Feedback responses
Feedback
Dear Sir\Madam, After hours, the library has no silent study area Most of the time, it gets very noisy;students taking, laughing and making noise even in the collaborative room.as postgraduate student, I am working on he minor thesis and I have to submit 10,000 words by 20th of April However, I found very hard to concentrate when others are talking.
my other postgraduate and I sometimes ask the other studnets to be quiet and they are politely agree, but then they talk again I think it is also very rude of us if we constantly ask others to keep quiet.
My suggestion is to put after hours a "silent study area" sign in the collaborative room Regards, Huda
Response
Hello Huda,
Thank you for your feedback and sharing your experiences. I will discuss your suggestion re designating the collaborative room as a silent space with the Library team.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
So, I tried to use my student card to access the library during extended hours and I couldn't It did not occur to me that it did not roll over each year.This is my second student card, which I've had for the last two years, and I also had to re-register the new card This information, that: 1.
) everytime you get a new card, you need to re-register for extended hours (because access is linked to the card and not the student account), and 2) every *period*, you will need to re-register for extended hours to continue using the service, could you please put this on the Library Extended Hours page of the La Trobe website? As to why I wrote *period*, the security personnel I asked said you had to re-register every semester, while a librarian had said it was every year.
Could you please clarify this? I can understand why you have to make is re-register (ie.
database full of people who no longer use it), but please put this renewal information on the library website :)
Response
Thank you for your feedback
I apologise that you experienced problems when trying to gain access to library during extended library period. We do highlight on the Extended Hour Registration form that patrons are required to re-register every year (not period) - this is for security reasons which I would be happy to discuss with you:
"This registration is for the current year only. You will need to re-register at the start of each year."
I will also arrange to have this statement added to all library web pages that discuss extended hours.
For the same reasons, it is also necessary to re-register if you obtain a new student card.
Lea Beranek, Collection Delivery & Facilities Manager
Feedback
Hi, I am a sessional lecturer at RMIT teaching a post -grad course in News and Communication Theory I am also researching and writing a book on media interviewing.I do regularly take out books on loan from the Latrobe library using my Caval card because your library (with its history and slightly different acquisition policies) contains some excellent texts However, with the increased use of E-books and electronic resources especially those texts that are ONLY available as E-Resources, I now find I am shut out from consulting or researching within those books/texts.
This seems deeply anomalous I do understand the vagaries of licences and copyright etc.
but it also seems regressive to have increased online availability but at the same time severely restricted availability for those outside the home university It seems to fly in the face of the "tradition" of scholarly sharing of information and research that has long underpinned scholarly culture.
Is there a solution to this apparent anomaly? Is there a way under the Caval system to allow remote or even on-site access to E-Resources at the Latrobe Library It certainly seems very strange with the advent of such a plethora of information to "lock up" an increasing range of books/texts within the burgeoning E-Resource system.
Thank you
Response
Hello Peter,
Thank you for your feedback. Our licences permit in-library use of our online resources. There are two walk-in computers set aside for community members, CAVAL borrowers and secondary school students to access the Library's online resources. Go to the inquiry desk on level one (Melbourne)and ask to use one of thewalk-in computers. A staff member will log you in. Printing is not enabled but you can download to an USB or email content to yourself (within copyright requirements). We are evaluating usage of these walk-in computers and will consider increasing the number. Your feedback on the walk-in computers (once you have used them) would be appreciated.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
The librarians are doing an amazing job with such enormous numbers of students around I think you should organise a morning tea for them to say well done.
Response
Hello,
Thank you for your feedback and suggestion which I will pass on the Library team. The team is doing an amazing job at all our campus libraries.
Best wishes,
Kerryn
Feedback
I have a back injury and the new adjustable tables on level 3 are a great addition to the library However, because they are larger than the standard tables everywhere else they are very popular.I think it would be a great idea to make them bookable so people like me can be organised and book ahead and work comfortably Otherwise every other table in this place is too low and I just cannot work.
I know there is the Equity and Access room, but sometimes it is nice to be out with the rest of the Uni, and last time I was in there the adjustable table didn't move
Response
Hello Patsy,
Thank for your feedback on the adjustable desks and your suggeston that these desks should be bookable. I'll discuss your suggestion with the team and investigate booking options. I will also pass on the feedback about the faulty adjustable table in the Equity and Access room.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
I was told that I needed a letter from the Head of department confirming I was a La Trobe staff member in order for me to borrow books This is my third year as a staff member at La Trobe (Biochemistry) and I imagined by now, I'd be on the system.Could you please do something so as to reduce staff members the hassle?
Response
Thank you for your feedback
There definitely appears to be a communication issue in regard to the above issue and unfortunately you have not mentioned who told you this information. I would therefore suggest that you call me to discuss this problem. I will email you to suggest a time.
Lea Beranek
Collection Delivery & Facilities Manager
Feedback
I was startled to read on the now defunct-blog that staff now have a loan period of 90 days I have just put a hold on a book that is due back in mid May.Surely if the book is that essential to the academic's research, they should purchase their own copy Allow multiple reborrowings by all means, but please do not take a book out of circulation in this way for 90 days.
Response
Thank you for your feedback
When a book is requested via the "Request to Hold" the library system automatically reduces the loan period to that of 28 days. So please place your hold as this will generate a recall notice to the patron informing them of the new due date
Lea Beranek
Collection Delivery & Facilities Manager
Feedback
Good Morning, I am an alumni and like to join the library to use its extended hours I have enquiried about this and was told that currently alumni do not have access.
Therefore i would like to know if you could consider that the extended hours be available for alumni as well Thank you.
Response
Hello Trishita,
Thank you for your feedback and suggestion which I will discuss with the Library's leadership team.
By the way, are you aware that you can become an Alumni member of the Library? Click on the Alumni link on this page http://www.latrobe.edu.au/library/about-us/services-for-user-groups to find out more. Membership entitles you to access a small (but growing) number of journal databases including Emerald and Sage.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
It's the first day back I'm a 4th year Law student trying to get work done in the library.so far, on L2 I've seen people soliciting (selling paint ball tickets) and heard groups of people talking (loudly, and constantly) I tried L3, and in the first 10 minutes of being up here I've heard a mobile phone ring, be answered and then a lovely conversation had, followed by 2 guys talking (loudly) and had the audacity to give me the hairy eyeball when I 'shooshed' them.
You have taken away my access to private corrals that I enjoyed for the first half of my degree I hate walking past them and seeing them mostly empty most of the time knowing I can't make use of them because I'm an undergraduate student.
Its a zoo in the rest of the library Where can law students study on campus away from the noise?
Response
Hello,
Thank you for your feedback. There are over two thousand seats in this library, with more than 700 of those on level three. We have designated level three as a silent study space. The Library utilises signage, orientation for new students and regular security patrols to inform and control noise on that floor. The security guard patrols level three every 20 minutes. Students can contact security at any time re noise issues using phones located throughout the building.
I work in an office area that is sometimes noisy, like most workplaces. Occasionally, I use earphones or earplugs to block out the noise when I need to concentrate. This is very effective for me. You might consider exploring similar strategies to help you cope with interruptions.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
Great newsletter!!Response
Hello,
Thank you for your feedback. Are you referring to the first issue of HDR newsletter? I'll pass your feedback on to the editor.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
FEEDBACK ABOUT THE NEW WEBSITE Why is the new books list so hard to find on the new webpage? It was on the top level of the previous library webpage.Since the library is still funded to buy books,you would think that new acquistions might be prominently displayed Look at the Deakin website for how this might be handled.
Very few staff use RSS feeds so you need to cater for all preferences
Response
Hello,
Thank you for your feedback on the location of the New books titles on the front page. I have passed on your feedback to the rest of the web project team and suggested some options for making new titles more visible on the front page. I think you have identified a problem with the heading of the New titles page. It infers that access to New Titles is only available via RSS feeds. This is incorrect. The link at the top of that page goes straight to the list of new titles. We will amend the title and opening of that page to make this clearer.
The Deakin example is interesting. The web team conducted an extensive consultation and usability testing programme as part of the web design process. Students and staff emphatically stated that they did not want flashing, moving graphics on the front page of the Library website. Their overwhelming preference was for the site to be organised around tasks with minimum distraction from publicity, graphics and noise. Based on their feedback we also made the decision to devote the bottom part of the screen (the real estate Deakin uses for new books) to campus information.
The new website will be reviewed at the end of first semester and we anticipate making some changes based on feedback and testing. Having said that, we are also making changes/corrections and tweaking some pages as issues arise.
Thank you,
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
Bring back the old format of the referencing style guide on the library home Or at least put a link to the new one on the front page of the library site.It's one of the most valuable resources the website provides, but it's currently annoying to access Thanks.
(Otherwise I'm sure I, and many others will get used to the new site)
Response
Hello Matt,
Thank you for your feedback which I have passed on to the web team for investigation. We plan to review the new website later in semester. Feedback, including yours, will inform that review. Please let us know if you have any other suggestions for improving the website.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
Hello! I'm not sure if this is the right forum to make this comment, but I wondered if there was a LibGuide for NVivo in development? I really like using LibGuides for self-teaching, and as the training sessions for this software are so heavily booked out across all campuses I thought a LibGuide might be super useful! Thanks for any info :)Response
Hello Joanne,
Thank you for your suggestion. I will check if there is a NVivo guide in progress, and if not, I'll pass on your suggestion that we produce one.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
Hi, Im looking at the left hand tabs about "Research and grant support" but i can't find the grant support section in the given sub links This is the following link http://www.latrobeedu.
au/library/research-and-grant-support Thanks
Response
Hello Syafique,
Thank you for your feedback about the Research and grant support page. The page has a link titled Customised Search Service. This service is for researchers preparing a grant application who need assistance from the Library with the literature review. This is the grant support that the Library provides. I'm sorry that you were confused. I will discuss the design of the page with the web team.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
Hi Guys, The following links in this section do not work: Materials in alternative formats The Equity and Diversity Centre provides students with a print disability with assistance to obtain course material and library resources in a format suitable for their needs Students need to contact the Equality and Diversity Centre Coordinator with these requests.
Response
Thank you very much for alerting us to this broken link. I have asked the team to repair the link.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
PLEASE update the operating systems on the library computers Internet Explore has been out of date since halfway through semester two, 2012.
Response
Hi there. Thanks for your feedback. The University has a policy to use a standard set of software for all laboratory, staff and library computers across the campuses. For now the version of Internet Explorer is version 8. This is due to having to juggle a range of sites which deal well with this version, but cannot cope with IE9 and others which are the opposite. The Library provides a much more up to date browser with Mozilla Firefox being installed on all PCs, so that sites which have problems can be accessed using Firefox as an alternative. I will report your feedback to staff who manage the software across the University so they are aware of your request. Regards, Simon Huggard, Digital Infrastructure Manager.
Feedback
If there is a more appropriate area to file this feedback, please let me know This was all I could find.
The link to "Native Title" under the subject area of "Australian Law on the Library's database failed with the following message: The requested URL could not be retrieved While trying to retrieve the URL: http://fedcourtsirsi.
netau/nativetitle The following error was encountered: Unable to determine IP address from host name for fedcourt.
sirsinet.
au The dnsserver returned: Name Error: The domain name does not exist This means that: The cache was not able to resolve the hostname presented in the URL.
Check if the address is correct Your cache administrator is root.
Generated Sat, 02 Feb 2013 04:06:45 GMT by backend-1 (squid/26.
STABLE21)
Response
Dear Imogen,
Yes this is the right place to file feedback such as yours. We appreciate being notified when links from our resources do not work, as it is usually fairly simple to fix.
I have checked and the link for the Native Title Infobase ( This database contains Australian material relating to native title and land claims including journal articles, books, book chapters, conference papers, reports and press clippings) has recently changed and is now : http://www.fedcourt.gov.au/publications/native-title-infobase
I am gettitng it changed in our catalogue and databases pages, meanwhile I hope the link above helps.
Best wishes
Eva
Eva Fisch, Collection Development Manager
Feedback
Please tell me where the 390s have gone The shelving used to run numerically, but seems to have been moved.
This is very confusing
Response
Thankyou for your feedback. Yes we have moved some books in the main collection over the summer break, they are still organised in numerical order. There are signs posted on the end of shelves, however we will investigate if we can improve signage further to avoid confusion.
Jeanette Dazkiw, Campus Library Manager
Feedback
books on IT (programming, computer science) are very out-of-date! I tried to find books on C++ programming, graphic programming on Windows, etc What I got were stuff back to 2004.
One can get better resources in a TAFE like Box Hill Institute I am shocked!
Response
Hello,
Thank you for your feedback. Did you do a catalogue search for C++ programming. The Library has 40 titles with the publication dates between 2010 - 2013. 36 of these titles are ebooks. For the same date range the Library has 21 titles on graphic programming - all of these are ebooks. Browsing the library shelves is not an effective way to discover resources for your studies. You do need to search the Library catalogue to discover the range of online resources (ebooks, ejournals and videostreaming) and the print collections held at Melbourne, Wodonga and Bendigo. For more information on ebooks check this handy guide http://www.latrobe.edu.au/library/borrowing-and-ebooks/ebooks
Please contact the Library if you need any additional help. http://www.latrobe.edu.au/library/contact-us
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services
Feedback
computers on level 2 need updating so that files for print get sent to level 2 (printer 7) instead of level 3 (printer 3)
Response
Hi there. Thanks for your feedback. We are aware that this doesn't make any sense and are working with ICT to manage printing change-overs since last year. This problem should be fixed by the start of first semester (4 March). Regards.
Feedback
I have borrowed two books from the Bundoora campus which had barcodes covering the titles of the books Could you let me know why a librarian would cover the title with a barcode? Also, is there something that can be done to stop the practice?
Response
Thank you for your feedback -
As a general rule the library does not place barcodes in a position that would cover the title of the book, however, it appears on this occasion this may have happened for which we apologise.
The title is in most cases also appears on the spine of the book.
Lea Beranek, Collection Delivery & Facilities Manager
Feedback
Software needs to be updated on the library computers asap, there are many things that the current Internet Explorer browser just cannot view
Response
Hi there. Many thanks for your feedback about software in the Library. The Library works hard with central ICT services to ensure that software is updated on Library PCs with the same software provided in central laboratory computers on campus. The version of IE is version 8 and is the standard version installed everywhere on campus at La Trobe. The Library is aware that this version can cause problems with some subscription databases, e-books and so on, so Mozilla Firefox has also been installed to provide an alternative that may work better with some sites. Hopefully you can use this to help with some of the problems you are seeing. Thanks for your feedback again. Regards, Simon Huggard. Digital Infrastructure Manager.
Feedback
I have just received a letter (paper) telling me that my holds have arrived in Bundoora This seems like a waste of paper and time.
Why was I not sent an email instead?
Response
Thank you Dianne for your feedback.
We always send email notice re "holds" to students and to staff if they supply the library with their email address as indicated on our library web page - please see link and notice below. Unfortunately, your email address was not supplied by you.
http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/forms/library-notices.php
La Trobe University Staff, CAVAL and Other Borrowers can register for this service by either filling in the form below, or contacting the Loans Desk at your campus library.
Now that we have your email adress (as supplied via this feedback), I will arrange to have this email address attached to your library record. You will therefore receive library notices via email as of today.
Thank you
Lea Beranek, Collection Delivery & Facilities Manager
Feedback
The new computers on the second floor are very lowI have to bend my back to be level with the screen.
Very uncomfortable after a while
Response
Hello,
Thank you for your feedback. The public computers in La Trobe's libraries are managed by the University's IT unit. I have forwarded your feedback to the relevant manager and asked him to investigate.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery,
Acting University Librarian
Feedback
the new computers on the second floor can't be adjusted in height this means that taller people sitting at the desk have to bend their neck down at an odd angle to focus on the screen.
please don't change all the computers the older computers can be adjusted in height allowing taller people to lift the screen to their height and sit comfortably.
Response
Hello,
Thank you for your feedback about the new computers in the Melbourne Library. The public computers in La Trobe's libraries are managed by the University's IT unit. I have forwarded your feedback to the relevant manager and asked him to investigate.
Best wishes,
Kerryn Amery,
Acting University Librarian
