Frequently Asked Questions

Can I borrow material from the Audiovisual Collection?

Audiovisual Collection resources may not be taken out of the Library, with the following exceptions:

• If you are a teaching staff member (including tutors), you may borrow material for short periods for use in class. DVDs and videos may be borrowed for 7 days, and sound recordings and slides for 14. If you need material for longer, please discuss it with the Central Library staff.
• Students may borrow material for use in seminar presentations for up to six hours. You must fill out and sign an authorisation form and have it signed by your lecturer before you can borrow material.
• Some kits, floppy discs, and computer CDs may be borrowed on the same terms as normal books.

How can I pay my library fines and charges?

If you have charges on your account, you can pay them by any of the methods below:

• By EFTPOS: In person any of the libraries.
• By cash: In person at any of the libraries except the Commerce Library.
• By credit card: In person at any any of the libraries, or online here.

• By cheque: In person at any library, or by post to the address below:

  Client Services
  Attention: Administration and Accounts
  Victoria University of Wellington Library
  PO Box 3438
  Wellington 6140

  If you are a Distance student, please mark the envelope “Attention: Distance Lending Team” instead.

  Cheques should be made out to “Victoria University Library”. Please do not send cash.

Please note that fines from Borrow Direct items must be paid directly to the lending library. See “How do I pay my Borrow Direct fines?” for more information.

How do I book a Closed Reserve item to use at a specific time?

You can book a Closed Reserve item for a specific time, whether or not it is currently checked out. To book an item, first locate it on the Library Catalogue, then:

1. Select "Make a Request" in the blue sidebar. You may have to log in.
2. Select "Short Loan" on the next screen.
3. Select the appropriate location from the "Pick Up At" dropdown—"Closed Reserve Desk" if the item is at the Central Library, or the appropriate library.
4. Select the date and time you wish to reserve the item for.
5. Click "Submit" to make your booking.

Please contact Closed Reserve if you have any difficulty or require assistance.

How do I make a Borrow Direct request?

Borrow Direct requests must be made through the Library Catalogue. Please consult the Borrow Direct instructions in the catalogue online help.

How do I renew my items?

To renew your items online, go into "My Account" in the Catalogue, select the item(s) you want to renew, and click "Request renewal". If the item is an interloan, or the system will not renew the item, please contact the library by telephone, at any Issue Desk, or by emailing library-lending@vuw.ac.nz.

See "Why can't I renew this item?" for more information.

I need this item for longer than the normal loan period. Is this possible?

For academic staff, Ph.D. students, and other advanced researchers, we can arrange an Extended Loan period of six months, which may be renewed once for a further six months.

• The item should be one which is integral to your research.
• Items on restricted issue are not eligible for extended loan.
• Extended loan items are still subject to recall.

To inquire about setting up an extended loan, please approach the Issue Desk staff at the library where the item is kept.

I'm not a Victoria University student or staff member. May I use the Library?

Under certain circumstances, it is possible for people not currently enrolled at or employed by Victoria University to be granted limited access to the Library's collections.

If you are a student or staff member from a New Zealand university that is a member of ULANZ, you have reciprocal borrowing access to the Library. See the ULANZ access page for information about how to register as a ULANZ borrower and whether your home institution is a member.

Victoria Alumni should contact the Alumni Relations Office for information about access to the Library.

If you do not meet any of the above criteria, please send us a message through Ask a Librarian and we will contact you with information about applying for access.

I'm not in Wellington. What Library services can I access?

Anyone enrolled in an approved Victoria University distance learning course has access to our Distance Lending service. Postgraduates living outside the Wellington region can also apply for access.

If you are away from Wellington temporarily but need access to an academic library, you can:

• use your Victoria University Library card at any one of our Borrow Direct partners' libraries—Auckland University of Technology, the University of Waikato, and the University of Otago; or
• apply for “reciprocal borrowing” access at any ULANZ member library.

You can also use your university username and password to access almost all our online resources from anywhere in the world.

My item has been recalled. What does that mean?

Any item can be recalled if another borrower needs it. The recall notice you receive will tell you the new due date. If you do not return the book by the new date, you will be charged overdue fines at a rate of $1.50 per day. Borrow Direct items are fined at a rate of $3.00 per day if not returned when recalled.

The item I need is checked out. How can I get it?

If there are no available copies of an item you need, you have two options.

If you want to use the item when it is returned, but do not need it urgently, you can place a hold for it. The first copy of the item to be returned will be held for you at the Issues Desk of the library you select for up to seven days, and you will receive a notification that it is available for you to pick up. Please consult the Library Catalogue's instructions for placing a hold.

If you need an item urgently, you can recall it. The current borrower of the item will be notified to return it, and once returned it will be held for you just like a hold. Three-Day Loan books may not be recalled. Instructions for recalling an item are in the Library Catalogue's online help.

If the item you need is a Closed Reserve item, you can make a booking for it. Please see “How do I book a Closed Reserve item to use at a specific time?” for instructions.

When is my distance item due back?

Distance items are issued for 14 days to undergraduates, and 28 days to postgraduates. The clock starts when the item is posted to you. Items must be received by the Library on or before the indicated due date.

Three-day loan and one-week loan books are issued for 10 days, and sent by FastPost.

Where can I find copies of old exam papers?

Exam papers from 2005 onwards are available through the online Exam Papers database.

Most libraries also have printed copies of recent exam papers. Check the Library Catalogue to locate printed exam papers.

Where do I return items?

You can return an item to any of our libraries--you do not have to return it to the library it was borrowed from.

If the library is not open, After Hours returns slots are available near the entrance at the Central, Architecture and Design, Commerce, and W.J. Scott Libraries.

You can also post items back to us. Send them to:

Client Services
The Library
Victoria University of Wellington
P O Box 3438
Wellington

Posted items must be received by us on or before the due date, or overdue fines will be charged.

Why can't I renew this item?

There are certain circumstances in which an item cannot be renewed. Some of these include:

• Items have a renewal limit--either a certain period of time or a certain number of renewals. You cannot renew an item if to do so would exceed the renewal limit.
• If an item has been recalled or a hold has been placed on it by another patron, you cannot renew the item.
• If you have an overdue recalled item, you cannot renew items, place requests, or borrow any further items until you return the overdue recall.