Frequently Asked Questions

• Access to Collections and Services
• Locating Materials
  • Locating Law Materials
• Circulation of Library Materials
• E-Journals
• Others

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Access to Collections and Services

• Can I access other UGC Libraries?
  
  • The following categories of users can apply for the Joint University Librarians Advisory Committee (JULAC) Library Cards to use the facilities of libraries of the other participating UGC institutions:
    • Full-time academic and equivalent administrative staff as well as research assistants
    • Postgraduate students of programmes leading to CityU awards*
    • UGC-funded undergraduate degree students*

    * Excluding outside HK or visiting students

  • With the exception of undergraduate degree students, borrowing privileges are provided.
• I am a graduate of the CityU, can I use the Library?
  

  Yes, the Library has provided a series of Alumni Library Services for you to choose. Please visit our Alumni Library Services web page for details.

• I am not affiliated with the CityU, can I come in to use the Library?
  

  As a university library our primary focus has always been on closely supporting the teaching and learning activities of the City University of Hong Kong. However, non-CityU members who meet the application requirements may consider applying for a “Friends of the Library” membership. For details, please refer to the Friends of the Library web page (http://www.cityu.edu.hk/lib/service/fol/)

• Who may use the CityU Library?
  
  • Students and staff of the CityU, Joint University Librarians Advisory Committee (JULAC) Card holders, Friends of the Library Card holders, spouses of full-time staff members as well as other persons approved by the Librarian for a specified period or purpose.
  • Alumni members who subscribe to Library Alumni Services, either as a Borrower or a Reader. Borrowers are able to charge books out while readers cannot.
  • For further details, please refer to the Library Regulations on Admission to the Library

Locating Materials

• Can I access the web-based Library-subscribed electronic resources off campus?
  

  Yes, all CityU staff and students can access most of the web-based Library-subscribed electronic resources off campus via Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Please consult the Library web page "Remote Access to Library Electronic Resources".

• How to find Library materials?
  

  Use CityU LibraryFind. For details about the use of CityU LibraryFind, please refer to the CityU LibraryFind Research Guide.

• How to find a journal that I need?
  
  • Do a keyword search in CityU LibraryFind using the Books & Media+ search scope. This search scope will exclude articles or chapters. Then refine your results by choosing Resource type – Journals. This will enable you to find all the journals in the library on your desired topics, including print journals and e-journals.
  • Most journals are now in electronic format and can be accessible directly from the journal records in CityU LibraryFind. To access the e-journals, sign-in using your EID and AD/LAN password.
  • All serials are classified by the Library of Congress (LC) Classification Scheme. In the Serials Collection Area, current unbound issues are shelved in the periodical racks. Bound volumes are housed in the Shatin Storage.
• How to find books on a topic?
  
  • Do a keyword search using CityU LibraryFind. Then refine your results by choosing Resource type – Books. This will enable you to find all the books in the library, including print books, e-books and book chapters.
  • Alternatively, you may use Advanced Search in CityU LibraryFind. Enter your keyword(s) and choose Resource Type – Books.
  • Most of the books are available for loan. A few collections contain items which may only be used in the Library. For their locations, please consult the Library Floor Plan. For locating a book on shelf, please refer to the Library Web page "How Library Materials are Shelved".
• How to find company information/annual reports?
  

  Please refer to the Research Guide "Company Information" for Library resources available both in print and electronic format, in addition to relevant websites that can help you find company information/annual reports.

• How to find journal or magazine articles on a particular topic?
  
  • Do a keyword search in CityU LibraryFind using the Books, Media & Articles+ or Articles+ search scope. Then refine your results by choosing Resource type – Articles. If you want to locate articles from scholarly or peer-reviewed journals, refine your results by Availability – Peer-reviewed Journals.
  • With CityU LibraryFind, you can find articles from most library-subscribed article databases. However, content of specialist databases, such as legal information from law databases, company and financial data from some business databases, are not included in this search platform. To find specialist content, use the Library databases.
• How to find materials in Chinese?
  

  Chinese materials are shelved together with other language materials in the Library Collection. Users may search Chinese materials in the CityU LibraryFind using any input method available at the PC. Handwriting systems are also available for use inside the Library.

• How to find newspaper articles?
  
  • Do a keyword search in CityU LibraryFind using the Books, Media & Articles+ or Articles+ search scope. Then refine your results by choosing Resource type – Newspaper Articles.
  • Back issues of some newspapers are also available in microform which can be requested via the CityU LibraryFind.
  • Many newspaper articles are now available online. For newspaper databases, refer to the "Databases by Type – News/Newspaper" page.
  • For more help on finding newspapers articles, please refer to the Research Guide "News and Newspapers".
• How to obtain materials which are not available in CityU Library?
  

  Interlibrary Loan Services (ILL)

  • Interlibrary Loan Services are provided to academic and equivalent administrative staff, research staff, postgraduate and final year degree students as well as executive officers of different departments for obtaining materials not held by the Library.
  • Eligible users are advised to use our online Interlibrary Loan System - ILLiad to submit their requests. To logon to ILLiad, you need to enter your EID and your AD password.
  • For users who need to submit printed forms, the Interlibrary Loan Request Form can be downloaded online or obtainable from the Circulation Counter. Completed request forms should be returned to the Interlibrary Loan Services Office via the Circulation Counter.
  • For more details, please refer to the web page on Frequently Asked Questions on Interlibrary Loan Services.

  Hong Kong Academic Library Link (HKALL) Service

  CityU staff and students of courses leading to CityU awarded degrees can access the library resources of all University Grant Committee (UGC) funded libraries via the HKALL service.

• How to request a book, a media resource, a bound volume journal or a journal article from the Shatin Storage?
  

  Book or media resource request:

  • When you find that the book or the media resource you are looking for is located in Shatin Storage, at the record display screen in CityU LibraryFind, click on "Request book/journal" in the Get It box (Sign-in is required).
  • An email notice will be sent to you when the book or the media resource is available for you to pick up at the Circulation Counter.

  Bound volume journal or journal article request:

  • When you find that the bound volume journal or article that you are looking for is located in Shatin Storage, at the record display screen in CityU LibraryFind, first sign in, select the appropriate volume from the Description menu under the Get It box, and then click on "Request book/journal" or "Request article" as appropriate. Alternatively, you may click on "Request a specific volume" or "Request a special article" next to REQUEST OPTIONS. Then fill out the requested information as appropriate on the form.
    • For bound volume request, the whole bound volume will be delivered to the Library for you to pick up.
    • For article request, you have to accept the Copyright Declaration stipulated on the form. Articles will usually be delivered online.
  • An email notice will be sent to you when the bound volume journal or the journal article is available.
• I have a citation of an article in hand, how do I find the full text of the article?
  
  • Search the article title in CityU LibraryFind using the Books, Media & Articles+ or Articles+ search scope. You will be able to find the title if the Library has the e-version of the article.
  • If you fail to find the article, try to see whether the journal/periodical containing the article you need is available in any format from our Library by searching the journal title in CityU LibraryFind (refer to “How to find a journal that I need” above). Then check whether the Library has the issue/volume you are looking for. For e-journals, check the holding information in the View It box of the journal records. For print journals, check the holding information in the Get It box of the journal records.
    • If it is available in print format, you may go to the Serials Collection Area and get the desired issue/volume of the periodical. If the desired issue/volume is located in the Shatin Storage, you may request the Library to make photocopy of the desired article.
    • If the desired issue/volume is available in electronic format, at the full record of the e-journal, click on the "online access" link to access the e-journal and then navigate down to the desired article.
  • In some cases, the periodical may be available in microform (microfilm or microfiche). Request these materials via CityU LibraryFind.
• What databases or e-journals are available?
  
  • Search in CityU LibraryFind or browse the databases by title, by subject or by type and the CityU LibraryFind journal list for e-journals available from the Library.
• What should I do if the book I am looking for is not on the shelf?
  

  You may check the following first:

  • Are you looking for a book in the wrong collection (e.g. looking for a course reserve book or a reference book in the Circulation Collection)? You may need to check the Available at of the book in CityU LibraryFind or view the Get It box in the full record for location information.
  • Is the title "Available"? Check its "STATUS" in the Get It box in CityU LibraryFind. If the item is "On loan until with a date" or “HKALL Loan. Off campus till with a date”, it means the title has been checked out by someone else. You may click on "Request book/journal" to request a checked-out item.
  • If the item is "At Bindery" or "Under Repair", it means that the item is not available for loan.
  • If the item is "On hold shelf", it means that the item has been requested by another user. The Library is holding it for the requester to pick up. The item is not available for loan to other patrons but you may click on "Request book/journal" to request the item.
  • If the item is being ordered or processed, it is not available for loan. Please allow some time for the ordering and/or cataloguing process(es).
  • Sometimes, items may be mis-shelved or being used by other users, especially the sought-after items. It is advisable that you look up the item at a later time or enquire at the appropriate service counter.
• Where can I find CityU past examination papers?
  

  CityU past examination papers from 1996/97 onwards are available in CityU LibraryFind.

• Where can I get lecturers' notes and other course materials?
  

  Teachers may put private copies of their books or their personal notes in the Library for student use. These are kept in the Closed Access Collection. To borrow the materials, please approach staff on duty at the Circulation Counter. You may also search for the course reserve materials in CityU LibraryFind by course name or by instructor's name.

• Where do I return Interlibrary Loans materials?
  

  All materials borrowed via Interlibrary Loan Services must be returned to the Circulation Counter. Please do not return any ILL items via the bookdrops.

Locating Law Materials

• Can I remove the pages from the Law Section's loose leaf binders for photocopying?
  

  No. You must bring the binders to the Law & Reference Help Desk and ask the staff to remove the pages for you.

• Can I use Lexis HK or Westlaw?
  

  The databases are for designated groups of users, as listed below.

  Database	Eligible user
  Lexis HK	CityU teaching staff CityU School of Law students CityU students who are taking law courses
  Westlaw	CityU School of Law staff CityU School of Law students

  Users who do not belong to those groups may want to consider the following legal resources:

  • Hong Kong e-Legislation (HKeL) - an electronic database of the legislation of Hong Kong by the Department of Justice, HKSAR
  • Judgments and Legal Reference – database with unreported judgments by the Judiciary Branch, HKSAR
  • HKLII - a free Internet facility providing the public with legal information relating to Hong Kong
  • HeinOnline – a database with a comprehensive collection of legal periodicals
• How are law periodicals shelved?
  

  Law periodicals are shelved in two separate places. Current issues are located on the right side when you walk into the Law Section while back issues are kept in the Law Section electronic compact shelves. In either place, the journals are shelved by alphabetical order of the title. So once you find a law periodical from the Online Library Catalogue, you just move to the respective location. It is not necessary to jot down the call number.

• How can I find the text of UK Act?
  

  Use the Halsbury's Statutes of England and Wales, refer to the Consolidated Index volume first. Full text of UK Acts are also available from the UK Office of Public Sector Information web site - Acts of the UK Parliament, Lexis HK and Westlaw Asia.

• How can I get journal articles on a certain legal subject?
  

  You may find the following databases useful. Law databases: Lexis HK, Westlaw Asia, Westlaw Next and HeinOnline. Non-law databases: Academic Search Premier, Cambridge Journals Online, Oxford Academic Journals, Social Sciences Citation Index, Scopus.

• How can I locate a UK case with its case name, for example, Hewitt v. Lewis [1986]?
  

  You can refer to the case citator or a case table, for example, The Digest: Consolidated Table of Cases, to find the citation of the case. Then use the abbreviation guides to identify the title of the law report. Next look up the law report title in the Library Catalogue and go to the respective location in the Law Section to use the law report if available. You can also take the case name to the databases, Lexis HK and Westlaw Asia, and search it there. When using the databases, first choose the appropriate field and enter the case name accordingly.

• How to find a Hong Kong Ordinance?
  

  To look up an Ordinance, you may use the print set of the Laws of Hong Kong, which is located in the Quick Reference Area of the Law Section. Start by using the Index Volume of the set. Alternatively, you can use the databases, Hong Kong e-Legislation (HKeL), Lexis HK or Westlaw Asia.

• How to find a Hong Kong case with its case name, for example, Chu Hon Wah v. Cho Herman [2004]?
  

  You may consult a case citator: Consolidated Index to All Reported Hong Kong Decisions or Hong Kong Case Citator. With the citation given, you then use an abbreviation list to look up the full title of the law report and then search it in the library catalogue. Next turn to the respective law report to read the case. Hong Kong law reports, case citators and abbreviation lists can be found in the Quick Reference Area of the Law Section (Stack B). The following databases also carry full text of Hong Kong judgments and cases: Judgments and Legal Reference, Lexis HK and Westlaw Asia.

• My lecturer gives me the abbreviation of a law report, e.g. WLR, and I have no idea what it means. How can I find out what the abbreviation stands for?
  

  You can refer to Index to Legal Citations and Abbreviations / Donald Raistrick, 1993 or other abbreviation guides to identify the name of the law report. The Index will tell you that WLR is the abbreviation for the Weekly Law Report. You may also find this online abbreviation list useful, Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations(URL: http://www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk/)

Circulation of Library Materials

• Can I check out audio-visual materials?
  

  CityU students may check out 5 items of media resources at any one time for 3 days. Academic/teaching/research staff and administrative staff may check out 10 items of media resources at any one time for 7 days. For other borrower categories and further details, please consult the Media Resources Collection - Services and Facilities page.

• Can I check out bound periodicals?
  

  Users with borrowing privileges can submit online requests for bound journals that are housed at the Shatin Storage via CityU LibraryFind and check them out for 3 days. Some bound journals, however, are for in-house use only.

• Can I check out reference materials?
  

  No, they are for use in the Library only.

• Can I renew book loans without coming to the Library?
  

  Items of circulation nature, including books borrowed via HKALL but excluding short loan and media items, may be renewed online via CityU LibraryFind.

  Please consult the section Borrowing of Library Materials – Renewals for details.

• Can I return books borrowed from other UGC libraries to CityU Library?
  

  Books borrowed from other UGC libraries on CityU-issued JULAC Cards may be returned to the lending libraries via the Circulation Counter of CityU Library on condition that they are not overdue. Users are required to fill out a UGC Book Return form for each returned book. Please do not return books of other UGC Libraries via the bookdrops.

• How many books and media resources can I check out at one time?
  

  Please consult the section "Borrowing Regulations - Loan Quotas and Loan Periods" in the Library Regulations and the Media Resources Collection - Services and Facilities page for details.

• What are the rates of overdue fines?
  

  Please consult the section "Borrowing Regulations - Fines" in the Library Regulations for details.

• What can I do if the book I need has been checked out by someone else?
  

  Any CityU circulation book which is on loan may be requested online via CityU LibraryFind. However, you cannot request a book that is currently checked out by you. To request a checked out item, please follow the steps below:

  1. In the CityU LibraryFind, look up the full record of the book concerned, then click on the "Sign in" button.
  2. Enter Electronic ID and AD/LAN Password, and then click on the "Login" button.
     (If you have forgotten your AD/LAN Password, please reset your AD/LAN Password online. If you continue to have difficulties, please contact the Circulation Counter in person for help.)
  3. In CityU LibraryFind, click on the link "Request book/journal" corresponding to the book concerned. Press the Request button to confirm.

  You will receive a pickup note by email when the book is ready for collection at the Circulation Counter.

• What happens if my books/media resources are overdue or if I lose a book/media resource?
  

  An overdue notice will be sent to you 1 day and 3 days after the due date for short loans (the loan period is 7 days or less) and normal loans (the loan period is 15 days or more) respectively. There will be a three-day grace period for all overdue normal loans and two-day grace period for 7-day media resources loans. If a book/media resource is returned within the grace period after the due date, the overdue fines will not be charged. However, if the book/media resource is returned after the grace period, overdue fines calculated retroactively to the original due date will be charged. Library materials are CityU properties for which the borrowers should assume responsibility when they are on loan. If checked out Library materials are lost or damaged, the borrower will be charged the cost of replacement plus a processing cost.

E-Journals

• Are all journals subscribed by the Library available electronically?
  
  • Not all journals are available electronically. Please check in CityU LibraryFind or directly in the Journal Search.
  • Not all issues of a journal are available in electronic format. Some e-journals include only recent issues or volumes. Availability is controlled by the publishers and also depends on our subscription. We can only get access to those issues that the Library's subscription covers.
• Are e-journals exactly the same as their print counterparts?
  
  • Yes and no. It depends on the format of the full-text articles.
  • Some publishers offer full text in the form of page images (e.g. in PDF format). In this case, articles will appear exactly the same as those in print journals.
  • Some publishers offer text only, either in plain text or HTML format while some offer text as well as embedded graphs, charts and photos. In these cases, the typo arrangement may not be the same as the print counterpart.
• Are there any journals available in electronic form only?
  

  Yes, here are two examples.

  • Conformal Geometry and Dynamics
  • PhysChemComm
• Can I access e-journals off campus?
  

  Current CityU staff and students can access most of the subscribed e-journals off campus. Please refer to the Library web page "Remote Access to Library Electronic Resources".

• How do I know whether a journal is available electronically?
  

  Search for the journal title in CityU LibraryFind or browse/search directly in the Journal Search.

• What to do if additional software is required to view the full text?
  

  When the format of the full text is in a format other than plain text or HTML, such as PDF or PostScripts, you need to download the appropriate software from the Web to view the full text. Usually the software can be downloaded freely from the Internet. Some popular plug-in software such as Acrobat Reader has been installed on the CityU network.

• Why is registration required for some journals but not the others?
  

  It depends on the means of access control used by the publishers. When access is controlled by personal username and password, registration is required. Also, some publishers require users to register so that they may provide personalized services to individual users such as personal journal list, saved searches, email alerting service, etc.

Others

• Can I use mobile phone/pager inside the Library?
  

  In order to provide a quiet environment for all users, please be advised to turn off your mobile phone/pager or switch it to vibrate/silent mode when entering the Library. In view of the great disturbance that mobile phones/pagers have caused to our users, the Library has decided to adopt a scale of penalties for the use of mobile phones/pagers in the Library with effect from 22 March 1999.

• How do I get to the Library if I am on wheel chair?
  

  The Library is located on the 3^rd floor of the Yeung Kin Man Academic Building. You may get there by taking Lift no. 6 or 7.

• What are the current Library opening hours?
  
  • Information on Library opening hours can be found on the Library Web site.
  • Library opening hours are also posted near the entrance of the Library.