2001/2002 - University College Cork Library

REPORT OF THE LIBRARY POLICY COMMITTEE 2001/2002
This was the first year of the External Research Services (fee-based). With the new
Manager of this service in place the service went from initial start-up process to full
implementation. LibraryPLUS is the working name given to this service. Realistic
goals were set for the service bearing in mind issues like copyright and balancing the
ethos of “free access” to information/libraries with the added-value dimension of this
service. Work is underway with the Chemistry Department, UCC, to develop
commercial links with the relevant industries in the region.
The extension of the Academic Libraries Co-Operating in Ireland (ALCID) scheme
to UCC opened up the other Universities in Ireland to our users. This scheme was
availed of by 144 users in this period: 57 full-time academic staff, 24 doctoral students,
51 masters students and 12 academic related staff.
Longer opening hours were offered during September to facilitate early start students.
The Library will continue to work towards extending the service beyond traditional
working hours, particularly on Saturdays in the first term and during the summer
months. From October the Library is open twelve hours per day with week-end
opening hours increasing after Christmas. The peak periods during the day are
between 12-2 with over 600 Users coming into the Library every hour. These numbers
continue to rise with the full implementation of modularisation across Departments.
The greatest transgression of library rules was of Rule 10 of Library Rules &
Regulations - Noise Control, due in particular to the use of mobile phones. A
representative Noise Group has been set up in the Library to look at the issues and to
see what we can do to alleviate this problem.
Circulation Services: Internal reorganisation of the Circulation Desk allowed for
better work flow practices with the Lending Team. The Examination Papers were again
sorted and bound according to module code. Despite technical difficulties with the
Self-Issue machine, usage is still steady throughout the week with high use on
Saturdays.
A number of important projects were undertaken during the year:
• The project for relabelling books continued throughout the year. This involves
replicating the barcode of the book and placing the barcode on the front cover.
This is to facilitate the issue of books on the self-issue machine.
• Two copies of the Summer Examination papers were photocopied by the
Printing Office. The papers were organized by the module code of each paper
by the Issue Desk Staff. Papers were then sent for binding, then catalogued and
placed on Desk reserve.
• We created a list of outstanding holds placed before July 2002 and cancelled
holds placed prior to may 2002.
• Patrons whose membership had expired were removed from the database.
Books purportedly still on loan were checked and marked “missing” where
necessary.
• This year Customer Services reviewed publications within the Library and redesigned
the Library logo and banner. This was carried through in the library
newsletter, UCC Library News and is now used in all the subject guides. The
new style will also be featured in our new look web pages to be launched next
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