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- Welcome
- Services
- Floor Plans
- Spaces
- Collections
- Equipment
- Circulation
- Library Instruction
- Policies
- Feedback
Welcome
Hours of Operation
Current hours are posted at the entrance to the library, or may be accessed from the library’s home page.
Find books and journals
A Message from the University Librarian
University Librarian
Services
Help
Visit our Access Services Desk on the second floor for assistance with library services and problems. You can also call us at 705-675-4803.
Research Assistance
Librarians and the archivist may be consulted on specialized research problems, and for librarians we suggest the one responsible in your subject area.
Electronic Help
If you need help, email your question to us at reference@laurentian.ca, and a librarian will answer it. If your question refers to the Special Collections housed in the archives, or pertains to an archival fonds, send your question to archives@laurentian.ca and the archives will answer it.
Direct Borrowing
Students who visit other university libraries in Canada may borrow directly from these libraries with a valid student photo ID, and may return these books at Laurentian at no charge. For further details contact: Ms. Lise Séguin, ext. 3336.
Learning Commons
The library partners with the Centre for Academic Excellence as well as the Information Technology Department to offer services in the Learning Commons such as: library research assistance, computer help, writing assistance, peer tutoring, academic advising and more.
The Orientation Office is also in the area and that is where students new to the university as well as returning students get all the help they can imagine. For further information, contact Mr. Charles Fink, ext. 3420.
Interlibrary Loans - RACER
Students may obtain material not held in the J.N. Desmarais Library by using the RACER system accessible from the library’s home page.
You must register first and to be authenticated, and effective September 2011, for their user ID students must use their University ID.
Generally, ILL material is free, although small charges may be incurred if books are not picked up or returned late.
Articles will be emailed to you upon arrival. Pick up books once you are notified on GroupWise that they have arrived, at the circulation desk, second floor.
A book may only be borrowed once. It may not be renewed or borrowed a second time.
For further information, please click here, or contact Mr. Ashley Thomson, ext. 3322.
Student Photo Identification Cards
Student photo identification cards are the property of Laurentian University and are used by University faculties, services and staff to identify you as a student and to give access to campus services. These include library privileges, photocopier use, cafeteria, entrance to exams, gym and university residence access, university events, city bus pass, and discounts from community businesses. The photo identification card must also be presented for identification at exams.
Message Board
Leave a message for your friends and colleagues on the board near the entrance to the library.
Accessibility Services
Working in co-operation with the Accessibility Services office, the Desmarais Library provides research and library services, and assistive technologies to students with disabilities. For specific help, contact Mr. Desmond Maley, ext 3323.
Spaces
Brenda Wallace Computer Centre
The Brenda Wallace Computer Centre is located on the second floor. You may use the computer room when it is not being used by a scheduled class. Please note--like the third floor, the BWCC has been designated as a quiet area.
Brenda Wallace Reading Room
Brenda Wallace Reading Room is situated on the third floor. Come to the reading room to read, study, or relax with a book or periodical.
Graduate study rooms
Graduate students may register at the Access Services Desk for their own private rooms located on the third floor.
These are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis for the year but because of large waiting lists, rooms unused for a week will be re-assigned. Two have been set aside for daily use. The rooms are checked regularly to see that library material in them is signed out; if it is not, room privileges may be revoked. For further details, contact Ms. Lise Séguin, ext. 3336.
Group study rooms
The library has private study rooms that will seat from 4 to 10 people and these may be reserved at the Access Servces Desk for up to 3 hours.
Rotunda
Located just outside the main entrance to the library, the Rotunda is available 24/7 for those who like to talk, eat lunch, access the Internet--and even study.
Washrooms
Facilities are located near the elevators on each floor of the library. Wheelchair access is available on the second floor.
Collections
The reserve collection, periodicals, the reference collection, atlases, recreational paperbacks, newspapers, as well as indexes and abstracts are located on the second floor.
Circulating books and the government documents collection are located on the third.
The Archives, located on the first floor of the Desmarais Library, houses the following special collections: Regional; Faculty; Mining Environment Vertical Files; Rare Books; 4th Years Honours Essay and Graduate Theses; and Archives.
The J.N. Desmarais Library also contains several specialized collections spread throughout the building such as the Collection franco-ontarienne and the Mining Environment collection.
Data
Numeric and geospatial data are also available for teaching and research. Laurentian has a site licence for software such as SPSS and ArcGIS Desktop. For assistance, contact Mr. Dan Scott, ext. 3315 or gis@laurentian.ca
E-Books
E-books are a terrific new resource that the library in acquiring, largely because they may be accessed anywhere there is an internet connection.
They are located in two different places:
- Many ebooks, including those published by Human Kinetics, may be located with the library’s catalogue. These records will have[electronic resource] in the title and will offer a link to the e-book on the search results page.
- Ebooks can also be located by searching in e-book collections. Some recommended ebook collections include:
- Scholars Portal Ebooks (over 250,000 ebooks in multiple subject areas. Select Full Text Only to find only those ebooks with full text)
- Ebrary (close to 40,000 ebooks in multiple subject areas)
Access to the Collections
Access to the library's collections is available from terminals throughout the building. The library is also wireless, so you may work on your own laptop.
Books within the library are accessible through the catalogue in various ways including by author, title and subject. So too are all the special collections housed in the Archives as well as government documents . If you need help finding government information in print or online, consult Mr. Desmond Maley, ext 3323.
Periodical articles are found using online indexes and abstracts from the library’s home page from on- and off-campus. We list recommended databases and other online and print resources by subject.
The library subscribes to 50,000 periodicals in full-text electronic format. For those available only in print or in microformat, use the catalogue to see whether the J.N. Desmarais Library has the periodical title containing the article you want. Like books, periodicals In print are organized on the shelves by Library of Congress call number; periodicals in microformat are organized by title.
Archives
Finding aids for Laurentian’s archival fonds are most easily accessed from the Archives website on the Library’s Home Page. Ask at the Library Information Desk for details or contact Ms. Marthe Brown, ext. 3339.
Paperbacks
A selection of popular paperbacks, most contributed by the SGA, is available on the south side of the second floor. In 2011, graphic novels were added to this collection.
Newspapers
Current issues of local and Toronto newspapers are available daily in a special rack at the entrance to the newspaper shelves.
DVD's
All DVD's formerly in the Instructional Media Centre have been moved to the Reserve Section and equipment is available on site to view such films. The IMC has retained all VHS tapes.
Maps
Topographical maps for the country and base maps for Ontario are located in the centre of the second floor of the library.
Music
The library has a large collection of 33 1/3 rpm (long play) recordings comprised mostly of classical music from the baroque era through to the twentieth century.
There also is a selection of jazz and popular music recordings. The loan period is one week.
Equipment
Cash Card Loader
Located on the second floor, the cash card loader will allow you to replenish your LU ID card. You can redeem money from your card throughout the campus at various photocopiers, printers, vending machines, coffee shops and the cafeteria.
Laptops, IPADS, and Netbooks
The library loans laptops, IPADS, and Netbooks at the Access Services Desk. For details, contact Ms. Lise Séguin, ext 3336.
Microform Readers
New equipment has been placed in the Microform section of the second floor, which gives you the option of converting pages on microform to .pdf documents.
Photocopiers
Photocopiers are available on the second floor. Your student photo ID card serves as your photocopy card. Visit the Circulation Desk to add money to your card, or do it yourself on the machine in the photocopy area. With a card, the cost per page is 8 cents.
Printers
Printers are located in the Learning Commons on the second floor. Printing is available in black & white or colour.
You can print from workstations in the Learning Commons, or from a wireless device at http://web2print.laurentian.ca
Once the document is sent to the printer, login to the touch screen monitors next to the printers to retrieve your document using the same username and password you used to login to the computer. Cost: B&W: 10 cents; Colour: 50 cents.
Scanner
A scanner is available for public use opposite the Access Services Desk on the second floor. There is no charge for the use of this scanner, and it is capable of scanning in black & white, grey, or colour. For help using the scanner, please ask at the Access Services Desk.
Self Checkout
A self-checkout machine has been installed opposite the Access Services Desk on the second floor.
Telephone
A public phone is available by the elevator outside the library opposite the entrance on the second floor. An in-house phone which reaches university numbers is available near the book bin on the first floor.
Vending Machine
You may buy various types of small equipment and supplies, such as memory sticks and pens from a machine placed just inside the library entrance, second floor.
Circulation
Introduction
A valid student photo identification card must be presented before books can be borrowed. Before borrowing, first-time users must fill out a student information sheet which can be obtained at the Access Servuces Desk on the second floor or online by following these page links: Services for You / Undergraduate Students / Getting a Library Card.
Books
Undergraduates may borrow upto 30 circulating books for 3 weeks.
Graduate students may borrow up to 50 books for 4 months, subject to recall after 3 weeks.
All books may be renewed up to 3 times unless requested by another borrower. If a book is required for reserve, it must be returned within 3 days.
Reserve Material
Your professor may request that the library place material on 1, 2 or 4 hour, 1 day or 3 day reserve. Click on the Reserve Material link on the home page to search for reserves.
Email Notification
For items with a loan period of more than four days, a reminder notice will be sent to the email address associated with your library system account before the item is overdue. Two overdue notices will be sent to the same email address after the item is overdue.
After an item is more than 30 days overdue, you will be sent another notice, and a $5 fine will be applied to your account.
Fees
Overdue book - $.50/day to $15 maximum
Overdue reserve item due at a specific hour - $.50/hour to $30 maximum
Overdue reserve item due specific day - $2/day to $30 maximum
Lost book - $5 service charge plus fines owing plus replacement cost for in-print titles; $30 for out-of-print titles
Special Processing and Searches
All items on order are indicated in the online catalogue. If there is a particular title that has been received but is not yet available for circulation, please fill out a CAN'T FIND A BOOK? form available on the pods containing library laptops. Under normal circumstances, you will have the book in your hands within 48 hours. You may also use this slip to request that the library search for a book missing from the shelf.
For further information about Access Services, contact Ms. Lise Seguin, ext 3336.
Your LU Library Account
Login to your library account through the catalogue to renew your books, to see which books you have out, to place holds, and to verify whether you have fines owing.
Your username and password are the same as your Groupwise and Desire2Learn account.
Library Instruction
D2L Library workshop instructions
Need to complete the Online Library Instructions or would like to learn how to efficiently use the library resources? Then self-register yourself to add it to your D2L course list.
Start by clicking on the Self Registration button at the top of the page. Click on the Online Library Instructions title and then Register. The form should be prefilled for you so all that is left to do is to click Submit and then Finish.
The course should now be on your course list and you well on your way to completing the Online Library Instructions.
For further information consult Mr. Ashley Thomson, ext 3322. For special instruction in a subject during class time, ask your professor to arrange a class by contacting Mr. Thomson.
For instruction on archival materials, ask your professor to arrange a class by contacting Ms. Marthe Brown, ext. 3339.
Policies
Use Your Library Voice
Talking is permitted in a moderate voice on the second floor of the building; the third floor is a strict quiet area. Please take conversations and cell phone calls to the stairwells.
Food and Drink Policy
In order to protect the library’s collections, equipment, & furniture and to maintain a clean and healthy environment for all our patrons, FOOD is not permitted in the library. Beverages (non-alcoholic) are now permitted, provided they are in a protective container. No canned beverages, paper/plastic cups, glass, or open containers are allowed. Further, no drinks are allowed near computers, printers, or AV equipment.
Policy on the Access and Loan of Library Materials
To find out the specifics on loan periods, renewals, and charges, click here
Laptop Circulation Policy
For the comprehensive laptop circulation policy, please click here.
Who may borrow: All registered students (full and part-time) of Laurentian University with a valid student card.
Loan periods: The loan periods for in-house and distance education laptops are set at the discretion of the library.
Holds and renewals: The number of renewals is set at the discretion of the library. Laptops are available only on a first-come, first-served basis. No one may place a hold on a laptop.
Returning laptops: Laptops must be returned to the Access Services Desk only.
Fines for late returns: In-house circulation laptops not returned on time shall accumulate fines at the rate of $10 per hour, or portion thereof, to a maximum of a $100 late fee; and distance education circulation laptops not returned on time shall accumulate fines at the rate of $25 per day, or portion thereof ($1 per hour), to a maximum of a $100 late fee.
Damaged or lost laptops: In-house circulation laptops that are not returned within 24 hours of their loan period shall be presumed lost; and distance education circulation laptops not returned within four (4) days of their loan period shall be presumed lost. The borrower shall pay within seven (7) days the full repair or replacement cost if the laptop is lost, stolen, not returned or damaged while it is checked out to the patron.
Feedback
We are always interested in your opinion about our collections and services. If you have a suggestion, you may leave it on a compliments/questions/suggestions sheet near the exit to the library. You may also visit, phone or write:
Mr. Alain Lamothe
Chair, Department of Library and Archives
ext. 3304 or alamothe@laurentian.ca
or
Ms. Leila Wallenius
University Librarian
ext. 3302 or lwallenius@laurentian.ca