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Frequently Asked Questions
Research FAQ
Do you have a particular book?
How do I renew my books online?
How do I get a card to check out books at Emory (or other
local libraries)?
How do I find journals?
How do I find an article?
How do I get help with research?
Passwords and off-campus access FAQ
What is the Galileo password?
How do I access resources off-campus?
How do I access electronic books from off-campus?
Library FAQ
How do I contact the library?
What are your hours?
I am an alumna - may I use the library?
I am a visitor - may I use the library?
How can I donate my books to the library?
Is there any information about the statue (The
Falling Icarus) on the first floor of the library?
How many books does the library own?
Can you tell me about the Lord Leighton
painting reproduction?
Can group study rooms be reserved?
Do you have a particular book?
1. To find a book in McCain Library, start with the library catalog.
SOPHIA is the online catalog. You can search by:
- author
- title
- keywords
- author/keywords in title
- subject
Use an author search if you are looking for anything by a particular author. Enter the author's last name first, followed by the first name if you know it. You will get a list of all authors that match the terms you entered. Choose the appropriate author from the list.
Use a title search if you know the title of the book.
Use a keywords search to find books on a particular topic. Keywords may include words in title, contents, author, or subject fields.
From each search, you will retrieve a list of books in the library that match your search criteria.
2. Write down the location and call number.
3. Use the stack guide to find where the book is in the libary.
The stack guide is available online,
at the circulation desk, or by the elevators in the library. This guide
will tell you exactly where the book is located by its call number in
library.
4. Check out books at the Circulation Desk with a valid ID.
You will need a valid Agnes Scott ID or Guest Borrower Card to check out
books.
How do I renew my books online?
- Online renewal is available only to those with an Agnes Scott College ID.
- From SOPHIA, choose View Your Record on the menu.
- Enter your full name and College ID # (include all leading zeros), and Submit.
- Click "x Items currently checked out."
- Check items to be renewed and "renew selected items", or "renew all".
- View hours on the web at Library Hours
- You may contact the circulation desk at 404-471-6094 for information about library hours (will be answered only when library is open)
- The password is changed at varying intervals at the state level - we do not set the password.
- Only currently enrolled students, faculty and staff of the college have access - no alumnae access.
- Call the library at 404-471-6094 during regular hours or go to the ASC Intranet home page (log in as you would to the campus network). The password appears just below the Scottie Sustainability logo.
How do I get the GALILEO password and access databases when I'm off-campus?
You can access the GALILEO password:
-
You can access ASC's GALILEO password online in 2 ways:
1. The current GALILEO password for Agnes Scott College is viewable on Moodle after login and within the "Library 101 Intro to Library Resources" course area. You may need to enroll yourself in this "course" if you have not done so previously. (Look on the left for All Courses/Non-Academic Courses/Library.)
OR
2. On the ASC Intranet home page (log in as you would to the campus network). The password appears just below the ASCAgnes link.
-
On our Database List from the home page, if you see the ASC arches symbol
next to a database's name, you will be asked for your name and Agnes
Scott ID number (for example, Suzy Scott and 0756102). -
If the GALILEO symbol
appears to the right of a database, you will be prompted for the current
GALILEO password.
- Only current Agnes Scott students, faculty, and staff will be able to log in to the Intranet or Moodle to obtain the GALILEO password. Please note that the GALILEO password - which allows remote access to GALILEO's research databases (Georgia's virtual library) - changes four times per year because of licensing agreements. Alumnae and community library users living in Georgia may contact their local public library branch for a GALILEO password.
How do I access electronic books from off-campus?
1. Go through the SOPHIA library catalog on our library home page. You may limit your search (drop-down options on the right) to search only E-Books.
2. To view an e-book's contents, click on the link in the middle of each book’s catalog record that says, “An electronic book accessible through the World Wide Web; click to view.”
3. For netLibrary books, it works best off-campus if you copy the desired book’s title from the SOPHIA record (for example, Refugees and forced displacement). Then, go to the netLibrary link on the A-Z Database List to authenticate with your name and ASC ID #. Once in netLibrary, search for the title (search by Title, not Keyword).
4. With all e-books, it’s good citizenship to “Close” or “Exit” the e-book after searching within it, so that you or the next person does not have to wait for a session timeout to access the e-book again.
How do I access RefWorks from off-campus?
- RefWorks can only be accessed from off-campus if an account has already been created ON campus. After creating and entering your user name and password, please enter the ASC group code: RWAgnesSC.
I am an alumna - may I use the library?
- Alumnae are welcome to use the library, and have limited borrowing privileges.
- See Alumnae Library Privileges for full information.
I am a visitor - may I use the library?
- Visitors are welcome to use the library for research, but have no borrowing privileges.
- Visitor access to computers and other technology may be limited. See Computer Use Policy.
- See the Visitor Policy for full information.
How do I get a card to check out books at Emory (or other local libraries)?
- Interlibrary Use (ILU) cards are available only to current ASC students, staff, and faculty.
- You will need to come in to the library and present your ID to a librarian to obtain a card.
- See Interlibrary Use for full information.
- See Other Libraries for links to local library catalogs.
How Do I Find Journals?
McCain Library owns thousands of journals in print and on microfilm and has access to thousands more in full-text online.
- Search the
(Journal/Article
Locator) to find a journal by title or to browse journals by subject
This resource will tell you if we have online access to the journal in any of our databases. It will also tell you if we have the journal in print or microfilm in the library collection.
If the library doesn't have access to the journal:
- Get a photocopy sent through Interlibrary Loan.
- If you have access to transportation, check the catalogs of other local libraries, and visit them to use the journal.
If you are looking for journal articles on a particular topic, see How do I Find an Article?
How Do I Find an Article?
If you're looking for magazine or journal articles on a particular topic, follow these steps:
1. Search in a periodical index or "database."
We have access to nearly 200 different periodical databases online. Find these databases in the following places:
Use a database in the general subject area of your topic, or, choose one of the multidisciplinary databases, like Academic Search Complete or Research Library.
2. Locate the article.
Your search results will list article citations, and sometimes the full-text of the article will be included. If no full-text is available, follow these steps:
- Do a title search for the journal title (not the article title) in
the (Journal/Article
Locator). This resource will tell you if we have online access
to the journal in any of our other databases. It will also tell you
if we have the journal in print or microfilm in the library collection.
- Double-check if the library has a print or microfilm copy of the journal by doing a title search in SOPHIA.
3. If the library doesn't have access to the journal:
- Get a photocopy sent through Interlibrary Loan.
- If you have travel means, check the catalogs of other local libraries, and visit them to use the journal.
How Do I get help with research?
Librarians are available to assist with any information need, including finding library materials, identifying scholarly resources, selecting appropriate electronic databases, or improving strategies for information retrieval.
There are several ways to get help.
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Visit the Scottie Research and Rescue Desk on the first floor of the library.
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Call the Scottie Research and Rescue Desk at 404-471-6096.
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Email us at library@agnesscott.edu.
- IM us here or make us a buddy. We are asclibrarian on AOL and Yahoo!
How can I donate my books to the library?
- We are very grateful for appropriate gifts, but cannot keep all donated items.
- It is helpful if you can provide us with a list of the items you wish to donate.
- Gifts are evaluated using the same criteria as library purchases (see Collection Development).
- See Gifts for additional information.
Can group study rooms be reserved?
Normally, the 6 group study rooms are available on a first come, first served basis, for 2 or more people. However, faculty may ask the library to reserve a study room for a directed study or for a semester-long study group connected to a course. Contact Marianne Bradley about the possibility of having a reservation sign posted for such instances.