About the Science Library

The Science Library opened in September 1999. Occupying three complete floors and 61,124 square feet of the building, the library serves the entire University at Albany community, but houses collections and offers specialized services for the departments of Atmospheric Sciences, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics. Visit our Web site at: http://library.albany.edu/science/.

PODCASTS ABOUT THE SCIENCE LIBRARY COLLECTIONS AND SERVICES

Introduction to the Science Library 2007
http://liblogs.albany.edu/slpodcasts/podcast1.mp3

Science Library Group Study Rooms
http://liblogs.albany.edu/slpodcasts/podcast2.mp3

Reference and Research Services in the Science Library
http://liblogs.albany.edu/slpodcasts/podcast3.mp3

The Science Library Collections
http://liblogs.albany.edu/slpodcasts/podcast4.mp3

COLLECTIONS

The Science Library houses book, journal, and reference collections in the science subject areas (Q-TP) of the Library of Congress classification scheme. In total, the New Library Building contains approximately 600,000 volumes. Monograph circulating collections are on the lower level, and bound periodicals are on the second level. Reference books and current unbound periodical issues are on the first floor. The Browsing Collection is in the Barnes and Noble Room on the atrium level.
Access to the full complement of networked resources owned or developed by the University Libraries is available on computers in the Information Commons and at customized workstations on other computers located throughout the building. These networked resources include databases, indexes and abstracts, access to thousands of full text articles, and many online journals. All of the pc’s in the Information Commons provide access to the full suite of specialized software offered on ITS User Room pc’s.

HOURS

Spring 2008 hours are as follows:

Library Circulation Desk (437-3948), or point your Web browser to http://library.albany.edu/hours/.
The Reference Desk in the Information Commons is staffed:

STAFF

Library faculty:  
Michael Knee, Reference Librarian/chemistry, computer science, mathematics and statistics, physics (including nanotechnology) bibliographer mknee@uamail.albany.edu
Sue Kaczor, Reference Librarian/biological sciences, earth and atmospheric sciences, geology bibliographer skaczor@uamail.albany.edu
Lorre Smith, Librarian Digital Initiatives lsmith@uamail.albany.edu
Gail Pawlowski, Science Library hardware and software Specialist gpawlowski@uamail.albany.edu
C. Gregory Baron, Manager for Materials Access Services gbaron@uamail.albany.edu
Irina Holden, Outreach/Instructional Services Librarian, Science library iholden@uamail.albany.edu.

Staff:
Laurie Constable, Circulation Supervisor
Jess Smith, Evening Supervisor
Leslie Newell, Circulation Clerk
Bozena Kolodziej, Circulation Clerk
Anne Volmer, Keyboard Specialist

Some important phone numbers for the Science Library are:

SERVICE LOCATIONS

The main service areas in the Science Library are on the first floor (one level up from the atrium). Located inside the main doors to the Science Library is the Circulation Service area. Here, staff provides all borrowing, lending, stacks maintenance and user account services. Just to the right of the Circulation Desk is the Current Periodicals Room, where the unbound issues of all science journals are available.  Behind the Current Periodicals Room, in the northwest wing, are audiovisual playback equipment, a video/dvd collections, and microforms. Ten individual computer workstations are placed on study tables in the Indexes and Abstracts area, on the west side of the first floor.

The Information Commons is located in the northeast wing of the first floor.  There are 109 pc’s located there, with Internet access and the full suite of software provided by ITS.  In addition, there is a scanning station available, as well as some pc’s dedicated to specific software usage.  Assistance is available from librarians at the reference desk and student tech consultants.
On the second floor, bound periodical volumes are shelved. A popular feature of the second floors is the availability of ten group study rooms.

The lower level houses the circulating book collections as well as quiet study areas.
Throughout the building, on all floors, there is abundant study space, including tables and individual carrels - a total of over 500 seats for users.

Photocopy machines are available on the first and second floors of the Science Library.  The photocopiers require SUNYCards or Podium cards.  Card dispensers that may be used to either add funds or purchase a card, are on the first floor opposite the Circulation Services Desk.

CIRCULATION AND INTERLIBRARY LOAN SERVICES

A valid SUNYCard is required for faculty, staff, or students to borrow materials. The undergraduate loan period is 30 days. Graduate students may checkout books for 90 days. Ph.D students have three fixed due dates on the final days of September, January, and May. Faculty have an annual due date of April 30th. Unaffiliated users may borrow in accordance with our circulation policies.  For more information on Circulation policies, go to: http://library.albany.edu/services/circulation.html.  
Library materials from the Dewey Library and the Storage Facility will be retrieved upon request. Materials from the Dewey Library will be delivered within 24-48 hours after placement of a request. Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is available for materials not owned by the University Libraries. To place a request to have an item paged or an ILL request, go to Science Library Circulation Desk, or connect online at https://illiad.albany.edu/. For more information on these services, see UA Delivery Services

GROUP STUDY ROOMS

There are twelve group study rooms in the Libraries. On the second floor of the Science Library, there are ten of these group study spaces. Each room contains a PC, a table, six chairs, a dry erase board and wireless access. There are two group study rooms in the University Library: LI-B 26 and LI-B 47. Each of these rooms has a PC, a table and chairs, and a whiteboard.

Group study room keys may be checked out by patrons with borrowing privileges at the University at Albany. Keys to the group study rooms may be requested at the Circulation Desk. Rooms are for group (two or more persons) use only. The loan period for the room key is three hours. Room key loans may not be renewed.  Staff may use judgement and make exceptions to the non-renewal policy if there are multiple room keys available when a key is returned.

The fine for an overdue key is $15.00/hour or part of the hour.  Staff may require a group to relinquish a room key at the end of the loan period if others are awaiting for the room.   

Visit our Group Study Rooms page to view a map of the Science Library's 2nd Level.

MEETING/CONFERENCE SPACES

LIBRARY STORAGE FACILITY

The collections of Albany's University Libraries exceed 2 million cataloged volumes. The Library Storage Facility houses lesser-used items from the collections. The Library Storage Facility is located under the extension wings of the Campus Center and is accessed through the lower level of the Science Library. This facility provides approximately 80,000 linear feet of compact shelving.
Items from the University Libraries' collections housed in the Library Storage Facility can be requested through our UA Delivery Service (https://illiad.albany.edu/) or at the Circulation Desk of the Science Library. Paging of materials from the facility will be done throughout the day by Science Library staff, with a turnaround time of one hour or less.

Requested materials can be delivered to the user in several ways. Circulating materials may be sent for pick-up in either the University or Dewey Libraries or held for pick-up at the Science Library Circulation Desk. Materials that do not usually circulate (e.g., periodicals) will be sent to the holding library only. These materials may also be held for on-site use only in the Science Library. Interlibrary deliveries are made by an intercampus delivery service that is available only Monday through Friday (exclusive of holidays). Interlibrary delivery generally takes 24 to 48 hours. Some restrictions may apply to the total number of volumes that may be sent via the courier in any one shipment.

Rev. 3/25/2008 JS