Section outline

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    Introduction

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    Working at the library: basic information

    The purpose of this course is to train part-time students assigned to the Architecture library in certain aspects of the work carried out by library staff, so that they can perform at their best the 150 hours of collaboration required of them.

    Some of this knowledge will also be useful to employ the research tools and services provided by the libraries of the University of Florence, and, in a broader perspective, the academic libraries that you will frequent elsewhere for study purposes more consciously and effectively.

    Working with library staff will also allow you to interact with other students from a different perspective, namely that of someone who has to respond to the needs of users.

    Finally, you should engage in this experience to broaden your knowledge of the workforce, if only to learn a different way of organizing your time according to the rhythms imposed by your studies and to deal with the opportunities and problems of working with other colleagues (both librarians and other part-time students).

    You will also be able to apply the skills you have acquired during your studies to the production of flyers and signage, thereby contributing significantly to the work of the staff.

    By the end of this course, you will have learned:

    • How to orient yourselves among the book shelves and main resources of the Architecture library (both in print and electronic formats), knowing their use and organization in the physical spaces of the library.
    • The workflow of the main activities dedicated to part-time students
    • How to show users the main search features in OneSearch, that allows access to online resources, the availability of print resources and the use of a personal account for managing renewals and requests.
    • How to promote University Library System services,  from assistance to bibliographic research, to purchase proposals and from interlibrary loan to articles digitization.
     

    In this course, you will learn some basic concepts for working in a library:

    1. The organization and administrative management of the collaboration;
    2. Useful information to understand the organization of the library and its activities;
    3. The use of OneSearch and other users' services.

    You will need to read all the material and watch all the videos. Only after completing all the required activities will you be able to take the final test and provide feedback as part of the end-of-course activities.

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    Working at the library: activities

    The Architecture Library has a very complex organization. In order to provide good service, it is necessary to have in-depth knowledge of the services available to users, the organization of the material, and the procedures you have to follow to provide services.

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      What will you do in the library?

      1. Reorganization of reading rooms and book storage areas.
      2. InHouse registration.
      3. Distribution of bibliographic material located in storage areas.
      4. Checking the collection order with RFiD system.
      5. Assisting users in searching for bibliographic material in the reading rooms
      6. Assisting users in employ OneSearch and providing guidance on the correct use of Library services.
      7. Instructions for the self-checkout service.
      8. Instructions for the correct use of the BiblioScan service.
      9. Assistance to library staff in the moving the collection in the reading rooms and storage areas. 
      10. Printing labels and TAG RFiD initialization.
      11. Supporting staff in improving the signage and the services offered.
      12. Supporting the digitazation and the interlibrary loan service
      13. Supporting staff in the care for archivial material
    • Brief introduction to the Architecture Library and its services File
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    • Practical Instructions for Inhouse registration File
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    • Practical instructions for activities File
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    • Practical instructions for labeling books File
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    • Practical instructions for labeling magazines File
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    • Practical instructions for RFiD checking File
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    Working at the library: physical organization of the collection

    The Architecture Library is divided into several sections, some of which are open shelves and freely accessible to users, while others are not directly accessible.

    In order to give users accurate information, it is necessary to be familiar with all areas of the library:

    1. Loan rooms: books arranged on shelves according to the Dewey Decimal Classification and an alphabetical code, and organized by color. There are also three thematic towers that highlight a portion of the collection: 391 Fashion; 722-723 Ancient Architecture, 720.9456-720.9457 Architecture in Africa and America. Please pay attention and return the books from these sections to their thematic towers and not to the shelves.
    2. Reference room: books not available for loan. These are general reference works for architecture, organized according to the Dewey Decimal Classification and alphabetical code, color-coded, and with a green REF label. There is a thematic tower containing the architectural drawings section, 720.222.
    3. Course room: books excluded from loan. These are the books listed in the course bibliographies; organized according to the Dewey Classification and alphabetical code, organized by color, with a red C label.
    4. Periodicals:  not available for loan. Italian and foreign magazines are arranged on the shelves in alphabetical order by title; the available issues are the ones from the last 10 years (with the exception of Casabella, Domus, Interni, and others, which are available on the shelves for more than the last 10 years). Issues from before the last 10 years can be found in the Pozzo; issues from the current year that have not yet been bound are located in the library offices.
    5. Pozzo librario:  books, periodicals, and theses, to be requested online and distributed daily. The material is located in different places, both with Dewey Classification and with locations that use other schemes; some are located in the basement, some in Vault 36 on the ground floor (Dewey classes 721-799).
    6. Rare books and Archives Room: antique and rare materials, archival materials, book collections linked to the archives, distributed daily. The material is located on the first floor.
    7. External storage: book materials from former departments (TAED, Construction, Restoration), distributed once a week on Wednesdays.
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    Working at the library: Dewey Decimal Classification (CDD o DDC)

    In order to place books on open shelves in the reading rooms and partly also in the storage areas, the library uses the Dewey classification system, which originated in the United States and is now used worldwide. Watch the two videos to understand what it is.

     

     



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    Working at the library: bibliographic research

    Through OneSearch (https://www.sba.unifi.it/), users can find information on the materials held by the University libraries.
    Not only that, but OneSearch also allows users to search directly in the libraries of the Universities of Siena and Pisa and the Scuola Superiore S. Anna (and other affiliated institutions), which are members of the SBART consortium (Sistema Bibliotecario degli Atenei Toscani, or Tuscan University Library System). UniFi users can not only request loans and scans through UniFi libraries, but also have direct access to SBART library services.

    From OneSearch, users can find not only books and paper journals, but also bibliographic citations of contributions in volumes and articles, access online journals and databases, or download e-books and articles in PDF format. 

    In order to access and download electronic resources remotely, i.e. when not using a UniFi Wi-Fi network, users must use one of the three methods offered: Proxy, UniFi VPN, or IDEM/GARR, which allows them to browse resources as if they were at the university.
    For detailed instructions and explanatory tutorials, go to: http://www.sba.unifi.it/CMpro-v-p-66.html
    See also the tutorials at: https://www.sba.unifi.it/p125.html 

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      You can learn more about searching for books and e-books with this video: 

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    Working at the library: Architecture databases

    Research with OneSearch is quick and easy, but in some cases it may not be effective, for example:
    • there could be too many results (for example, when searching for building names, these may also be venues for events, exhibitions, etc., so the results may not be relevant)
    • relevant results are not always immediately visible
    • for example, it is not possible to search for plans and elevations of a building
    Therefore, in some cases, it is necessary to query the databases individually in their native interface.

    For more information on this topic, read the file.

    • Architecture databases File
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      Tutorial of The RIBA library catalogue database

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      Tutorial of JSTOR database

       

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    Final test and feedback

    • Final test Quiz
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      Check if you're ready to work in the library!!

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    Insights

    This section lists the events organized by the library: virtual exhibitions, book presentations, events, and exhibitions

    The Archi-tè event from 2009 to 2014 https://www.sba.unifi.it/p428.html

    The library's Archistorie from 2018 https://www.sba.unifi.it/p1694.html