Library FAQs

New undergraduate students and students between courses will be able to borrow two weeks before their courses commence. Students who need to borrow before this should contact the library for assistance.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/when-can-i-borrow

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/how-do-i-borrow-books

The renewing your items page on our website will help you with:

• How to renew your item(s) via your Borrowing Record
• When you can renew your items
• The limits for renewing your items

If you are having difficulty renewing your items (online or on campus), please speak with a librarian using Library Chat or see a library staff member at one of our service desks.

You can renew your items online via your borrowing record on the library homepage, or at any of our branches on campus:

• Renew items using a self-service machine
• See a library staff member at the service desk
• Speak with a library staff member using Library Chat

You may be unable to renew your items if:

• Someone has reserved the item you have on loan
• It has reached the maximum renewal limit
• It is too soon to renew the item

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/how-can-i-renew-my-items

For University of Melbourne Staff and Students, if we do not have the item you need, you may be able to borrow it using one of the following borrowing schemes:

• CAVAL lets you borrow in person at participating libraries and institutions in Victoria. For more information, please see the Reciprocal borrowing from Victorian universities (CAVAL) webpage.


• ULANZ allows you to borrow in person at participating libraries around Australia and New Zealand. For more information, please see the University Libraries of Australia and New Zealand (ULANZ) webpage.


• You can place a request for items via our Inter-Library loans service. To check your eligibility and to find out more, please see the Inter-Library Loan website.

Learn more about how you can request to borrow books from other libraries or institutions on the borrowing page on our website.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/the-library-doesnt-have-the-book-i-need-what-are-my-options

You can return books to any of our libraries at any time with one of the following options:

• Using the automated or manual return chute inside the library
• At the service desk, please see a librarian
• Using the after-hours chute if we’re closed

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/how-do-i-return-books

Please contact the library as soon as possible so we can freeze your library account. You can speak to staff at one of our branches or chat to us online using Library Chat. This prevents others from using your card to borrow.

For more information, see the replacing a lost card page on our website.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/ive-lost-my-student-card-what-do-i-do-now

You may be able to place a reservation or ‘hold’ for the item.

Which items can I reserve?

You can place a reservation on items in the catalogue which are:

• Out on loan
• In off-site storage
• At another campus (but not different branches on the same campus)

Not all items are available. Please visit the requests page for details

How do I place a reservation?

Click on the blue request button at the top of the catalogue page.

How do I collect my item?

We will send you an email when your item is ready for collection. Pick up locations for all our branches are on the requests page.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/the-library-item-i-want-is-not-on-the-shelf-how-can-i-get-it

Searching

Each collection has its own catalogue and way of identifying material that you can request.

Visit the searching page for links to each collection website.

Requesting

To place requests, use the Aeon request system.

There is also a request button on the right-hand side of items which are in the library catalogue.

Viewing

Items can be viewed in the Reading Room by appointment.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/how-do-i-request-and-view-something-from-the-archives-or-special-collections

After you have returned your overdue item, charges will be applied to your account. When the charges for your overdue library items exceed $25 you will be required to pay the late fees.

Our payment options include:

• Online payment via your library account.


• Card payment at the library service desk in one of these branches: Baillieu, Giblin Eunson, ERC and Southbank libraries

You are not required to pay if your total late fees are under $25. To learn more, please see the fines and suspensions page on our website.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/fines/fines/how-can-i-pay-my-fines

Lost items

Please see a library staff member at one of our service desks or contact us via Library Chat to report a lost item.

A standard charge plus a processing fee will be applied to your borrowing account for each missing item.

Lost items can be replaced with an identical copy of the item. A processing fee of $15 will be applied to your borrowing account for replacement of the missing item. For further advice about replacement items, please speak with a library staff member.

Damaged items

Please report damaged items to a library staff member for assessment.

For more information please see the replacing a lost or damaged item page on our website.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/fines/fines/what-happens-if-i-lose-or-damage-an-item

The library opening hours for all branches are on the library website.

Selected libraries are available as a study space outside of library opening hours. Students and staff will be able to enter the library during after-hours using the swipe access points.

When operating as an after hours study zone, the information desk is closed, and the library collections in some branches are not available for browsing or borrowing.

For libraries and times available visit the library opening hours page.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/library-spaces/library-spaces/what-is-the-after-hours-study-zone-and-what-hours-is-it-available

You CAN take in and consume

• Lidded drinks
• Snacks

You CANNOT take in

• Drinks without a lid
• Hot food

Many libraries have areas where no food is allowed. Please check signage or ask a librarian if you are unsure.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/library-spaces/library-spaces/can-i-eat-or-drink-in-the-library

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/library-spaces/library-spaces/i-cant-find-a-study-space,-what-are-my-options

The best place to start is our referencing hub, Recite. It provides comprehensive guides on citing and referencing, examples for different source types, and tips on avoiding plagiarism.

It contains a range of guides for citing and referencing, reference Management Software and more.

Library staff are also available to assist with referencing questions via the Library Chat or at the service desks within each library branch.

Check your subject guide, course materials, or ask your lecturer to confirm the correct style. You can visit the Styles section of Re:cite for detailed guidance on each referencing style.

Common styles include:

• AGLC  -  used in legal citation
• APA 7 – common in Psychology, Education, and Social Sciences
• Chicago – often used in History and Arts subjects
  • Chicago A (footnote)
  • Chicago B (author-date)
• MLA – often used in the Humanities disciplines including Languages, Literature and Communication
• Vancouver – used in Medicine and Science disciplines

Re:cite has detailed referencing guides for different styles, including citation examples for books, journal articles, websites, and more. Visit the Styles section of Re:cite to find the guide for your required style.

Reference management software can help you store, organize, and format citations easily.

Some popular tools include:

• EndNote – Recommended for extensive research projects
• Zotero – A free, easy-to-use option for managing references

If you do decide you want to use reference management software, you can access all of the tools we support from the Software section of Re:cite. There you can find more information about these tools including installation guides and training resources.

The University Library participates in several borrowing programs with many Australian and New Zealand university libraries:

• Reciprocal borrowing from Victorian universities (CAVAL)
• University Libraries of Australia and New Zealand (ULANZ)

You will need to have your student ID card or other photo ID plus proof of current enrollment to register for borrowing.

To find out if your university participates in these programs, and for further information, check out the Borrowing from other Libraries page.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/library-membership/library-membership/i-am-studying-at-another-university.-can-i-borrow-items-from-the-university-of-melbourne-libraries

You automatically have a membership with the library if you are a student or staff member of the university. Your library borrowing record is where the library records the books that you've borrowed along with information relevant to your borrowing at the library.

Further information can be located on the Your library membership page.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/library-membership/library-membership/i-am-a-new-studentstaff-member,-how-do-i-join-the-library

Check out our Standards Library Guide for information on finding and accessing standards.

Check out our Theses Library Guide which shows you how to find Masters and PhD theses, online and in print, from:

• The University of Melbourne
• Other Australian universities
• Universities outside of  Australia

Check out our Images Library Guide which will help you find images and provide information on how to use images in your work.

Check out our Geospatial (GIS), Spatial Data and Map Resources Library Guide which provides information on Victorian, Australian and international resources.

Check out our News and newspapers Library Guide which will help you access news from Australia and around the world.

The Student IT team can help you with printing and scanning, Wi-Fi, account issues, software, VPNs, and more.

Visit the Student IT website to find the locations and opening hours of the team’s service desks in selected libraries or chat to the team online.

To connect to the University Wi-Fi on your first day find the Student IT instructions here.

Student IT can help you with setting up multifactor authentication, downloading free software for students from MyUniApps, connecting with the Unimelb VPN, using cloud-based storage and services, password problems and more.

You can contact Student IT for support in person by visiting their service desks in Baillieu or ERC libraries, by phone, or via online chat.

Contact Student IT

The Research Essentials Library Guide will help you level up your researching skills. It includes tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your time searching, reading, and writing.