Podcasts @ Your Library - Learning Common

The Library is a wonderful, inviting learning space, and we want you to feel especially welcome here, so our aim is to introduce you to the layout of the library, and the collections and many support services available to you.

Of course, it is people who make a place special and the Library is no exception – Murdoch University Library staff are extremely friendly and approachable, and ready to help you with any query or problem you may have.

This tour will take approximately 15-20mins and begins in front of the main doors of the Library. You will hear music playing when the tour on a particular floor has finished or it is time to move to another location – you should pause your audio player at this point and move to the new location – when you are ready you can begin the tour again. If you are not outside the front doors of the Library, pause the tour now and make your way there.

Let’s begin our tour now. In front of you are the entrance and exit doors to the Library. During teaching time the Library is open every day of the week. For our complete opening hours please visit the Library’s website at wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au Before you enter notice the after-hours Book Returns chute on the wall to the left of the front doors.

Now walk inside and stop just past the Library gates. The Library building has two wings, the North Wing and the South Wing. There are three floors in the North Wing and four floors in the South Wing – you are now on Learning Common North Wing Level 3.

Turn to your left and walk towards the wood panelled walls - notice the striking artworks on the wall space to your right. The Library is full of wonderful pieces of art so do take time to stop and appreciate them.

Walk into the small breakout area and you will see the Café outlet – this is a great place to indulge in a hot coffee and something to eat while overlooking bush court. Please note that in other areas of the Library you are welcome to bring bottled water. Now walk back out of the café noting the plasma screen on the panelled wall near the windows. You will see another two of these screens in the Library – watch these screens for all sorts of announcements and news updates – find out about events in the Learning Common; the Library and the University. The screens will also display available free space on computers throughout the Learning Common. Except in the Café where the sound is on, you can listen to the audio on your MP3 player.

As you reach the main Library gates turn to your left, and walk towards the gates labeled Reserve. Walk into the Reserve area. Reserve is a quiet area which provides access to high demand material (both print and electronic) recommended by your lecturers. Materials on the shelves here may be used within the Reserve area, borrowed for 2 hours during the day, or borrowed overnight. Reserve materials that are electronically available make up the Electronic Course Materials Service, or ECMS as it is frequently called. This service provides access to electronic copies of journal articles, book chapters and other related material. All Reserve materials can be found listed in the Library’s catalogue. In the far left corner of Reserve you will find a DVD and Video viewing room and a photocopy room – there are also tables and chairs along the window side.

Walk out of Reserve and on your immediate left is the main Returns Desk, and Returns chutes for items you have borrowed and are returning to the Library. During opening hours Reserve books in particular should be returned to the staff at the Returns Desk. Items which are overdue attract penalty points, so it is important to return all your books on time – this is especially important with Reserve items which can quickly accrue penalty points if overdue.

On your right is the Enquiry and Lending Services staff work area. Walk round past the Returns Desk to the yellow Loans and Enquiry Desk. The staff here will be happy to answer any general questions you may have, including those about your loans. Information about borrowing materials from the library, including what you can borrow and how many items you can borrow, can be found on the library’s website. You can also renew your books (that is extend their due date) and recall books already on loan – you can do all of this online through “MyLibrary”, so ask the desk staff to show you how to do this, or if you need any help. Please be aware that we will communicate with you by email so it is important to check your email regularly for Library notices.

Opposite the Enquiry and Loans desk is comfortable seating where you can sit and relax, or browse through one of the many new books on display near the windows. Let’s stop here for a few minutes – if you can find a spot you might even like to try out the comfortable seats!

As we mentioned earlier, the floor you are on is Learning Common North Wing Level 3. The Learning Common is a new and unique learning facility that will give you access to a "one-stop-shop" service of dedicated educational, technical and personal support, as well as to wonderful workspaces for you to interact with your fellow students. The Learning Common takes in two floors of the Library building, this floor, North Wing Level 2 and the adjoining link areas. Part of the Learning Common will be accessible 24/7 but more about this later.

Now walk just past the seating area. The area in front of you and to your right is the Learning Support Area. Behind the green wall you will find the Student Learning Office. Note that there is also another plasma screen on this wall. Student Learning offers a range of free services for you to use to enhance your learning and improve your grades at university. You can take a brochure from the desk in this area or ask the person at the desk what Student Learning can offer you, and how to make an appointment for individual help. Free workshops on academic study skills are available all semester. For more information about these visit the Student Learning website. A collection of high-use Student Learning materials is also located in this area.

Collocated with Student Learning in this area is the First Year Experience Coordinator Tammy Geddes. Tammy is available for information and advice for first year students. You are most welcome to drop in and make an appointment to see her.

Now turn around so that the windows are behind you. In front of you and on your right you will see a curved grey machine known as the “Autoloader” – use this machine to add monetary credit to your University ID card for printing, photocopying and purchasing internet quota. Next to the Autoloader are two Self-Check Machines where you can check out and renew your books yourself. You will require your University ID card to do this. Be sure to ask our Library staff to show you how to use the Autoloader and the self-check machines the first time you need to use them, or if you have any problems.

Alongside the self-check machines you will find the Fast Track Computers – these computers do not require you to login, and can be used for quick searches of the University websites, and the library catalogue. The catalogue is your gateway to discovering the Library’s collections, and will tell you on which floor and in which wing an item is located.

On your left is the Library Reference Desk – let’s pause here. The Reference Desk is staffed by our approachable Librarians who are all eager to help you with any of your queries, so please come and see us and say hello! All staff have subject university degrees and so can help you find and make use of the best resources for your essays and assignments. They can also show you all the tips and tricks of searching the Library’s catalogue and databases for the most relevant materials in your subject area. Our reference desk is also accessible virtually! Whether you are at home or studying overseas, you can still contact us through our Ask a Librarian chat and email services. We also offer free workshops on finding and using Library resources for your study and research. You can find out about all of these services on the Library’s website or by asking at the Reference desk.

Near the desk you will also find a selection of Library information sheets including, “Guides to Locations of Library Collections”, “Loan rules, penalty points and Fines”, and information about borrowing from other university libraries.

Walk just past the Reference desk noting the lift on your left, which can be used to access other floors in the North Wing. Past this is a Learning Common computing area. These computers do not require login and can be used for word processing, and to access University websites, the library catalogue and databases.

Opposite these computers is comfortable booth seating. Now walk back towards the stairs leading to the floor below. Please pause here. On the far side of the stairs you will see the Murdoch Print Centre. The Print Centre offers a scanning, laminating, binding and colour copying service, and is open Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 5.00pm. The staff in the print centre can also help you with any of your photocopying needs.

Behind the blue wall adjacent to the Print Centre you will find toilets and a water fountain.

Now walk down the stairs. As you almost reach the bottom of the stairs you will see a hanging sign pointing to Computer Labs. You are now on Learning Common North Wing Level 2 – follow the sign and turn right around the stairwell.

On your left is a Learning Common Computing Lab – to use the computers in this lab you will need to login with your Murdoch Username and Password. You will then have access to the internet and email, to word processing, and to all University and Library resources.

Walk past the lab, the toilets and water fountain and through the door at the end of this corridor. To your immediate left is another Learning Common computing lab – this lab also requires login.

Directly in front of you are journals beginning with the J 500s and ending with the J 699s – on this floor you will find the journals for the sciences (including mathematics), business, management, accounting, and human resource management. Unlike books which can be borrowed, journals can only be used within the Library. Although you will see many shelves of printed journals and books in the Library, we also provide you with easy access to a vast electronic collection of journals, books and other materials, most of which can also be accessed off campus using your Murdoch Username and Password.

Now walk down the floor with the journals on your left, noting the artworks on your right as you go. On your right you will also pass two Learning Common Tutorial Rooms followed by two DVD and Video Viewing Rooms. These rooms are not book-able.

Continue walking past the journals until you reach the main area of computers on this floor – here too you will need to login. You will also see a PRINT Workstation in the middle of the floor. Walk past the journals and the circular seating area on your right until you reach the end of the journals. Here you will find the DVD and Video collection – 2 DVDs or videos can be borrowed on a 3 day loan or viewed in the Library.

Now turn and walk towards the windows. In front of you and on the left you will see an open DVD and Video viewing area – you will need to use headphones here – these can be borrowed from the Enquiry and Loans Desk on Learning Common North Wing Level 3.

Turn and walk along the window side. As you approach the glass door ahead, you will see an IT Service Counter – let’s pause here. This is one of two IT counters in the Learning Common. Come and see the staff here if you need to organise your University ID card, or if you need any other IT assistance, including help with Myinfo, your University Password, internet quota and printing.

Look to the right of the IT counter and you will see a lift, and a small photocopying area alongside the red wall. Remember that you will need credit on your University ID card to photocopy or print.

Now walk through the door ahead of you. On your immediate left is the entrance to the Sir Walters Coffee Shop and palm courtyard – another great spot for coffee and food. On your right is the other IT Service Counter - this Counter is part of the 24hour learning common, and will remain open and staffed 24hours.

After the Library has closed at night the door behind you will be locked restricting access to the area you have just walked through. The door to Sir Walters Café will also be locked.

Past the counter and to your right you will see more Fast Track Computers, another Autoloader, a coin change machine, and a small key pad for adding to your internet quota. You will also see comfortable booth seating in this area – you are welcome to bring bottled water here.

Walk along until you are back at the foot of the stairs leading up to the entrance level of the Library. Adjacent to the stairs is a large sliding door decorated with graphics – this will be used to close off the stairwell and restrict access to the Library after closing time. With the stairs behind you look forward to the computing area in front of you. Let’s pause here.

This area of the Learning Common along with the IT service counter now closest to you, and the computing lab and toilets behind the stairs will be accessible 24hrs. Access to the rest of the Library will be restricted after the library closes at night and on the weekends.

Before you walk down the ramp notice the glass doors on your right – these are the entry and exit points to this part of the 24hr learning common area – by ‘wanding’ your University ID card outside these doors you will gain entry into this area after the Library closes. If your University ID card was issued to you before February 2007, you will need to organise a new ID card if you want to access the 24hr learning common – to do this please see the staff at the IT Service Counters.

Now walk down the ramp in front of you – you are now on Learning Common Link Level 2. Turn to your immediate left and walk into the breakout area looking out to the lush greenery of Sir Walters Courtyard. Here you will find some snack vending machines and another plasma screen on the orange wall.

Walk back into Learning Common Link Level 2 – on you right is a photocopying machine. The computers in this area do require you to login – not that there is a PRINT Workstation here. In the far left-hand corner of this area there is a small discussion room and a very handy stationery vending machine.

You have now finished your tour of the Learning Common.

If you have any queries about anything you have heard on this tour, or would like to know more, please do not hesitate to ask staff at one of our Library service desks.