Using the Reading Room

Reading Room:

• provides access to: books, journals, newspapers, weekly press, doctoral theses, research bulletins, dictionaries and encyclopaedias, specialist collections, statistical publications,
• the following services are available on-site:

– assistance from a librarian in searching for information,

– printed collections,

– desktop computers,

– databases,

– online catalogue,

– self-service scanner,

– board games (more information),

– leisure areas.

 

How does the Reading Room organise its collections?

• The Reading Room’s collections are divided into sections. Each collection is assigned a call number, a symbol, and a corresponding colour.
• You can access the Reading Room’s collections:
  – directly from the shelves,
  – by requesting a copy from the Library’s closed stacks: through the online catalogue, after logging into your Reader Account. When you receive a confirmation of your order being ready, please report to a librarian at the Reading Room’s User Service Point.
• Books are arranged on the open-access shelves by their call numbers (written on a barcode sticker located on the back cover),
• current periodicals are available in open access and arranged alphabetically by title.

 

Who can use the Reading Room?

• You can use the Reading Room if you are aged 15 or over.
• If you wish to access the collections held in the Reading Room’s closed stacks, you need to sign up and activate your Reader Account.

How to use the Reading Room’s facilities?

You can use the Reading Room’s collections on-site, in a comfortable environment designed to accommodate study and work. The entire area of the Reading Room is air-conditioned.

The following facilities are available to you:

• self-service lockers for your outerwear and bags,
• baskets for carrying study materials and personal belongings,
• desks for individual work,
• booths (cubicles) for individual work,
• tables for group work,
• rooms for teamwork (more information).

In the Reading Room, you will also find:

• free charging stations (power sockets),
• free Wi-Fi access.

When you have finished, please return any publications from the open-access section to the trolleys located next to the shelves. Items from the closed stacks need to be returned to the User Service Point.

Requests from the stacks are processed on an ongoing basis (or the following day for requests made outside the Library’s opening hours).

 

Self-service scanner:

• you can use it free of charge in the Reading Room,
• bring a storage device (USB stick) with you to save the scanned sections,
• details

Borrowing books from the Reading Room – a service for PUEB staff and PhD students:

• to use this service, you must have a Reader Account;
• submit your request via the Library’s online catalogue;
• you may only request books located in the open-access area of the Reading Room,
• once your request has been processed by a librarian, you will receive an email informing you that the book is ready for collection,
• pick up and return the requested book at the Lending Library; it will be held for you for 5 days.