trial lens set or box of slides) please return the item to library staff in the office whether the window is open or closed.

If using the mail service to return items use secure wrapping and registered mail

Fines and Penalties for Overdue Items

Undergraduate students should familiarise themselves with the specific conditions that apply for both main and reserve collections for returning loans late . Fines are imposed for late return. If material is not returned or a fine is not paid, the user's borrowing privileges are suspended until the material is returned and the fine paid. Students' examination results are withheld until all books are returned and fines paid.

Members are only subject to overdue fines if they return items late when using the postal borrowing service.

All other borrowers are not subject to an overdue fine and penalty system

Lost Items

Please report any item you have lost immediately so a replacement can be bought without delay. We will charge you the replacement cost for a lost item but we will buy the replacement at the lowest possible price. If the item is very expensive or if or if there are extenuating circumstances we may not charge you the full cost of replacement. Remember that if you have lost an item and you cannot return it your borrowing rights will be at risk and fines will accumulate to a cost that might exceed the cost of the book. Early reporting of a loss is the best option.

Special conditions for different classes of Library user

Click on your user group to obtain additional information on conditions of use for the Nathan Library. If you have any questions, ask the Library staff or contact them on 03 9349 7439 or by email.

• Undergraduate Students
• Postgraduate Diploma Students
• Academics and Postgraduate Students
• Members
• Visitors

Nathan Library Collections

Reserve Collections

The Reserve collection holds the material in heavy demand.

Most reserve items are held In the library office, but others are held in the glass cabinets in the library foyer.

Library Foyer Reserve Collections

Thesis collection

The collection comprises most of the theses produced in the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences as well as a small number acquired from other sources.

Annual reports

The Nathan library holds recent annual reports of vision related organisations in Australia and overseas and retrospective holdings for some titles. We also hold VCO and NVRI annual reports from the beginning of both organisations.

Standards collection

Recent Australian standards and some overseas standards related to our areas of interest are held in the library foyer. Each has been given a catalogue number. Please quote this number when requesting a standard. Older standards are held in magazine boxes in the main collection

CIE collection

The Nathan library holds a substantial collection of reports and proceedings from the beginning of the Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) ( International Commission on Illumination). It is one of the most comprehensive collections in Australia. It is organised in chronological order and each document has been assigned a catalogue number. Please quote this number when requesting an item.

CD-ROM collection

CD-ROMs are held in the reserve collection to be read on the library computers. They can also be borrowed overnight on the same conditions as for other reserve collection items.

Many CD-ROMs have printed guides which can also be borrowed with the CD-ROM.

Check the Nathan library catalogue for details relevant to specific titles.

System requirements for playing each CD-ROM are included with the catalogue record for that title

Reference collection

This collection comprises dictionaries, encyclopaedias, year books and other useful reference materials. The material is not available for loan.

Journal Collection

Journals are organised alphabetically by title on the journal shelves

Unbound journal issues and bound volumes are for use ONLY in the library and are NOT FOR LOAN.

Please ask the librarian if you have special requirements.

Check the Nathan Library Catalogue for titles, the latest issue that has been received and detailed information on all titles held. The catalogue will also contain links to those journals which have an Internet version. Although, access may be limited to computers on the VCO campus. Ask the librarian if you have any queries.

Archival and Rare Book Collection

Books in the C W Kett collection are housed in the glass cabinet inside the library available for use in the library only. Most books acquired for the J Lloyd Hewett collection held in the glass cabinet inside the library and in the library foyer are available for restricted loan. Please discuss your specific requirements with the librarian. Although these books are held in a locked display cabinet they are available for browsing or loan. Simply ask the Library staff for help at any time. You do not have to wait until the reserve counter is open.

Services available in the Library

Information

The Librarian, is available to help with searches for special materials and will help with use of searching tools. This help is available when the reserve counter is closed. Call in to the library or contact her by telephone, fax or email. You can arrange an appointment time if that would be more convenient.

The librarian can advise on what is available through the extensive collection, the range of searching tools available, including the World Wide Web and can draw on other relevant vision science networks in Australia and overseas. The librarian can assist users with searching the Nathan library catalogue and can advise on other computer information resources available through our computer network .

Contents Page Bulletin

Keeping you up-to-date
The library has an electronic current contents service. The Contents of the leading optometry, ophthalmology and related journals can be delivered to your desktop as they arrive. If the library has an electronic subscription, the logon details will be included, otherwise you can order the full-text of articles by using the attached document request form.
A yearly subscription the this service is $44.00 (inc. GST)

Do it yourself photocopying and printing in the Library

The Library has a do-it-yourself photocopier and a laser printer linked to the Library computers for printing web pages and pages from computer based learning materials.

The Library photocopier works with a Bermel chip card which can be purchased & recharged from the dispensing unit in the library for $2.00 (card comes with $1.00 copy value).

The card can be charged using $1.00 or $2.00 coins or $10.00notes ($5 notes are not accepted).

The dispensing unit issues a receipt for each transaction.

• Photocopies cost 12c per page.
• Laser printing costs 15c per page from the laser printer in the library
  Charges for photocopying and printing are similar to those on University campus.
  Please note that the library does not provide change.

We also suggest that you write your name on the smart card with a marking pen in case of loss

Photocopy service from Nathan Collection

Members of the College and candidates for the PostGraduate Diploma of Advanced Clinical Optometry can request the Library to find and photocopy material you need and either fax or post it to you.

Requests must be made on a standard request form because of copyright law. Requests that breach copyright law are refused.

The charge is $.00 per article up to 10 pages and 15c for each additional page.

We will endeavour to post or fax requests to you within 24 hours of receiving your request

Articles not held in the Nathan Library can be obtained from external sources at your request.

Interlibrary Loan requests

The librarian can order journal articles, proceedings papers, sections of reports, books, and book chapters from other libraries if a requested item is not available in the Nathan library collection.

Requests must be made on a standard request form because of copyright law.

This service is not available to undergraduate students.

The charge is $5.00 plus acquistion costs, usually $13.20 (includes GST) per request for Members and the affiliates of the College to cover direct costs including postage and time of staff who place the order.

The research accounts of staff and higher degree students are charged with the actual cost which can vary from $12 to $15, although material can sometimes be obtained free of charge through the vision library network.

Bibliographic searches

The librarian can conduct bibliographic searches for you using one or more of a number of databases for a standard fee for members. The fee is $38.00(includes GST) per search with a surcharge of $11 (includes GST) if a large number of citations are downloaded.

Alternatively, and this is the more common strategy these days, you can do your own search. The Librarian can get you started on your own Medline searching using the database options available on the internet.