FAQs about using the library
Q. How many books can I borrow from the library with my library membership card?
A. Hawthorn students can borrow up to 10 books using their student cards.
Q. Which libraries can I use at the University of Melbourne?
A. You can use any of the library branches at the University of Melbourne, for more information see the University Library branches page. There are 12 branches at the University of Melbounrne, which cater to different discipline areas.
Q. How long can I borrow books?
A. Hawthorn students can borrow a book for 28 days. Books need to be returned on the due date or renewed before the due date.
Once the book has been renewed you can keep it for another 28 days. Unless the book is recalled by the library.
Q. Can I renew a book if I need it for longer than the due date allows?
A. Yes, by renewing your books you get to use them for another 28 days and avoid any fines. For more about renewing books see here*.
Q. What happens if I don’t return my book by the due date?
A. When you do not return a book on time, you will receive a library fine. For more information see the fines and suspensions page.
Q. Who can I ask for help about my library account?
A. If you need help with borrowing books or have a question about using the library, you can speak with a staff member at one of our Information Desks or contact us through the online chat service at 'Ask a librarian' on the library home page.
Test your library knowledge and take the library quiz!
FAQs about using computers
Q. I have an essay to write and I need to cite some journal articles, can I use a database at the library?
A. Yes, you can use the Discovery database at the library.
Use a guest computer to search the Discovery database to find electronic journal articles on your topic. Type your keywords in the Discovery search box and click on the search button to see your results.
You must be in the library and use Discovery on the guest computers to access online articles.
Q. When using Discovery, can I access full text journal articles?
A. Yes, but only if the records returned from a Discovery search have the PDF attached.
You will not be able to access articles if the 'Source it' at Melbourne link is present, as this requires a University of Melbourne user-name and password.
Q. Which computers I can use while I’m at the library?
A. Every library branch at the University has public access computers that allow use by non-students or staff members of The University of Melbourne.
These computers will allow you to search the Library catalogue and enable you to access some ejournal articles on the Discovery database.
Note: There is no internet access on these computers other than for accessing the library homepage and catalogue.
FAQs about searching for books
Q. I need to do some research for my essay topic, do you have resources that will help me with finding information and getting started?
A. Yes, the library has a range of 'How to' guides that can help you with everything from finding journal articles to writing a literature review. Explore our Subject Research guides to support your research.
Q. How do I find out if a book I need is available at the library?
A. To search for a book use the library catalogue from the library website. You have many search options when using the catalogue but the main methods for finding a book are Title, Author or Keyword.
When you find a record that looks useful in the results list, click on the title to view the record. The record will provide the location, call number and status for the book you need.
Have a look under the Using the catalogue tab in this guide for more help with combining keywords to create a search statement .
Q. I’ve searched for a book using the catalogue and it shows that it's available, now what do I do?
A.The call number lets you know where you can find the book on the shelf.
Write down the numbers and letters assigned to the book. Once you have located the book on the shelf, you can collect it and take it to a self-checkout machine to borrow the book.
A librarian can help you if you're unsure about how to use the self-checkout machine.