Guide to the Geology Library

Geology Library
223 Natural History Building
Circulation: 333-1266
Geology Librarian: 333-2676
Reserves: 244-4376
Geology Library Home Page: http://www.library.uiuc.edu/gex/
UIUC Library Home Page: http://www.library.uiuc.edu

Staff: Lura Joseph (Geology Librarian)
Sheila McGowan (Circulation, billing, reserves, serials)
Diana Walter (Acquisitions, maps, cataloging)

Hours: Check the Web. Also posted on the door of the library

The Geology Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has an extensive collection of materials in geochemistry, solid-earth geophysics, mineralogy, paleontology, oceanography, geohydrology, and economic geology. The collection is designed to support the curricular and research needs of the Department of Geology. This collection began as a part of the original holdings of the main library when the University was founded, and continued to grow during the years when geology was one discipline among many in the Natural History Library. In 1959, the life sciences materials were relocated, and the Geology Library was established in its current location. With the help and encouragement of Dr. George W. White, head of the Department of Geology at that time, growth of the collection accelerated, especially during the 1960's when intensive efforts were made to assure that primary geological literature was acquired.

The collection in the Natural History Building now contains more than 100,000 bound volumes, including nearly 3,000 journals and monographic series. More than 90,000 lesser-used volumes are located in the Central Bookstacks of the Main Library. In addition, there is a collection of at least 75,000 cartographic items including geologic and topographic maps and atlases. An exceptional collection of rare and early geological literature is housed in the Rare Book Room (346 Library). Included are the works of Agricola, Biringucci, Palissy, Hutton, and Agassiz, among others. Early American geological works in this collection include those by Eaton, Schoolcraft, and Feathersonhaugh. Titles new to this collection are being added each year.

The staff of the Geology Library strives to provide the best in library services including electronic database searching, reference help, instruction in the use of the UIUC Library system, and interlibrary loan assistance. The Library staff is happy to answer questions, locate library materials, and attempt to help with problems related to overdue and lost materials.

There are five areas of the Geology Library: circulation, the staff office, the reading room, the stacks, and the map room.

Circulation:

The entrance to the Geology Library is in the circulation area. Located here are the circulation desk and the reserve material shelves. On a stand near the entrance is a rotary file that lists the journal and serial titles in the library collection. This file is arranged alphabetically by title or issuing agency, and should be used when attempting to find a call number for a journal. The Shelf List is also in this area. It is a record of all titles held in the Geology Library, and it indicates special locations of materials such as theses, bibliographies, and reference materials.

Staff Office:

Ahead and slightly to the right as you enter the Geology Library is the staff office. The staff whose desks are in this area are generally available from 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Stacks:

To the left of the entrance is the door leading to the Geology Library Stacks. The "stacks" consist of four rooms (on two floors) of open shelves housing the bulk of the most actively used geological materials. UIUC uses the Dewey Decimal System to organize materials. (Systems used by other institutions include the Library of Congress System, and the SuDocs, or Government Documents System.) The books and journals are arranged in call number order starting with "A" in the first floor room closest to the circulation area and going on to 001-999. The floors divide at 553.28. "Q" at the beginning of a call number signifies an oversize volume, as does the letter "F". "Q" materials are shelved at the end of the 999's. Please contact a library staff member for help in locating "F" materials.

Reading Room:

Entrance to this room is through the door at the north end of the circulation desk. The collections shelved here include reference material, bibliographies, and theses as well as current issues of selected journals. There are also displays of new books and other materials. The photocopier, three public access terminals, and the card catalog are also in this room. Please restrict use of the public access terminals to information-finding activities.

Map Room:

The map room is located on the ground floor beneath the back room of the Stacks. It houses topographic, geologic, hydrologic, and other maps. Coverage is worldwide in scope. Please ask for assistance in using the map collection.

Other UIUC Libraries:

Materials related to geology can be found in many of the other UIUC libraries. Rare books are usually shelved in the Rare Book Room in the Main Library. Most of the USGS publications can be found in the Geology Library, but other government documents are in the Government Documents area of the Main Library. Other UIUC Libraries with materials of interest include Grainger Engineering Library, Chemistry Library, Physics and Astronomy Library, Natural History Survey Library, Biology Library, and Map & Geography Library. Many other materials are located in the Main Stacks (Main Library). All of these materials are listed in the Online Catalog. Ask Geology Library staff if you need help finding another library.

All materials must be brought to the circulation desk to be charged out. A valid UIUC ID card or special permit is required to check out items. Information about how to obtain a permit is available from Geology Library Staff. Returned materials should be placed on the circulation desk. When the library is closed, return books by using the book drop which is located directly south of the Geology Library entrance. Patrons are encouraged to renew materials using the online catalog. A valid UIUC ID is required to log on. The "My Account" function of the catalog displays all items checked out, allows renewals, and displays requests & fines. Renewals may also be done by calling the Library Phone Center (333-8400) or the Geology Library (333-1266), by mail, or in person.

Please return all Geology Library books and journals before leaving the campus for any extended period, including summers and sabbatical leaves. Even if the material would not normally be "due" before your return, another patron could request the material, resulting in fines and lost book charges if the material is not returned. Items can be returned to any UI library.

Loan Periods:

Books: 4 weeks for undergraduates and university staff; 16 weeks for faculty and graduate students
Bound journals: 2 weeks
Unbound journals: 2-hour photocopy loan only
Maps: 4 weeks

Overdues/Fines:

See Overdue Notices, Overdue Fines, and Billing

Overdue notices are sent as a courtesy only, and failure to receive one is not a reason for cancellation or reduction of late charges.

The Geology Library staff does NOT collect fines or lost book charges. Please pay as directed on the invoice received from the University Business Office. The circulation clerk will help with problems concerning fines, lost book billings, etc.

Reserves

Materials are placed on reserve at the request of the instructor. These materials are shelved in alphabetical order by author's surname. Therefore, you must know the author's name for the material desired.

Reserves are LIBRARY USE ONLY for two hours, except for class notes and copies of examinations that circulate for 1 hour. Reserves may be renewed only if no one else has requested the material.

Some reserve materials may be charged out overnight, one hour before the library closes. They are due one hour after the Geology Library is next scheduled to open. Reserves that have been taken out overnight may NOT be renewed by telephone. Photocopies of articles, copies of examinations, and class notes supplied by the instructor for reserves are strictly LIBRARY USE ONLY. No overnight loans of these items are permitted.

Fines: See Link. Fines are calculated by the electronic system and are processed automatically.

Please be considerate of your classmates and return reserve materials promptly with all pages in order and in good condition.

Reference service is available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the circulation desk or by telephone or e-mail.

Instruction in the use of UIUC Online Library Catalog and other databases used for finding articles is available on request for classes or individuals.

Customized computer literature searching is offered by appointment. If you desire a search, please contact the librarian (333-2676; luraj@uiuc.edu).

If you are unable to locate the material you need, the library staff is always willing to help. If the material is not available on this campus, you may be able to order it through interlibrary loan.

If you would like more information or a tour, stop in any time Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and ask for Lura or Diana.

Interlibrary Loan

For information about borrowing items through Interlibrary Loan, consult the Information Resource and Retrieval Center (IRRC) web page at: http://www.library.uiuc.edu/irrc/.

The UIUC Online Library Catalog is available on the public access terminals in the Reading Room, and from any computer connected to the Web. There are a number of other online catalogs to search. You can search the entire system of the Illinois state universities (ILCSO). Other searchable online catalogs include WorldCat (a combined catalog of U.S. and International libraries), and many other local, national, and international libraries. These may be accessed from the UIUC Catalog Web page under "Off Campus Catalogs".

The card catalog contains records for materials cataloged prior to 1984. If the material being sought was published before 1985, the card catalog may be the best place to look. The online catalog currently does not contain full, detailed catalog information for some older material.

Reference

The reference collection is located on the south wall of the Reading Room. The materials in this collection include encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, etc., and are arranged in call number order. These materials are for LIBRARY USE ONLY (they cannot be charged out).

Print Bibliographies

This collection consists of bibliographies, indexes, and abstracts including the major print source of bibliographical information in the geosciences, The Bibliography and Index of Geology, which is located on the shelves that wrap the corner of the Reading Room as you enter. It is published monthly and cumulated annually. It is also available as GeoRef online (see below).

The print bibliography collection is shelved in call number order.

Online Indexes

• GeoRef

  GeoRef is a database of bibliographic citations to, and selected abstracts of the literature of the geology of North America from 1785 to present, and of the geology of the rest of the world from 1933 to the present. It is available 24 hours a day. Any library computer may be used to search this database. UIUC patrons can connect to GeoRef from the Geology Library Web Page.

  You can use the link within an individual GeoRef record ("Search ILLINET..") to determine whether UIUC might own the item, but it is also wise to check the rotary file.

• GeoBase

  GeoBase covers the worldwide literature on geography, geology, and ecology from 1980 to present. It contains over 812,000 records of which over 600,000 include abstracts. UIUC patrons can connect to GeoBase through the Geology Library Web Page.

• ISI® Web of Science/Web of Knowledge

  The ISI® Web of Science provides online access to the ISI Citation Databases such as Science Citation Index and covers over 8,000 international journals in the sciences, social sciences, and the arts and humanities. This online tool also provides links to electronic full-text journal articles. Web of Science® is extremely useful for finding articles which cite older publications, thereby using older, seminal articles to track research forward in time to the present. Web of Science® provides an online tutorial. The database includes information in the Sciences back to 1945. You can gain access to Web of Science/Web of Knowledge through the Geology Library Web Page.

• Compendex/EI Compendex Plus

  Compendex/EI Compendex Plus covers literature related to engineering and applied science. The database provides abstracts and citations to worldwide publications from over 2,600 journals, proceedings, technical reports, and monographs for the years 1980 to present. You can gain access to the database through the Geology Library Web Page.

• SciFinder Scholar

  SciFinder Scholar provides access to information in the Chemical Abstracts database. Chemical Abstracts covers a broad range of subjects in the areas of technology and science, including biochemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, applied chemistry, chemical engineering, macromolecular chemistry, and organic chemistry. Indexed materials include journal articles, dissertations, conference proceedings, patents, technical reports, and books. Chemical Abstracts is available in the Chemistry Library in print or online as SciFinder Scholar. It will be of particular interest to geology researchers and scholars interested in geochemistry and mineralogy.

• Current Contents

  Current Contents indexes articles from over 7,700 journals in nearly all sciences, and includes abstracts and author addresses. This is an excellent database to use for interdisciplinary research and scholarship. You can gain access to the database through the Geology Library Web Page.

• Conference Papers Index

  Conference Papers Index provides citations to papers and poster sessions presented at major worldwide scientific meetings. Geologists working in the area of environmental science may be interested in this database. Access the database through the Geology Library Web Page.

• Dissertation Abstracts

  Dissertation Abstracts covers U.S. dissertations, and selectively covers theses and dissertations from Canada, Great Britain, and other European countries. All academic topics are covered. The database covers the years 1861 to present for dissertation indexing. Inclusion of dissertation abstracts begins with 1980, and thesis abstracts begin with 1988. The database is updated monthly. Access the database through the Geology Library Web Page.

• Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management

  Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management includes citations and abstracts. Information is gleaned from over 4000 scientific journals and thousands of other sources. Subjects covered include nearly any topic related to environmental science for the years 1981 to present. The database is updated monthly. Access the online database via the UIUC Article Databases Web Page..

• National Technical Information Service (NTIS)1964-current

  The NTIS Database covers the latest U.S. government-sponsored research and worldwide scientific, technical, and engineering information. The database covers the years 1964 to present, and is updated biweekly. Access the online database via the UIUC Article Databases Web Page.

• Research Centers and Services Directories

  Consult Research Centers and Services Directories for descriptions of approximately 26,500 U.S., Canadian, and international nonprofit research organizations. The database is the online version of three print publications: Research Centers Directory, International Research Centers Directory, and Government Research Directory. Access the online database via the UIUC Article Databases Web Page.

• Proceedings First

  Proceedings First provides citations of each congress, symposium, conference, exposition, workshop and meeting proceedings received by the British Library, and includes a wide variety of topics. Coverage is worldwide, from 1993 to present, with bimonthly updates. Access the online database via the UIUC Article Databases Web Page.

• Additional online databases are available. For example, geologists whose interests merge with the life sciences could try searching some of the life sciences databases. Consult the Geology Library homepage, the UIUC Article Database Web Page, or contact the Geology Librarian (333-2676; luraj@uiuc.edu).

CD-ROMs

CD-ROMs are cataloged and available for circulation. These include U.S. GeoData, the USGS Digital Data Series, some USGS Open-file Reports, and many others.

Journals

Many journals are now available via the Web. They may be accessed through the Geology Web Page. Click "Electronic Journals". For an alphabetical list of all the electronic journals available at UIUC, go to http://www.library.uiuc.edu/ersearch/ and select "Electronic Journals".

8/10/01 lmp/lej

		University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Gateway Homepage Comments to UIUC Geology Library Modified on: 8/2/2006 lej