Library: needs more book elves.

electrogrimey

Does anybody know how often the books that people leave on desks and trollies are returned to the shelves by the book elves? I was in the library until just before closing time yesterday, like there was more or less nobody there, and yet none of the books that the catalogue said were in, were there. I've also left books at a desk and found them there the next day...Does anyone else agree that the books should be returned to the shelves more often, and more staff employed to do this if needed?

P.S. I'm preemptively going to tell anyone who is going to say 'just put them back on the shelves' to get off their high horse, because this is a communal problem.

Kwekubo

electrogrimey wrote: »

P.S. I'm preemptively going to tell anyone who is going to say 'just put them back on the shelves' to get off their high horse, because this is a communal problem.

In fact, Library rules state that you shouldn't reshelve books, due to the risk of doing it incorrectly and thus "losing" books in the system.

Unshelved

Cutbacks. Welcome to the Recession.

The Library has lost 14 Staff Members since the end of September and is due to lose another 6 or so by the end of December. Added to the fact that there is now only a tiny handful of Student Shelvers employed, we just can't get the books back onshelf quickly enough.

Please don't put the books back onshelf yourselves - a book in the wrong place is as good as lost. If you want to speed up reshelving then leave books either on a trolley or on the reshelving shelves just inside the door of every floor of the Ussher Library, at the bottom of the Lecky stairs or in the Orientation Space.

Larianne

Can I ask you why there is only one study room on the whole of TCD campus?

It's something that really annoys me as there seems to be a lot of noise with people trying to study together, I think mainly because there is only one study room which is in the Hamilton. The other day there were about 8 students 'studying' together. Very distracting, talking and moving about to different desks. :mad:

On topic, I'm sure I saw an advert looking for student shelvers somewhere recently. (Could possibly have been the John Sterne though).

cf_al_bs

Larianne wrote: »

Can I ask you why there is only one study room on the whole of TCD campus?

Don't get me started on this. Trying to find somewhere for 10 ppl to meet at lunchtime to discuss a group project when this room is booked is a nightmare.

electrogrimey

cf_al_bs wrote: »

Don't get me started on this. Trying to find somewhere for 10 ppl to meet at lunchtime to discuss a group project when this room is booked is a nightmare.

Can't you just nip into an empty classroom in the Arts Block?

cf_al_bs

electrogrimey wrote: »

Can't you just nip into an empty classroom in the Arts Block?

yes probably. use science heads wouldn't think of that tho.

electrogrimey

cf_al_bs wrote: »

yes probably. use science heads wouldn't think of that tho.

I'd write you a formula for finding an empty room if I could; I realise that's the only way you'll be able to

Larianne

cf_al_bs wrote: »

Don't get me started on this. Trying to find somewhere for 10 ppl to meet at lunchtime to discuss a group project when this room is booked is a nightmare.

Oh I could rant ALL night. :mad:

cf_al_bs

electrogrimey wrote: »

I'd write you a formula for finding an empty room if I could; I realise that's the only way you'll be able to

None of us even do maths (it was a chemistry project) so it would be wasted on us!
I'd have no idea where to look in the arts block tbh. Can't believe I'm that ignorant.

On topic tho the Lib could do with a few extra elves at times I've noticed and the online system really needs to be sorted soon. And apparently the book buying budget has been reduced by €650,000 (40%), largely due to the fact that less tourists are visiting the Long Room.

electrogrimey

cf_al_bs wrote: »

None of us even do maths (it was a chemistry project) so it would be wasted on us!
I'd have no idea where to look in the arts block tbh. Can't believe I'm that ignorant.

On topic tho the Lib could do with a few extra elves at times I've noticed and the online system really needs to be sorted soon. And apparently the book buying budget has been reduced by €650,000 (40%), largely due to the fact that less tourists are visiting the Long Room.

Just go up to level 4 or so and wander around until you find a room with the lights off.

Hopefully the new Long Room hub will fix that? They could even pay students a tiny amount for helping out, to get a few more doing it, that'd make a huge difference.

robototitico

I agree, books dont get reshelved fast enough. Having said that, it seems everyone in my class (postgrad) buys all the books. I have no trouble getting the long term ones in the library.

robototitico

Sorry, also on book buying - There are several books that have come out recently, that I would have expected them to get. They still havent got Zizeks new book and its been out a couple months already.

Corruptedmorals

Oh God, every week I have to photocopy chapters from about 3 books in the history sections- none of them are ever books undergrads can take out. EVERY time no matter how early in the week I get there...there's a big gap where it should be. Either I have to resort to searching the photocopying rooms, or else the other problem is that some fecker of a postgrad has taken out the only copy. Ughh.

Trinity News said the library has lost 30 staff altogether?

electrogrimey

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

Oh God, every week I have to photocopy chapters from about 3 books in the history sections- none of them are ever books undergrads can take out. EVERY time no matter how early in the week I get there...there's a big gap where it should be. Either I have to resort to searching the photocopying rooms, or else the other problem is that some fecker of a postgrad has taken out the only copy. Ughh.

Trinity News said the library has lost 30 staff altogether?

Hurray for history. But yeah, more book elves. Would it actually possible to get a thing going to submit to SU? In fairness, being able to access the books you need is one of the most important parts of 3rd level education, so if all it takes is employing a few part time elves, even students, then that shouldn't be impossible, even with the recession.

lucernarian

Perhaps more of the €1500 rip off charge could be diverted to the library services instead of paying our lecturers over €200,000 in some cases. I'd like to know the actual cost of student services as I think the figure I've seen quoted is out of date, but still less than that outrageous amount.

Re: study rooms, students should not have to essentially trespass into an empty classroom so that a group project can be worked upon. (Students need to get permission to use a room without a lecturer around) In other universities I've seen/heard of, there are always several group study rooms provided.

Of course, our benevolent SU seem to be keeping on top of the student centre project, with its second pub for college. A second group study room would be nice too:D

Unshelved

Oh God, every week I have to photocopy chapters from about 3 books in the history sections- none of them are ever books undergrads can take out. EVERY time no matter how early in the week I get there...there's a big gap where it should be. Either I have to resort to searching the photocopying rooms, or else the other problem is that some fecker of a postgrad has taken out the only copy. Ughh.

Have you spoken to your Subject Librarian? He may not be aware of the problem and should be able to help you, like moving the copy to Counter Reserve. Contact details are here - www.tcd.ie/Library/support/subjects/history

Remember, unless we're made aware of a problem, there's not a lot we can do to help .

A Neurotic

Larianne wrote: »

On topic, I'm sure I saw an advert looking for student shelvers somewhere recently. (Could possibly have been the John Sterne though).

Yup, that was in the John Sterne a week or two ago. Haven't been in there since though.

Larianne

Unshelved wrote: »

Have you spoken to your Subject Librarian? He may not be aware of the problem and should be able to help you, like moving the copy to Counter Reserve. Contact details are here - www.tcd.ie/Library/support/subjects/history

Remember, unless we're made aware of a problem, there's not a lot we can do to help .

What about more study rooms, on campus?

Unshelved

What about more study rooms, on campus?

Contact the Library's Head of Readers' Services, the Librarian's Office or the SU Education Officer.

Larianne

Unshelved wrote: »

Contact the Library's Head of Readers' Services, the Librarian's Office or the SU Education Officer.

Will do. I did that survey and mentioned it there as well.