Alumni Medical Library: Frequently Asked Questions

	Library	LRC
Monday - Thursday	7:30 am - Midnight	8:30 am - 11:00 pm
Friday	7:30 am - 10:00 pm	8:30 am - 9:30 pm
Saturday	10:00 am - 10:00 pm	10:30 am - 9:30 pm
Sunday	10:00 am - Midnight	10:30 am - 11:00 pm

Library & Learning Resource Center (LRC) Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend Hours November 25-29th

	Library	LRC
Wednesday, November 25	7:30 am - 6:00pm	8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Thursday, November 26	Closed	Closed
Friday, November 27	McNary R-107 only 10:00 am - 4:00 pm	Closed
Saturday, November 28	McNary R-107 only 10:00 am - 6:00 pm	Closed
Sunday, November 29	2:00 am - 10:00pm	2:30 am - 9:30pm

*Special and holiday hours are posted at the library entrance and on the Library's News Page.

Where is the library located?

Directions

The Alumni Medical Library is located at 72 East Concord Street on the Boston University Medical Campus. For information on how to get to the Library, please refer to the maps below or contact The Reference Desk at (617) 638-4228 or refquest@bu.edu.

View Larger Map

Can I use the Medical Library if I'm not part of Boston University or the Boston Medical Center?

Individuals who are part of the Boston Library Consortium (BLC) are eligible to use the Medical Library's in-house collections or check out books if they present a valid Boston Library Consortium card and photo I.D. BLC members must obtain a BLC card at their home library. Contact a Reference Librarian at refquest@bu.edu or (617) 638-4228 for detailed information on eligibility for BLC services.

What forms of payment does the library accept?

Payment options include:

Print/Copy Cards
personal checks (must include a current address and telephone number)
Boston University requisition orders
BMC Harrison Ave. campus or East Newton St. campus departmental account numbers accompanied by a purchase order, or grant numbers accompanied by a purchase order
no credit cards are accepted

How do I get a PIN number for renewing materials on Library Catalog?

PIN numbers are used for the self-renewal of books on the Library Catalog. To get a PIN number, come to the Medical Library Circulation Desk. Be sure to bring your valid BU or BMC I.D. card.

What kinds of workshops or training sessions are offered by the library?

The Library offers a variety of training sessions on Library Resources each semester. To set up a workshop or a one-on-one training session contact The Reference Desk at (617) 638-4228 or refquest@medlib.bu.edu.

Use this link to view the Alumni Medical Library's Tutorials.

Boston University Office of Information Technology also offers several tutorials relating to their computing services.

I'm looking for information on a specific topic. Where do I begin?

There are many resources which could provide useful information on any topic. But we usually recommend that you start with two basic sources -- books or journal literature. To find books on your topic, do a subject search in the Library Catalog to identify books which are located at BU libraries. To locate journal literature, MEDLINE is usually the first database of biomedical journal literature that we recommend using.

Talk with a Reference Librarian at refquest@bu.edu or (617) 638-4228 before beginning your research. He or she will recommend resources and provide guidance and assistance in using these resources effectively.

How do I check if BU owns a specific book?

Use the Library Catalog, to determine whether a specific book is owned by the Alumni Medical Library. In the Library Catalog, search for the book's title, author, or subject. The bibliographic record will indicate which BU library owns the book, and whether it is checked out or available on the shelves. Look for "Medical" on the book record to identify books that are owned by the Alumni Medical Library.

Will the Library purchase a particular book or journal?

Make a book or journal purchase recommendation at http://medlib.bu.edu/forms/bookjournalrequest.cfm.

BUMC students, faculty and staff are invited to submit book and journal purchase requests. Book and journal subscription purchases are made based on several criteria including: an evaluation of the requested material's subject scope, indexing, and cost; library collection development policies; Interlibrary Loan data; analysis of the overall collection; and the availability of funds. Book requests are reviewed on a weekly basis and may be submitted at any time. Journal requests are reviewed annually and should be submitted prior to July 1 to be considered for the next calendar year subscription. For additional information about purchase requests, please contact a reference librarian at refquest@bu.edu or (617) 638-4228.

I can't find the book/journal that I need. According to the Library Catalog, the item isn't checked out and should be on the shelves. What can I do?

If you can't find an item on the shelves, come to the Circulation Desk and let us know. We can check to be sure the item isn't misshelved, at the bindery, etc. Also be sure to fill-out a purple "Missing Item Slip" so that we can search for the missing material, update the Library Catalog record, and replace the missing item if necessary. When you fill-out a "Missing Item Slip" library staff begin searching for the material. If it isn't found within one week, we'll do a free interlibrary loan for you.

Use this link for information on other Library Catalogs that can be used to locate books.

What can I do if the book I want is already checked out to another patron?

Contact the Circulation Desk at (617) 638-4244 and ask to have the book placed on "hold". When it is returned, library staff will contact you, and you can then check out the book.

The book that I have checked out is due back soon. Is there any way I can keep it longer? How can I renew a book?

You may renew a book for an additional 28 days as long as another patron has not put a "hold" on the item. (Each book can be renewed one time.)

To renew a book:

Books can be renewed online at http://medlib.bu.edu/bookrenewal.cfm.

Or, if you have a BU Pin number, you can renew books through the Library Catalog:

Go to the Library Catalog Library Catalog at http://library.bu.edu
Click on the My Account link, located in the upper right corner of the page.
Enter your name, University ID and Pin number, then click on "display record for person named above" to renew an item.

Books can also be renewed in-person at the Alumni Medical Library, or by telephone by contacting the Circulation Desk at (617) 638-4244.

What fines do you charge for overdue books? What about blocked records?

If a patron fails to return a checked-out item 7 days past its due date, he or she will receive a late notice requesting that the item be returned immediately. If the book is not returned 14 days after the first notice is sent, a second late notice is mailed.

If the item is still not returned within an additional 20 days, a final late notice is sent, and the patron may be blocked from checking-out materials from all Boston University libraries.

Blocked records cannot be re-instated until the overdue item is returned. If a patron does not return the item 10 days after the final notice has been sent, he or she will be billed $100 or the replacement value of the item if higher. (Students' university accounts are automatically billed for $100 or the replacement fee. Faculty and staff receive billing invoices directly from the library.)

Patrons who return items after receiving a billing notice are not required to pay the full $100 or higher bill. If the item is returned in good condition, the patron is required to pay a $20/per book billing fee.

When a patron returns the item, his or her library records are immediately unblocked as long as all fines have been paid in full.

For more information about fines, overdue books, or blocked records, contact the Circulation Desk at (617) 638-4244.

What are my options for getting a book that isn't owned by the Medical Library?
There are several options for obtaining books not owned by the Alumni Medical Library:

If you want to go to another Boston University library and check-out the book yourself, you can use BU's Library Catalog to determine if the book is owned by another BU library. You can also use the Boston Library Consortium (BLC) individual member library catalogs to determine whether the book is owned by any of the BLC libraries.
Another option is to order the book via interlibrary loan. Submit your ILL request at the Circulation Desk or over the Web at http://medlib.bu.edu/forms/illrequest.cfm.

You can also check WorldCat to find a library where your book may be held.
I am looking for a specific journal; how do I know if BU owns this title?

Use the Library Catalog to determine whether any of the BU libraries owns a particular journal title. In the Library Catalog, do a "title" search for the name of the journal. Be sure to verify that library holdings include the volume and year for which you are looking.

Do you have a listing of all of your journals?

Because our journal holdings records are updated daily, we do not produce a printed list of journal titles. Instead, all of our journal holdings are included in the Library Catalog. Use the Library Catalog to do a "title" search for the name of the journal for which you are looking.

If you need to find a listing of journals by subject, you can also use the Library Catalog. For example, if you want to know what journal titles we subscribe to on dermatology, you can do a "subject" search for dermatology in the Library Catalog. Then use "Limit/Sort Search" to select for "serials" to see a list of journal titles.

You can also check our database of over 3,500 electronic journals.

How & where are your journals shelved?

The Medical library's journal collection is shelved in a strict alphabetic range. For example, American Journal of Medical Genetics is shelved with the "A" journals.

Current, unbound journals are all shelved alphabetically on the 12th floor of the library.

Bound journals: Academic Medicine – ARN Journal are shelved on the 12th floor of the library; Arteriosclerosis – Journal of Medicinal Chemistry are shelved on the 11th floor; Journal of Medicine – Zoonosis are shelved on the 13th floor.

The Library Catalog indicates which journal years and volumes are current or bound, as well as which volumes are owned by particular BU libraries. It indicates when a new issue is due to arrive and when an issue is at the bindery or missing.

How can I tell if a journal is unbound or bound?

The binding schedule varies from title to title. To determine whether a particular journal volume is bound or unbound, do a "title" search for the journal title in the Library Catalog. The screen display indicates whether a particular year/volume is bound or unbound. Click on the Latest Received link to check when a new volume is due to arrive, whether a volume is missing, at the bindery, etc.

Can I take a journal out of the library?

Journals do not normally circulate outside of the Library. Special permission to borrow a journal volume may be granted, however, if the journal volume is needed for slides or photographic reproduction. Contact Konstantin Starikov ((617) 638-4239 or kstar@bu.edu), or Rhonda Thomas-Iglesias ((617) 638-4244 or rhondat@bu.edu) for information.

What are my options for getting a journal that isn't owned by the Medical Library?

There are several options for obtaining journals not owned by the Alumni Medical Library:

The first option is to go to WorldCat and do a "title" search for your journal. WorldCat will tell you if any local libraries own the journal. If it is held within the BLC, you can go to that library and use the journal volume.
The second option is to order the journal article via interlibrary loan. Submit your ILL request at the Circulation Desk or over the Web at http://medlib.bu.edu/forms/illrequest.cfm.
Please Note: Most libraries do not loan complete journal volumes. Only photocopies of individual articles are available through interlibrary loan.

What is the Loansome Doc document delivery service? Who is eligible to use it?

Loansome Doc was developed by the National Library of Medicine and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) as a document ordering service. PubMed users can order journal articles from local or regional libraries via the Loansome Doc program.

The Alumni Medical Library offers Loansome Doc service to individuals not affiliated with the Boston University Medical Center. Service is provided Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

The fee for Loansome Doc service is $15 per article. A rush fax service is available for an additional $12 per article.

An account, requiring a deposit of $300, must be established with the Alumni Medical Library. When the account falls below $50, you will be notified that a deposit is required to replenish the account. There will be no billing for articles.

For more information on Loansome Doc, contact Joseph Harzbecker at (617) 638-4205 or harzbeck@bu.edu. Or, go to the publication Using Loansome Doc for a detailed overview of the program.

What is interlibrary loan and how does it work?

The Medical Library has cooperative sharing agreements with thousands of libraries around the country. Interlibrary loan, or ILL, is a process by which libraries lend materials to each other. When you need a book or journal article, you request an ILL, and our Interlibrary loan staff make arrangements to have the materials sent here from any one of thousands of libraries. We first attempt to find a library in the Boston area with which we share materials regularly. If the item isn't owned locally, we'll then attempt to find it within New England, Northeastern U.S., and so on.

ILL requests can be submitted at the Circulation Desk, by fax at (617) 638-4233 or on the Web at http://medlib.bu.edu/forms/illrequest.cfm. Because ILL's are usually sent via U.S. postal mail, it usually takes 5 - 10 working days for an item to arrive here. Interlibrary loans cost $6 per item ordered.

For emergency or rush requests, a faxing service is available for $16. Rush faxes usually arrive within 24-48 hours. Please Note: Because rush requests are sent via fax, the reproduction quality may be somewhat compromised.

Who is eligible to use the library's interlibrary loan service?

The Alumni Medical Library will obtain interlibrary loans for faculty, staff, and students of the Boston University Schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Public Health, and the Boston Medical Center only.

If you are faculty, staff, or student of any of the schools on the BU Charles River campus, request your interlibrary loans through the Mugar Library.

If you are not affiliated with Boston University or any other university or institution, your local public library may have an interlibrary loan service available to you.

I ordered a book/journal via interlibrary loan. Can I have the item sent directly to me instead of having to pick it up at the library?

Most libraries do not do third party lending. In other words, libraries will loan materials to other libraries, but not directly to their patrons.

When you request a book via interlibrary loan, the book is actually loaned to the Medical Library, and we in-turn lend it to you. Therefore, you must come to the Medical Library to pick up the book.

If you request a journal article through interlibrary loan, the article is also mailed to the Medical Library on your behalf. If you are paying with your Copy Card or Check, you'll need to come to the library to pick-up and pay for the article. If you're paying with an account or grant number, you can give us your address and we'll mail the article to you when it arrives. Articles can also be faxed or e-mailed to you if you are providing a billing account number.

For more information, contact Joseph Harzbecker at (617) 638-4205 or harzbeck@bu.edu.

What is the price for making photocopies?

Six photocopy machines are available in the BUMC Library (two each on the 11th, 12th and 13th floors) for patron use during all regular library hours. Print/Copy cards can be used in the photocopy machines. Photocopy machines do not accept cash.

The self-serve Card Dispenser is located next to the Circulation Desk. Initially, a copy card costs $1, which includes the cost of the card plus 5 pages. Thereafter, the cards can be encoded with additional amounts at $.12 per copy. The Card Dispenser accepts bills only and does not give change. Receipts are issued for card purchases.

Where can I get my free Print/Copy Card?

BUSM, BUGMS, BUSDM and BUSPH students are eligible to receive 100 free pages (equivalent of 200 images if you use double-sided printing) during EACH of the following two time periods:

January 1 – June 30, and
July 1 – December 31.

The 100 free pages can be picked up on any date during each of the two periods. Students must show a valid Boston University ID in order to receive their copies/prints. Copies/prints may be picked up at the Library Circulation Desk, Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm.

Print/Copy cards purchased and encoded in the Alumni Medical Library cannot be used in any other BU library. Copy cards purchased at other libraries cannot be used at the Alumni Medical Library.

We can not replace lost cards. Make sure to write your email address on the back of your card.

Free Medical Library Print/Copy Card Distribution to BMC Residents
BMC Residents are eligible to receive a free Print/Copy card through the BMC CIR office. To request your card, contact the CIR Office at 617-414-5301.

Does the Library offer a Photocopy Service?

A photocopy service is also available at the BUMC Library. Library staff will photocopy journal articles located in the library's collection for BUMC students, faculty and staff, at $6 per article. Copies are usually ready within 2 - 5 days. Payment options include personal checks or value deducted from Print/Copy card at the Circulation Desk. No credit cards are accepted. Boston University students, faculty and staff who wish to bill photocopies to their departments must present a departmental requisition order. Boston Medical Center students, faculty and staff who wish to bill photocopies to their departments must provide a purchase order and departmental billing number.

Rush requests for in-house journal articles and book chapters cost an additional $10.00 per item and take 24 - 48 hours to fill.

Photocopy request forms are available at the Circulation Desk or on the Web at http://medlib.bu.edu/forms/illrequest.cfm. One photocopy request form must be submitted with each item requested.

All photocopy requests must conform to the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, US Code.)

I can't get into the ACP Medicine or STAT!-Ref electronic textbook collections. What is the problem?

If you are locked-out of STAT!-Ref or ACP Medicine , there are two possible reasons. First, you could be locked out simply because the programs have reach maximum capacity of simultaneous users. ACP Medicine is limited to 9 simultaneous users, while STAT!-Ref is restricted to 15 simultaneous users. If you are attempting to login to either electronic textbook during times of heaviest usage, you may have to wait and try again in a few minutes.

The second reason you could be locked out of AccessMedicine or STAT!-Ref is because the systems may not recognize your computer as being a valid part of the Boston University Medical Center network. Because of licensing agreements with the software producers, access to these electronic textbooks is restricted to the following IP addresses (an Internet Protocol address identifies your machine's location on the Internet):

Boston University Medical Campus and Charles River Campus IP addresses
Boston Medical Center IP addresses
Any BUMC or BMC user's IP recognized by BU's EZ Proxy server. You must have a valid BU login name and Kerberos password to access the Library's electronic resources.

Faculty, staff and students of the Boston University Medical Center can use ACP Medicine or STAT!-Ref via the Web from computers located anywhere on the Boston University Medical Center campus or from home and other remote locations by connecting to resources using your BU username and Kerberos Password.

What are the LRC hours?
Library & Learning Resource Center (LRC) Hours

Library & Learning Resource Center (LRC) Fall/Spring Hours

	Library	LRC
Monday - Thursday	7:30 am - Midnight	8:30 am - 11:00 pm
Friday	7:30 am - 10:00 pm	8:30 am - 9:30 pm
Saturday	10:00 am - 10:00 pm	10:30 am - 9:30 pm
Sunday	10:00 am - Midnight	10:30 am - 11:00 pm

Library & Learning Resource Center (LRC) Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend Hours November 25-29th

	Library	LRC
Wednesday, November 25	7:30 am - 6:00pm	8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Thursday, November 26	Closed	Closed
Friday, November 27	McNary R-107 only 10:00 am - 4:00 pm	Closed
Saturday, November 28	McNary R-107 only 10:00 am - 6:00 pm	Closed
Sunday, November 29	2:00 am - 10:00pm	2:30 am - 9:30pm

*Special and holiday hours are posted at the library entrance and on the Library's News Page.

Does the Library have wireless networking and/or Internet connections or Ethernet ports for laptop computing?

The library has six Ethernet ports/Internet connections for laptop computing. The Ethernet ports are located in the Reference area, in study carrels. Wireless network is also available in the Library.

Do you offer general computing classes?

The Medical Library does not offer general computing classes (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.). The Office of Information Technology on the Charles River campus offers general applications training at the beginning of each semester. Click here for IT's training schedule.

Another option is to use one of the audio or CD-ROM self-paced computer tutorials which are available at the Personal Computing Support Center (PCSC), 100 Cummington Street on the Charles River Campus.

Online training for Microsoft Office (Access, Excel, Powerpoint & Word), graphic design and web publishing software is available through Element K.

Who is eligible for ACS accounts?

Faculty, staff and students of the Boston University Schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine and Public Health are eligible to apply for ACS accounts. Click here for more information about ACS or to apply for an account.

Faculty and staff of the Boston Medical Center Harrison Avenue and East Newton Street campuses are usually eligible for a BU Username and Kerberos password. BMC faculty and staff can use their BU login and Kerberos passwords to access Library resources such as electronic textbooks and journals, or bibliographic databases. Click here for detailed instructions for BMC faculty and staff who want to apply for BU username and Kerberos passwords.

If you are unsure of your eligibility for an ACS account or Kerberos password, contact one of the following individuals:

Ron Tate at (617) 638-4576 or rtate@bu.edu
Lenny Parker at (617) 638-4279 or parkerl@bu.edu
Selim Hascelik at (617) 638-6696 or hascelik@bu.edu

How do I register for an ACS account?

Apply for an ACS e-mail account directly over the Web at http://www.bu.edu/computing/accounts/.

Following the prompts on the screen, enter your last name and Boston University identification number or BMC identification number. The system will prompt you to choose a login name and a Kerberos password -- be sure to read the instructions very carefully.

After you've completed this step, BU students, faculty and staff must come to the LRC computing lab (11th floor of the library) to sign the ACS Account Application form. Submit the ACS application form to any staff person in the LRC computer lab. The application is only required when no one is available to approve your account at the time you arrive. You must also show your valid BU identification card to LRC staff person.

To check whether your account has been activated, attempt to login with your login name & password after 6:30 PM on the day that you present your ID at the LRC. If you are initially unsuccessful, try again in a few days. Please note that you will not be informed when your ACS account is activated -- you must check yourself by attempting to login to the system.

For more information on your ACS email account, please visit: http://www.bu.edu/pcsc/email

Can I access my ACS e-mail from off-campus?

ACS e-mail can be accessed via the Web using Horde:

Web Access to Horde:
http://www.bu.edu/webmail/

For more information on using your email account from off-campus visit: http://www.bu.edu/pcsc/email/remote/

Configuring e-mail on my computer: How can I set up client e-mail software on my computer to retrieve e-mail from the ACS server?

Go to this site: http://www.bu.edu/pcsc/email/configure/ for details on configuring your computers to receive e-mail from your BU account. Scroll down to "Configuring Your E-mail Program" for details about configuring for Netscape, Outlook Express, Outlook, Entourage, or others.

Can I forward all of my e-mail messages to another e-mail account?

Use the instructions at http://www.bu.edu:80/htbin/acsmail.pl/forward to forward your BU e-mail to another e-mail system.

Since BMC employees are not eligible for ACS e-mail accounts, what are our e-mail options?
Boston University offers ACS e-mail accounts to faculty, staff and students of Boston University only. Boston Medical Center affiliates are not usually eligible for ACS accounts. However, if your position requires you to directly interface with BU or access BU resources, you may be eligible. Please contact Ron Tate at rtate@bu.edu for more information.

You can subscribe to BMC Netscape e-mail, which is sponsored by the BMC Information Services Department.To register for a BMC Netscape e-mail account, contact the Information Services help desk at 617-638-7953 or 617-414-7953.

To use your BMC Netscape e-mail account, go to the following URL: http://mail.bmc.org
I'll be away from my e-mail for a while. How can I set up an automatic reply so that people who send me messages will know that I'm away?

Go to http://www.bu.edu/pcsc/email/ for detailed instructions on setting up "vacation" responses.

After you have returned from vacation, be sure to turn-off the automatic message:
http://www.bu.edu/pcsc/email/

What resources are available through mobile or PDA access?

When you visit the Alumni Medical Library website with a PDA, you will be directed to the BUMC Mobile Library. The mobile website provides access to the Library's electronic collections through a simplified non-graphical interface.

Browse subject guides to electronic resources
Search e-journal, e-book and database collections
Find information on Library departments & staff
Search select content from the Library website

Find free clinical software for your handheld.

For questions or feedback contact Ron Tate at (617) 638-4576 or rtate@bu.edu.

Have a question that isn't answered here?

Contact a Reference Librarian at (617) 638-4228 or refquest@bu.edu for additional information. You can also contact the Circulation Desk at (617) 638-4244, or the Library's Administrative Office at (617) 638-4230 for additional information about library facts and services.