Reader Services
A complete set of the rules and regulations governing the use of the CSL can be found here
CSL Journal Collection | New Journal Display | Book collection | Online catalogue |
CSL Journal Collection Arrangement
Journals in the CSL main collection are arranged in classmark order. The classmarks contain three elements separated by decimal points:
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a subject code, consisting of a letter and a number
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a geographical code, which is a decimal number (ie. 11 comes between 1 and 2)
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a running number, which is not decimal (ie. 11 comes between 10 and 12)
Example: K7.2.1 is the classmark for Journal of Biological Chemistry
To find the classmark of currently received journals, it may be easier in the first instance to check the alphabetical strip index of current titles mounted on the wall near the enquiry desk. There is another copy in the Second Floor Reading Room.
A proportion of the journals on the 2nd floor are shelved above head height and ladders are required to access this material. For health and safety reasons it is requested that library patrons refrain from using any ladder on the 2nd floor. Should you find you need to use a journal, shelved out of normal reach, please ask a member of staff to get the item for you.
Because of the limited space available to us, only the last ten years (in most cases) of our current stock is available on the open shelves on the second floor. Earlier volumes are located in basement stacks and are retrieved by library staff for consultation. To request volumes from the closed stacks, complete a fetching slip at the enquiry desk.
Volumes are normally fetched to trolleys beside the enquiry desk every half hour between 09.30 and 17.30. Fetching requests can be made in person or electronically. See Electronic Fetching
All material located in the Buttress Collection has to be fetched including British Standards. This material is available throughout the week whilst fetching is operational in the CSL.
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The most recent issues of journals are displayed on a current issues stand in the centre of the Main Reading Room.
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The circulating book collection is located on both first and second floors. This collection and the reference collection are shelved by the Library of Congress (LC) classification system, an alphanumeric system in which the main subject divisions are alocated a single or double letter code.
A listing of the subjects covered at the CSL and their LC code can be found here.
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All book and journal titles are serachable through the Online Public Access Catalogue. We have also assembled a collection of gadgets, toolbars and other plugins that can operate alongside the Newton catalogue and electronic resources available to members of the University.
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Borrowing of books | Vacation borrowing | Periodicals and reference materials | Renewals | Recalls | Fines |
Library patrons entitled to borrow (University officers, research staff, visiting scholars, post-graduates, and all undergraduates) may have 10 items in their possession at any one time. Items borrowed shall be returned not later than the twenty-eighth (or fourteenth for undergraduates) day after the date of borrowing. Items borrowed may be renewed for a further four weeks (or two weeks for undergraduates), but are subject to recall if required by another reader.
The CSL also offers vacation borrowing to cover the Christmas and Easter vacations. Readers wishing to take advantage please note, however, that all loans are subject to recall by another reader and may need to be returned earlier than the original due date.
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Periodicals and reference material
Periodical volumes and reference works are normally non borrowable but bound journal volumes may be taken overnight by readers with borrowing rights. This does not include unbound parts which may only be removed with special permission. Material that is borrowed overnight can be signed out at any time during the day but must be returned within a 24 hour period.
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It is now possible to renew books borrowed from the CSL via the NEWTON catalogue. Readers choosing this method should be aware of the folllowing.
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Renewals will be available from September 24th 2007
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You may renew your books once only , either online or in person
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Items recalled by another reader cannot be renewed
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It may not be possible to renew items beyond the end of term/vacation dates or beyond the expiry date of your record
Books on loan that are in demand by other readers may be recalled. The reader is then required to return the book within a week of receiving the recall notice.
Fines are levied against overdue material. See fines
The complete rules are displayed in the Library and here on this website.
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Photocopying/scanning and printing from microfilm at the CSL
The Library has a single photocopier/scanner available for reader use. This machine is similar to those currently used at the University Library and as such readers will require a DRA account to access it. DRA accounts, if you don't already have one, are available fom the enquiry desk on the first floor or the UL. See here for further details.
Information regarding how to use the machine as a photocopier or scanner are posted by it, you can also ask a member of staff if you need assistance.
All copying is subject to the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, details of which are posted beside each machine.
Photocopying charges:-
Payment method |
Service type |
Cost |
| Self Service Photocopying: | ||
| DRA Account | A4 |
10p |
A3 |
20p |
|
| Self Service Digital Scanning: | ||
| DRA Account | A4/A3 |
8p |
In addition to photocopying, copies can also be made from microfilm and microfiche using the CSL's microfilm reader/printer. Printing is charged at 15p per sheet of A4.
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Normal service: Loans, photocopies, Secure Electronic Delivery | Urgent Action: Loans, photocopies, Secure Electronic Delivery | Theses | Patents |
Material not available in Cambridge can be requested from the British Library through the Inter-library loan service. (Libraries and institutions making Inter-library loan requests from outside Cambridge University should click here.)
Current charges for the service are as follows:-
| Normal Service | |
| University Members (including students, staff,resident and non-resident MA's/BA's |
|
| Photocopies within 2-5 days * | £3.00 |
| Loans within 2-5 days * | £3.00 |
| Secure Electronic Delivery within 2-5 days * | £3.00 |
| All other readers | |
| Photocopies within 2-5 days * | £6.00 |
| Loans within 2-5 days * | £6.00 |
| Secure Electronic Delivery within 2-5 days * | £6.00 |
| Loan renewals for all readers | £3.00 |
| Urgent Action Service (for all readers) | |
| Photocopies received via post within 24 hours * | £9.00 |
| Loans received via post within 24 hours * | £9.00 |
| Secure Electronic Delivery within 24 hours * | £9.00 |
| Photocopies received via fax within 2 hours * | £12.00 |
| * SERVICE TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE AND ARE BASED ON THE REQUESTED ITEM BEING CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT THE BRITISH LIBRARY DOCUMENT SUPPLY CENTRE | |
Readers wishing to use the service should make their request at the CSL enquiry desk on the 1st floor of the library. Payment is made at the point of submitting the request, with the exception of urgent action requests which are paid for at the point of collection. Payment can be made by cash or cheque (when accompanied by a valid bank card) or a purchase order from the reader's department or college made out to "Inter-library loans". A receipt will always be given for cash transactions.
The charges for the normal service are a flat rate regardless of whether the request is for a photocopied article, the loan of an item or an SED (Secure Electronic Delivery).
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The British Library has a seperate Electronic Thesis Online Service (EThOS) which you can register to use. There are 250,000+ UK theses that are currently available to download for free, so it is highly recommended that you check here for availability first.
If the thesis is listed but requires a fee to obtain, EThOS will digitise on demand. Users should be aware that this can take a considerable period of time and all costs are met by the end user.
If the thesis you require is not listed on EThOS, you can apply via the CSL Inter-library Loan service for a hard copy loan of the item at the standard ILL rate.
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Patents
The service can also be used for making requests for international and UK patents. This part of the service is not subsidised and readers will be expected to meet the cost of such requests in full. Payment is made at the point of collection. Costs of an international patent are:
Up to 100 pages £25
101 - 200 pages £50
201 - 300 pages £75
301 - 400 pages £100
The average cost of a UK patent is £2.90.
The full text of US patent applications dating from 15 March 2001 onwards is available from the US Patent and Trademark Office.
The full text of the specifications, claims and drawings of many recent UK and European patent applications is available from the UK Patent Office.
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The CSL provides access to a wide range of electronic resources via PC's that are located on each floor and in a dedicated Digital Resources Area located in the 2nd Floor Main Reading Room. Patrons wishing to use this service should enquire at the 1st Floor Enquiry Desk in the first instance. There is also wireless access to the internet, via the University Lapwing service, available on the 2nd floor.
The CSL provides a scanning service for material not available electronically, which is held by the Library. This includes articles from journals and chapters from books. Users of the service should be aware that we operate within the restrictions of the Copyright Act. This means that under UK law, for the purposes of private study or research for a non-commercial purpose you are entitled to make a single copy of:
- One article from any one issue of a journal or periodical.
- One chapter or 5% of extracts from a published work.
The service is only available to current staff and students of the University.
If you wish to make use of the service please complete the form below. We aim to provide the document, via email, within a 24 hour period.
Users should be aware that the service only covers the holdings of the Central Science Library, we are not able to provide scans from material held at any other library within the University. Users of this service should also be aware that we are unable to provide scanned copies of articles from the current two years for any title received via Legal Deposit.
Please be aware that this is a trial service and as such will be provided free of charge until further notice. At the end of the trial we will review the service and look to assessing the long-term sustainability of the Document Scanning Service.
Take me to the Document Scanning Service request form