Using the University Library and accessing Electronic Resources
The Library is here to support you in your studies. There is a wealth of material available; over 1,400,000 printed volumes and an extensive range of electronic resources including subject databases, ebooks and ejournals. Many resources are accessible from anywhere via the internet.
Sites and Services
There are four Library sites for you to choose from:
The Information Commons (IC) – holds 100,000 undergraduate core texts. This is a 24 hour facility with 1300 study spaces and over 500 PCs. It has bookable group study rooms and a cafe. It´s a safe and secure environment if you need to work late into the night, and is wireless enabled.
Western Bank Library – this newly-refurbished Library contains lots of research level material in the fields of science, arts and humanities. It has a superb Reading Room, long opening hours, and has a quiet study atmosphere. There is access to the wireless network in most of the building.
Health Sciences Library – based on Floor C of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, with a satellite at the Northern General Hospital. This site specialises in medicine, dentistry and health related subjects.
St. George´s Library – based in a modern building on Mappin Street, this Library contains material relating to engineering including biomaterials, computer science, management and information studies. It has access to the wireless network throughout.
The Information Commons is open 24/7 with library staff available from 9am until 7pm on weekdays during semester. For details of the other branch opening hours, please check the web pages.
A valid UCard is needed to gain entry to all Library sites and to borrow books. Please make sure that all Library items you have with you have been properly issued before you leave. You will also need your UCard to use photocopying, printing and scanning facilities.
http://www.shef.ac.uk/library/collections
The Electronic Library
MUSE, the University of Sheffield portal, gives you personalised access to the University´s online resources. From the Library tab in MUSE, you can:
- find and request the books you need
- renew your library loans and pay any charges you may have incurred
- see your reading lists
- access electronic resources, such as ejournals, ebooks, subject databases
- search Google Scholar
- use the Science tutorials in the Information Skills Resource to learn how to search for information effectively, and use references correctly
In addition, students may use the Sheffield Hallam University Library for reference only. The Information Commons is open 24/7 with library staff available from 9am until 7pm on weekdays during semester. For details of the other branch opening hours, please check the web pages at: http://www.shef.ac.uk/library/collections
Electronic Resources
The Library offers comprehensive information for electronic resources and many other links to freely available Internet resources. The main e-resources provided are:
Databases: Access to over 250 databases, covering all major academic disciplines. Includes databases such as Web of Knowledge, BIOSIS previews, SciFinder Scholar and services from Ovid online.
Link to Library Databases page
Ejournals: Links to over 6000 full text ejournals from major academic publishers such
as Elsevier, Kluwer, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Blackwell Publishers and a range of scholarly societies.
Link to Library Ejournals page
Ebooks: Ebooks covering a variety of disciplines from host services such as netLibrary,
Books@Ovid and CogNet.
Reference management: Using reference management software, such as EndNote, with Library resources.
Link to Library Reference management
Useful Internet resources: Free Internet resources including search engines, library catalogues (OPACS), dictionaries, encyclopaedias, directories and maps.
Link to Library Internet resources
Star - The Catalogue of the University of Sheffield Library
The majority of books and all periodicals held by the University Library are recorded on the on-line catalogue Star. You can search for books and journals held in the library and more.
Sources of help & guidance
The following librarians can offer subject-specific guidance
Carmen O´Dell is the Faculty Librarian for Science.
email : c.odell@sheffield.ac.uk
Anthea Tucker is the Liaison Assistant for Science.
email : a.l.tucker@sheffield.ac.uk
Keeping up-to-date
Students in the Faculty of Science receive an electronic newsletter on a regular basis containing all the latest Library news. In addition, find out about new science resources on the Science and Engineering blog (scan the code on the right or see: www.unisheffieldlib-scieng.blogspot.co.uk/).
Follow Library news via Twitter @UniSheffieldLib, or via RSS feeds (see www.sheffield.ac.uk/library/services/libnewsfeeds.html).
Contact the Library
By telephone: 0114 222 7200
By email: library@sheffield.ac.uk
Web: www.sheffield.ac.uk/library
Twitter: twitter.com/unisheffieldlib
uSpace: uspace.shef.ac.uk/community/library