Library FAQs

Some people do not notice the “reference only” sticker on the spine of the books and try to take then out using the self issue machines. When the machine will not issue the book, some people don’t return them to the shelf and just leave them lying by the machine. A considerate library user will check to see if the book is a reference copy or not before trying to issue it and return it to the booksehlves after use.

Each room number is preceded by a letter to indicate its location within a building. Here is a short list.

Prefix Building
A: Mbeki Building (Health)
B: Britannia Building
C: Charles Oakley Building
K: Buchanan House
M: George Moore Building
M: Milton Street Building
T: Teaching Block
W: Hamish Wood Building

If GCU students turn up at a GG&C library with their matric cards, while they are on placement (they must be on NHS GG&C placement and be able to prove it if challenged eg. give ward details), read the terms and conditions and sign in, they will be logged onto a computer by a member of library staff.

They won’t be able to print or downlaod (even onto a USB stick) but they can access email and email stuff to themselves and access any Blackboard sites.

When they’ve finished they will have to tell a member of staff who will note the time, so that staff can monitor access. You still won’t be able to borrow books and this is a temporary measure, but the idea is eventually that all students on NHS placements will be issued with temporary logins by IT.

• You have to sign a registration form agreeing to keep to our regulations. We can withdraw your membership if you don’t keep to them or if you abuse the service.
• We can renew your membership only if you have no overdue items or fines to pay.
• Your membership doesn’t include the right to use libraries with which we have reciprocal agreements.
• We can refuse an application for membership, withdraw memberships and change costs and entitlements.

• Academics on reciprocal schemes
  Bring your college ID card and a current pay slip or, if you have been recently appointed, a letter of appointment to The Base on level 0 of the Saltire Centre. You can usually pick up your library card and borrow books one week later.
• SCONUL Access members
  Bring your university ID card and your SCONUL Access card to The Base on level 0 of the Saltire Centre. You can usually pick up your library card and borrow books one week later.
• Mentors - see the mentor scheme.
• All others
• Alumni can join online to take advantage of the £30.00 annual rate
• If you want to pay using cash or cheque, remember it costs £60.00. Please write, saying that you would like to join, to:
• Membership Department
  Glasgow Caledonian University Library
  Saltire Centre
  Cowcaddens Road
  Glasgow G4 0BA
  We will send you an enrolment form, along with a copy of the library regulations and a guide telling you which of our services you can use. When you fill in and return the form to us with a cheque to cover your fee, we will post your membership card to you. To renew your membership each year, just repeat this process.

On levels 2, 3 and 4 of the Saltire Centre you’ll find a laptop set up to let you use the library catalogue.
People with REAL membership can use internet and office software on level 0. We’re sorry, you won’t be able to print your work or save it to our network, so you should bring a USB pen. You’ll be able to use this on the older-style computers. You will not be allowed to borrow books with a REAL membership.
You can become a REAL member if you live or work in Glasgow. Please bring two documents that prove who you are. One must be a formal document with your address on it.
Our interlibrary loan and book reservation services are for our current staff and students only, but your local library may provide these for you.

A total of 7 items. Within this total there is a maximum of 5 long loans and 5 2-week loans.
There are fines and other penalties for overdue items.

It’s free for:

• academics on reciprocal schemes
• recognised mentors
• SCONUL Access members

£30.00 each year for former staff and students who pay by direct debit. It is much more efficient for us to process your membership in this way. If you want to pay using cash or cheque, it costs £60.00. 
£60.00 each year for other members of the public, including nursing college students who graduated before 1992.

• use ‘truncation’ or ‘wildcards’ to pick up all the forms of a keyword, for example, teen* for teens, teenage, teenager. (Not all databases use asterisks – check their help screens.)
• add more keywords using OR.
• check you haven’t limited your search too much.
• try different keywords or a different database (ask your librarian which are best for your topic).

• limit your search by date, language, country or document type.
• add more keywords using AND or NOT.