Library Services

Self-service: Services at Your Convenience

The Learning Resources Centre has developed a range of options which will help you to make use of our facilities at times that suit you.

We appreciate that it is difficult to balance academic work and personal commitments. Occasionally it is inconvenient to get to the library before staff leave or the building closes.
To help you overcome these difficulties, we are providing ways of extending access to LRC services.

Self-service Points

We have a number of self-service points in each LRC where you can carry out a range of activities. Self Service is the quickest and most convenient method of issuing and returning books so we encourage all customers to use self service for all their library loans and returns.

To issue items you will need a four digit PIN which is sent to your University e-mail account, and also available from our Information and Service Desks. Simply place your ID card under the scanner. An animated, full-colour screen will take you through each step of the process.

You can also renew your books (as long as they are not required by others) and pay fines up to £20 with cash on units that have cash units attached to them.

When using self service to return items you do not need your PIN , just select return and following the instruction on the screen.

The self-service system is linked to the library system so your borrowing record is instantly updated- and you’ll receive a receipt to prove it.

Self service is avilable whenever the building is open and so provides greatly extended access to services for customers.

Watch this short film for guidance on how to use the self-service facilities at Treforest and Glyntaff.

Watch this short film for guidance on how to use the self-service facilities within the ATRiuM.

Book Return Box

A secure Book Return Box outside the entrances to Glyntaff and Treforest LRCs will allow you to deposit items when our buildings are closed. These are emptied at 9 am on the following working day.

Getting Hold of Things not on the Shelves

Please remember that it is important to always check the Library Catalogue and/or the FINDit e-journals list to see if we hold the item you require in stock. If the item is in stock, the Library Catalogue will indicate its location and whether it is on the shelves or on loan.

If not immediately available, it is possible to reserve the item. If we do not hold the item, it is possible for you to request it via Inter-library loan.

Reserving Books

You can use the Library Catalogue to place a request for items that are already on loan to other borrowers or available at other sites. Click in the item record. You will need your student ID number and library PIN handy. You can choose to have requested items kept for you at any of our four sites.

Inter-library loans

To request material which the LRC does not have in stock, it is possible to submit Inter-library loan requests online, using the Inter-library Loans option available on the Library Catalogue. Remember to check if we already have it in stock before submitting an inter-library loan request.

Keeping Up to Date with your Borrowing

Use the My Account feature on The Library Catalogue,
this option enables you view:

• Loans: indicates when the items are due for return, whether there are any reservations, and also allows you to renew items which are not overdue and which have no reservations attached. The amount charged will vary depending on the type of material and how overdue it is. Potential charges are also listed, i.e. they are what would be charged if you returned or renewed the item today. The amount owed will increase as time goes by.
• Charges: will inform you of outstanding fines which have been incurred.
• Reservations: will show you details of past and present reservations, when they are due for return, and whether current requests are awaiting your collection. It is also possible to cancel current reservations.View charges incurred.
• Inter-library Loans: will inform you of the progress of current requests. New inter-library loans can be submitted via the Place Request feature. To enable us to process your requests as quickly as possible, always check OPAC before submitting new requests and complete the request form in full. Remember to indicate your required collection site and to click on the submit button once only.
• Loan History: will show you your entire loan history.
• Change PIN: will allow you to change your PIN.

All our self-service facilities are aimed at making LRC services more convenient to the user. More information is available from the self-service areas at Treforest and Glyntaff, and our staff are available to help you with any enquiries and to assist you to use the technology.