Library

After complaining about the study carrel situation back in March, and experiencing the same fury as everyone else, I decided to give it a rest because it was clear I was speaking to a brick wall. Nevertheless, I am returning to the issue because I have come to the third level to study, and once again I have noticed that the majority of carrels are empty. When I first complained, I was told that the decision to allocate the carrels for the sole use of HDR students would be reviewed by the library board in the middle of the year. Well it is getting very close to that time, and I would just like to say that this board meeting will give the library authorities a chance to demonstrate whether they actually do regard student satisfaction and needs as paramount. Kerryn Amery who has been responding to most of the complaints has stated that the decision was made because some of the HDR students did not have private offices in their faculties. While this may be true, the majority of those students are evidently not choosing the carrels to study in, because they are EMPTY. She has also stated that the allocation of carrels to HDR students is in line with their “original purpose”. I have to say that this is quite a cop-out. Would you give a child an ice cream, and then take it off them claiming that its “original purpose” was to be given to someone else? Also with respect to the responses claiming that the university does not have enough space/resources for everyone to use the carrels; not everyone wants to use them. Some people prefer silent areas to study, some people prefer areas with noisy buzz, and some people hate the idea of sitting in a small room on their own. Everyone is different, but the fact is, in previous years, if you wanted to study in a carrel, you could. Sometimes it might be too busy to get a booking, but you didn’t mind, because most the time if you organised one early it was fine. In peak times they were full, in non-peak times like on weekends, they were empty. Now they are empty nearly all the time, so space and resources which are allegedly minimal are being wasted. Where is the sense in that?

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I'm so tired of being ignored for the first 30 seconds of being at the service desk. On several occasions, I have stood there waiting like an idiot for two librarians to finish their conversation.

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This evening I borrowed a book at 6:53 PM from the reserve. I photocopied several pages, and (stupidly) put it back on the shelf without returning it. Laying in bed, at 11 PM, I realized what I had done, and went all the way back to the library to check the book in so that I could at least not incur an even larger fine overnight and pay it off in the morning... only to discover I could not check it in. Obviously, there are no staff members at the service desk during extended hours. Why can't I return the book and stop the fine from increasing? I can't take out any loans while I have a fine, but the book could have been safely back in the library for students to borrow. I'll be there before opening hours tomorrow to rectify the issue, but I'm a little frustrated I went all that way only to find I could do nothing. If the website guide had said the reserve check-in would not work for overdue items, it wouldn't have mattered as much.

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I think that the library needs a method by which students can access the books in the library during extended hours. This can be achieved either by opening up level 3 during this time or by offering an extended hours hold pick up scheme whereby you can only pick up books during extended hours if they are put on hold through this system, If the books aren't picked up then they get put back the following morning. This will not only turn the Borchardt library into a study place after hours, it will also turn it into a place where you can research and look into those spur of the moment ideas you get whilst researching.

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Noting that La Trobe is on the list of businesses and institutions slated to pay the carbon tax in its first year of operation; is there any reason the computers & monitors in the post-grad study space are turned on each morning regardless of when during the they may be used? Surely post-grad students are intelligent enough to find the on switch when they want to use them - and the off switch when they are finished.

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I can't believe I am being fined after returning my book on time. What's going on? I ain't paying nothing, and you can't take away my right to borrow If I didn't do the error here.

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I think you should seriously reconsider your new policy of only allowing postgraduate students to use the study carrels. Surely a system could be devised which allows undergraduates use of these rooms also. As an undergraduate student I have always found the carrels provide an excellent area for quiet private study. This policy seems particularly unfair when you consider that postgraduate students are provided with many different areas on campus that are not accessable to undergraduates.

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The Harvard referencing style from the Export function of Library Search and Library Referencing style guides are not the same. It should be consistent throughout the library.

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On March 11 there was a query as to why books on the 700-800 shelves have been put on the top shelves with the bottom ones left empty. The response was that this will be looked into. Nothing seems to have changed. Could you explain if anything is going to happen.

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Hi I agree with previous comments regarding noise from persons gathered on group tables. Last week, I was trying to study, only to be disrupted many times over a period of hours, by a large group of students who were very loud, to say the least! Perhaps one or two stickers outlining acceptable behaviours, could be placed on each of the discussion tables. This may assist the situation and provide a potent reminder to persons who gather at these tables that responsible behaviour is required at these work sites within the library. It is most unfortunate that it only takes a few aberrant persons, to ruin, what is otherwise, a very pleasurable work environment. Thank-you

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I'm on level three in the silet area - and I've been asking people to stop talking all morning. I am yet to see a single security patrol... I'm feeling really frusrated. The carrels are no longer available to honors students - and it means you can't escape 'chatters' anywhere in the library. Last year the security guards were great - this year I haven't seen ONE on level three yet?!

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Currently completing my Honours year. I find it hard to understand how the Level Three Private study booths can only be reserved by ‘post Graduate Research Students’. I completely understand that these students should have first priority, but just walked past all the study booths and yet they all remain empty and vacant. These booths should be available to students who need to utilize them when they are not used. Not only is Honours a demanding year, but to see these booths vacant is very disappointing. To follow on from that I realise that Level 3 quite area only single tables have been provided but yet people continue to talk on phones and have conversations. If the booths are to sit there vacant, then at least these ‘quite areas’ should be policed to ensure that those who do wish to utilize this area without the choice of renting a booth can study without the hassle of constantly loosing focus due to those who do not follow the rules. Looking forward to your reply, Dean Fogarty

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In regards to noise in the library, I appreciate the setting up of tables for groups to study at however, these along with the the cafe seem to add to the noise. It is impossible to study in quiet on any level except level 3 which is a nuisance if you dont want to bring your own laptop. PLEASE, put some signs up or something. A University library should be a quiet, peaceful place and a refuge for people looking to study in peace. Thank-you.

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Hello, I would just like to express my disappointment that the carrels on level 3 @ the Bundoora campus library are no longer available to undergraduate students. I was a student here from 2007 to 2010, and used them quite frequently and effectively. I have now returned to finish my studies in 2012 and have been told that they are only available for post-grad students who hold a personal key to each carrel? Considering every time I have passed the carrels since the start of the semester I have only seen at any given time up to 5 or 10 actually being occupied, (so by my estimate at any given time at least 90% of them are unoccupied), I think it is quite absurd considering they could be made of good and effective use by other willing students... Perhaps there should be some selection criteria for the post-grad students who will ACTUALLY use them on a frequent basis, and there should be set-aside a reserve for them, with the rest of the unoccupied ones being available to everyone else? Whatever the case, there should most definitely NOT be a 90%+ unattendance rate of the carrels when there are plenty of willing students who value our privacy and would certainly put them to good use. Thanks in advance, Johnny

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Awesome help. Whether it is with face to face contact, online (libchat) or with document deliveries and communication. Very impressed with all aspects. Well done.

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I don’t think it is a good idea for La Trobe to be copying what other Universities have done. There is evidence to suggest that serious errors in judgement have been made at other Universities, over a number of years, resulting in serious problems and disadvantage. La Trobe, however, has enjoyed a reputation for putting the needs of students first, being consultative and responsive to student needs. However, when students are unable to meet their basic needs and the requirements necessitated by their studies, they do what students have always done: COMPLAIN. Increasingly within the tertiary sector, it has become apparent, that some students may be attracting (quite incorrectly and unfairly), labels such as “querulous complainant” for taking the trouble to persist in raising real issues of concern within the tertiary sector. One can only hope: that this is not occurring at La Trobe. Last Friday, there was an interesting panel discussion on: “Mental Health in Australia – How is it rating?” When I can no longer cope – I will use the Medicare system to access Psychological Services. This won’t help me either and will cost the public purse. For the Psychologist, it may fund a new bathroom or two and their next holiday (but these days, they mostly claim those under “Conference Leave”, anyway). The Psychologist will take my life history, nod-off as I recount all the setbacks, disappointments and woes - and may report (depending on their clinical persuasion), that I have a Personality Disorder: unable to gain satisfaction in life, blames everyone else for their problems and doesn’t take personal responsibility….To this, they might add: feels a sense of entitlement – which is another way of saying that you are demanding and unreasonable in your expectations and feel that you are more deserving than others, and so on. The Psychologist may or, may not have been educated at La Trobe – and may have been able to access one of those carrels (having the glory of being a post-graduate student). In any event, it has been identified that there is a broken record type of answer to feedback provided to the Library services about the study spaces within the Library. If we are all honest and upfront, however, the bottom line for University academics, staffers and students alike, is that we have a resourcing problem (supply and demand imbalance), on our hands. What is going to be done to meet the resourcing requirements of students?

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I just wanted to provide feedback about the decision to allocate lockable study carrels to postgraduate and higher research students. As an undergrad, I always booked a study carrel when I had assignments due or during exam periods. I found it very valuable during these peak periods during the semester to be able to walk into the library and know that I had a designated place to study and that I wouldn't have to waste time walking around trying to find a space to study. I loved being able to book in advance when I wanted to study. While there are more work stations, you can't reserve those! The guaranteed study space was so much better. I have read the majority of posts by people who agree with my disappointment in hearing this decision along with your feedback so don't give me a copy/paste response about the number of study spaces, how quiet level 3 is or about the security guard patrolling the library. The main reason that I enjoyed using study carrels was because they weren't distracting! Being in an enclosed area for 3 hours without a view of people walking past helped me focus a lot more than those squeaky white workstations on level three. I don't go to the library anymore to study. I study at home despite the fact that it is ridiculously disracting but at least I know that my things are safe and that I have a guaranteed study space. Not everyone else has that luxury though. Change it back to 3 hours for undergrads and 8 hours for postgrads. The new system to book rooms and carrels is rubbish too. Change it back to the old online system.

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I would like to suggest that La Trobe consider subscribing to Credo Reference (http://www.credoreference.com/home.do). I have used this tool at another university (where it was embedded in the Health Science subject guides section of the library website). I have found Credo to be very useful for obtaining definitions and clarifying my understanding of isolated concepts and technical terms. Credo provides a more authoritative and reliable alternative to Google or Wikipedia - which I find myself using extensively at La Trobe due to the absence of an online resource like Credo. Thank you for your consideration.

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I received an email reminder on Saturday the 7th of April telling me that I had library material due on the 10th of April. Both of these dates are during the Easter break, and it would have been incredibly easy to miss the due date.

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I had difficulty getting the books I wanted from the high shelves in the Art section. I had to give up and couldnt get what I wanted. Could the books be put on the lower shelves where there is plenty of spare room?

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Thank-you for the feedback provided. The central bank of partitioned computer workstations on Level 2 are: spacious with refreshing white and light mustard décor - and provide for more contained, discrete areas. There are large windows within easy line of sight and you can see the trees. Overhead, there is a good source of white light. These conditions make it an ideal work environment when the noise is within normal ranges. (Yes, you are quite correct in pointing out that Level 2 seemed much more restrained today, with noise levels within more normalised ranges). However, there have been sufficient raucous episodes on other occasions, to warrant ongoing monitoring measures). The "Silent" areas on Level 3 are valued. However, on Level 3, if one is unable to secure a computer work-station, it is understood that students need the use of a laptop. From an ergonomic perspective, computer laptops are not ideal for long stretches of work, for some students, especially where the keypads are concerned. Also, on Level 3, one bank of computer workstations (near a stairwell), has a very loud air vent (or other source of noise), above it. Otherwise, for some people, who are able to obtain access to carrels, these can be isolating and claustrophobic. Perhaps, consideration may be directed to painting them to brighten them up (some appear dark and shadowy). Whilst it may seem logical to recommend that students 'migrate' up to Level 3, further consideration needs to be directed to adequate resourcing of Level 3; a new area consisting of partitioned computer workstations, looks like a step in the right direction and given the demand for study space in the Library - it will likely be very quickly absorbed.

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Is it possible to get rid of the noisy, redundant cafe inside the library and then to use the space to build new quiet study carrels for undergrads instead? I don't understand why the library has entered into commercial competition with the pre-existing, excellent coffee and lunch businesses that have been operating for years in the Agora. Perhaps you'd do better to offer private counselling services in another corner of the library for depressed students who no longer have adequate private study facilities available to them (i.e. seeing as the library is apparently no longer soley about learning and academic work).

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I attend the Library to study, not to socialise/use my mobile. Students within the Library are experiencing strain that qualifies for consideration via Occupational Health and Safety. Some of the loud, unruly and disruptive behaviours noted would not be tolerated in open plan workspaces in the workplace – so why are they tolerated in a University Library? As for Security patrols – one just walked by complete with earpiece – and did NOTHING! Why is the onus on students who are in the Library for the purpose of study (an activity, traditionally ascribed to Libraries around the world) - to pack up, lose their study spot or, risk having their possessions stolen whilst left unattended – in order, that they may report disruptive and unruly behaviour via telephone or, otherwise, to Library Staff? Many students are time poor, working part time etc. Many students do not have the luxury of picking and choosing when they attend the Library. Students need to be able to access the Library for solid stretches of study (hours at a time), in an equitable manner, at the time that they happen to attend the Library. Some students come from disadvantaged situations and are experiencing stress. The situation in the Library is critical and is one further stressor. What is the way forward without cost (time and energy loss, strain and poor results), to students who may experience further significant disadvantage, arising from the Library situation? I think the time has come for plain clothed persons to patrol the Library and send reports to Security. How often do University administrators saunter through ALL levels of the Library in peak periods - to get a feel for what students are having to tolerate? What about a fair go?

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The new study desks on the third floor with power are great. But they seriously need those 'don't talk' stickers as people generally talk in those areas - I think because there are no stickers. Can something be done about this?

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Towards Equity in Mathematics Education new book:Gender, Culture, and Diversity by Helen Forgasz and Ferdinand Rivera

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Very unhappy with the reassignment of all study carrels to post graduate only. It leaves nowhere to study in private for everyone else. On top of that since the change, they seem to be continuously empty, even at peak study times. I will let you know what my midterm results are, shall I ?

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Not too happy about shortage of rooms to study especially study carrels for individual study and also for smaller groups of 2-4 people. Request for more rooms in library for undergraduate and graduate entry level students.

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Complaint: Noisy patrons in the Library. It is unfair for students who complain about noise to be told to use a lap-top and find another spot. Similarly, it is quite unfair for students who want to study in peace in well-lit, open plan study spaces, to have to waste valuable time and energy searching for other spaces (often without a computer terminal available). The antics include shrieks and others who migrate in packs from one computer terminal to the next within the open-plan partitioned work station areas, thereby, spreading the misery like a cancer. Why can't Library Monitors be employed to direct noisy patrons (irrespective of location within the Library) to the EXIT?

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I would like to add a few more concerns to those already listed about the new access restrictions on the 3rd level study carrels at the Bundoora campus, for the genuine consideration of senior library management and senior university management. Firstly the carrels are currently often empty, which shows that one privileged student per carrel cannot and/or does not want to use their precious designated carrel for every minute the library is open for business each day of every week. Why allow this daily wastage of good study facilities when other students can make excellent use of the empty rooms? Secondly, after a prolonged and difficult library renovation how can we now have such an outlandish shortage of silent, lockable study rooms available for ALL students to share, for single, limited time useage? Who was responsible for the renovation plan? Are they being held accountable now for such a massive oversight in the demand for and availability of individual study facilities? An oversight that is causing severe academic distress to hundreds of students? Thirdly, We all understand that research output is imperative for all universities to gain and maintain the best possible national and international rankings. And we all see how high publication of research output severely affects academic staff tenure at La Trobe uni and elsewhere, as is now sorely visible at Sydney uni. The question for me is why La Trobe university is bent on punishing it's own future research students by denying undergrads adequate (i.e. not luxurious) private study resources to enable them to successfully complete their undergrad degrees? This is outrageously disloyal, thoughtless and mean behaviour. Are undergrad students really just bums (dollars?) on seats here at La Trobe? Fourthly as a university that teaches both psychology and education (to an esteemed level) can the library and the university please give some thought and credibility to the proven classifications of personality style and learning style. Any individual's approach to study will largely be directed by their natural (i.e. inherent) learning style and/or personality style. This means that a significant proportion of all undergrad students will require a silent, self-contained study carrel to make the best use of their study time. Using a carrel should not be about a student's level of study or academic achievement; it should be about the personal/learning styles of the individual student. Students continually try to adjust themselves to meet academic demands that are not drawing on their personal strengths or personal interests, but this latest carrel restriction is way beyond a reasonable request for many students. Please demonstrate that you understand human neural diversity and care enough to assist all students to work within a learning environment suited to their individual needs. The new format of the reno'd library largely privileges outgoing students who flourish in a shared working environment, aka the first and second levels of the 'new' library. In short, the design of the new library is dramatically favouring one type of study style/personality style to the detriment of other, equally worthy students. How are the university's plagiarism requirements being upheld in the library spaces being given over to shared student endeavours? Group work is not always consistent with an ability to sign off the plagiarism form! Finally, isn't this carrel restriction really just about the chronic shortage of learning and teaching accommodation at La Trobe university? Isn't it really just a building issue? It is a pleasure to see the new Research Centres being built on the outskirts of the campus with private industry financial assistance. Can the university please form a professional team of fund raisers to gather sufficient finance to endow each faculty with enough funds to provide suitable study accommodation in each department for their own post graduate students. If the undergrads feel badly about the new study carrel restrictions, how unwanted and under-valued do the post graduate students feel when their own departments wont or can't house their post grad research needs? Apologies if I have duplicated others' already listed concerns here. To conclude, please take all of our concerns to a decision maker higher than the library CEO. This carrel issue reflects badly on the entire university and the problem should be dealt with at the highest levels. Student welfare and learning/academic success is dependent upon this issue being addressed urgently and thoroughly by the highest university management team.

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After three years struggling with reference guides, at last an easy one! THANKYOU.

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You need to have someone occasionally check the use of the public computers in the library. So often I come to print assignments, and there is a HUGE queue of people waiting to use computers, and all you can see, is people sitting on their Facebook pages. Facebook SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ON THE PUBLIC COMPUTERS. It is absolutely unnecessary and wastes everyone else's time.

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The library is always FAR too cold. It is nearing winter - why do you have to have it so cold in here, it is freezing!

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Would be great if you could start loaning out headphones again for those who don't own or have forgotten their own set. Also, closed captions on electronic sources (namely the online videos) for the hearing impaired (or those without headphones) would improve the accessibility of your resources greatly.

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the study booths to only postgraduate students and pressed the “send” button. An error page appeared next!!. How frustrating to have lost all those precious minutes for a very time pressed student to give feedback only to lose it in a flash. Why? But why? Why the discrimination? Do undergrads pay less fees, are they lesser mortals, don’t they also need the same kind of privacy that a post graduate does, don’t they also have serious exams to pass, aren’t some undergraduate students actually more senior (mature age students with other higher qualifications) than your anointed post graduate students , or just what is it that sets us apart from them? For nearly three years I have extensively used the study booths because I am from country Victoria and study in the uni from early to late night often up to library closing hours. The booths have been of great help to me to be able to dash out to borrow reference books, to the toilet etc without having to pack all my belongings each time I had to leave my desk. I turn up now to ask for a study booth in my final year and find that suddenly someone who just enrolled this year has got better privileges than me because he/she is a postgraduate. I have walked the study booths many time over the past few weeks and found them to be empty. I am disappointed, no, disgusted would be the mildest way to express my deep frustration for this unfair, unwarranted and unjustified policy. Just what is it that the library has gained by discriminating in this manner?

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I would like to make a formal complaint relating to the unavailability of study carrels for undergraduate use this semester. Study carrels have been a huge benefit to me in the past as it is very difficult for me to study at home, and I feel that it is extremely unfair and discriminatory to make them available for postgraduate students only. Being an undergraduate does not mean that I spend less time at Uni than postgraduates, and since I cannot use carrels I am now no longer guaranteed a place to study since other areas fill up so quickly. As well as this, people seem to have no respect for the fact that level 3 is a silent study area. As far as I know there was nothing that prevented postgrad students from booking study carrels just the same as everyone else previously. As a law student I was often in the library for 10 hours a day studying on my days off, and would be interested to know why the study of postgrad students is now more important to La Trobe. I'm really disappointed in La Trobe as a university. It just seems to be getting worse and worse.

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Dear Kerryn, Thank you for your response, but I kindly disagree. If the facilities on level 3 were as appropriate as you say they are, you would not have as many complaints from students upset at not being able to access the study carrels. From the msgs that I have read, I am not the only student (particularly from my faculty) to complain with regards to this issue. May I suggest that you take the time to read and actually listen to your students feedback instead of replying to feedback with an undertone that is both dismissive and demeaning to students. I refer specifically to "regardless of their discipline". This is funny considering it is the library who has singles out postgraduate research students as the only students worthy of these facilities.... Hello, Thank you for your feedback. The study facilities on level three (Bundoora) provide an appropriate environment for concentrated study and exam preparation for all students regardless of their discipline. Best wishes, Kerryn Amery, Associate University Librarian - Information Services

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we always got some problem with using the new system for using study room. normally, we make a booking study room on internet and then when i arrive , someone got a key and they can come though in the same time and in the same room. therefore , we do not know what happen with the new system , could you please solve it as soon as possible. and another thing is that we have to book a study room before use it around one week so that mean anyone can book a room in that period of time every day and that mean we can not use that room anymore. the new system is a bad idea , that what we think about new system thank you

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Whilst law students from other universities have access to their own law library, law students at La Trobe are not even allowed much needed access to study carrels. Law students on average put in more hours at the library and particularly during exam periods require access to study carrels. Until such time that law students are provided with their own library, it is essential that we are allowed to access study carrels. La Trobe should be aiming to provide students with more resources- not less. The lack of appropriate facilities for law students make me consider the option of moving to another university, and it is definitely something I will be telling prospective students considering a law program at La Trobe.

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I have just spent about half an hour trying to book a study booth or room to prepare a group presentation. Your site initially indicated that one room was still available, but after following the tortuous instructions, they turned out to be fully booked. You've got to be kidding ... first the ridiculous student-to-resources ratio makes access to books a joke, & it much more time-efficient to print lecture notes at Officeworks than the library ... now this. The previous system of booking rooms was infinitely easier ... why the change?

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I am very disappointed that after 2 years of access to a corral I am now now longer able to book one - simply because I am an undergraduate student. I hope this means you will regularly be patrolling the zoo that is L3 where the so called 'silent study' take place in amongst the talking, phone conversations, electronic parephenalia and the general traffic noise.

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I am a masters student by course work and am disappointed that I cannot access the carrells in the library to study as they are only for masters by reseacrh students. I would like a carrell once a week on Tuesday from 9am to 2pm to get through my study. Visiting the library at this time I was disappointed to find most carrells empty. I could have been making good use of one. this seems like an unfair priviledge for a few students. If you change your policy or could possibly allow me to access a carrell at this time please let me know. cheers

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Prefer the old system. Booking process is lengthy and slow. Unable to see availabilities of rooms at a glance, you have to search and select them to determine availability. Old system was a lot faster.

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Hi, I am in my final year of my double masters by course work and I am very disappointed that I do not have access to the post grad room. I have paid a large sum of money over the years to La Trobe for my undergard and now post grad and I am very upset that i can not access this room. I am currently undertaking my major research project, however can not access the room or coralls. This needs to be addressed. I undertand there are a lot of post grad students, but I would have thought final year of masters would qualify whether you are by course work or research. This rule implies that research students are more valued than those doing course work. I went to the post grad room today and there was not one signle person in there, how if that fair?

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I'm writing to protest the SEVERE inadequacy of the new library 'management policy' change that supplies study carrels only for 'higher degree by research' students. This change is RIDICULOUS. 1. There was already a FAIR AND EQUITABLE booking system in place being that it was open to all students to book in advance as the need arose – HDR students were in no way disadvantaged by such a system, they merely had to be organised and book ahead like everyone else. This change UNNECESSARILY and DISPROPORTIONATELY favours HDR students. 2. HDR students received even less competition from Undergrad student bookings as UNDERGRADS WERE ALREADY LIMITED to a certain number of bookings for a maximum 3 hours, while HDR students received 8. 3. HDR students HAVE THEIR OWN FACILITIES and resources including offices, lounges, photocopies, kitchens etc. etc. etc. which undergrads, graduate entry and honours students are not privy to. It is the responsibility of their respective faculties to provide those facilities – while the role of the library is to provide facilities to ALL students. 4. This policy will encourage the booking of group rooms for non-genuine ‘group’ work – merely so people can have a larger place to study with the freedom of a lockable facility. 5. Said facilities are sitting UNUSED and the new policy does not allow for efficient use of resources. The carrels do not serve their purpose when they stay available on the off chance an HDR student wants to use them on that day. As others have pointed out, the argument that 37 rooms could be full 12 hours a day by HDR students is statistically absurd. 6. Someone like me has no adequate space to study – a FULL TIME, FINAL YEAR, GRADUATE ENTRY LAW STUDENT attempting also to write an HONOURS THESIS and prepare for an INTERNATIONAL MOOTING COMPETITION as a representative of this university – yet the university “cannot” provide me more than 1m wide and 40cm deep desk-with-a-stylised-curve-that-is-actually-quite-impractical. What a joke. 7. Students are pretty excited about being provided access to basic necessities, like chairs and power points. But the library shouldn’t be congratulating itself – these are essential items people EXPECT to find in a library. Nor should the library use the “achievement of being able to function like a library” to DEFLECT from its persisting inadequacies by saying “but look over there, we’ve given you power points and chairs” – the library should be embarrassed that it lacked the essential characteristics of a library for so very, very long, rendering it inoperable as a “library” for most students once their battery died, or they couldn’t find a chair. Instead, the library should be focussed on improvements that benefit ALL students – without excuses. 8. I pay the highest undergraduate fees per subject for my degree, and I am in full knowledge that my fees substitute the running of other faculties like arts and education. Yet the faculty can’t provide a law library, a law student lounge, nor a law study area (unlike other universities) and now the University can’t provide individual law students any decent space to study in. That’s embarrassing. 9. I regularly go to study at other university libraries owing to the INADEQUACY of this university to supply its students with APPROPRIATE FACILITIES. Don’t be left behind La Trobe, pick up your game.

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Hi - Given that the EndNotes classes for March are already full, will consideration be given to bringing forward to this month the classes currently scheduled for May? Thanks, John

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I understand that the study carrels is now only open for postgraduate students who are doing research. I hope to give some feedback with regards to the change. I noted that typically, the PHD students are given an office or table by their faculty; so this leaves the majority of the potential users to be masters student who are doing research. I have walked past the carrels at various timinsg and noticed that carrels are not fully utilised all the time. I am an international graduate student (Masters in Speech Pathology) who is living on campus (University lodge). Sometimes, the environment is not conducive for studying and the GSM is usually occupied by students having their lessons; these are usually conducted after office hours. The library is also rather crowded now since the school term have started. As such, I would like to implore the library to consider allowing other postgaduate students to use the study carrels. Perhaps, priority can be given to the postgrduate students who are doing research? I do find it unfair that other postgraduates are "barred" from the usage of the carrels, especially for students who are living on campus. For the library's consideration,pls. Thank you.

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Why have most of the books in the 700-800 numbers on level 3 been put on to the top shelves with the bottom shelves left empty? This makes it unnecessarily difficult to get the books and goes against what happens in all the other areas of the library.

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The study carrell's on the third floor is a useful facility to all students within the La Trobe campus. Only allowing it to post graduate students I believe does not allow a fair number of students the privilege to a quiet and serious work space. I believe the study carrell should return to its past policies and be open to all who are willing to reserve it.

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I would just like to extend a big thank-you to library staff member at the Inquiry desk, for going above and beyond to help me find a book in the library this morning. With recent changes to facilities in the libary, one is easily inclined to think that attempts are being made to make the library less user friendly for students. However it is heart warming to find that the on-the-ground staff are still dedicated to helping students and making sure they get the most out of the libraries resources. Thanks again for restoring some faith. Phoebe.

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I am a graduate entry law student, and am also am very disappointed in the decision about the carrels. However, the real issue is not who gets to use them, but rather the fact that they are an invaluable resource that are not being utilised at all. During the first week of semester, only one room was being used at 11am on the day I wanted to study. It wasn’t much better in the second week. It is nonsensical to block out a study space for one student, unless that student is studying from 8am to 10pm weekdays and on weekends too. As this is not possible, it is reasonable for all students to be upset about this decision. To add insult to injury is the noise that I have experienced on the third level – it was staff, not students, chatting and laughing right next to the desks where we were studying. This week, there was a half-hour discussion two women had in the staff room near the lift – are they not aware that the room is not soundproof? The library at a university should have dedicated silent study areas, and the lack thereof at La Trobe is extremely disconcerting. A review of this decision should be immediate, not at the end of the semester. Please could you advise who we should direct our complaints to, as I personally know a large number of students who wish to have this decision addressed immediately?

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Very disappointed on the decision to only allow access to the third floor study carrels to PG by research students. As an undergrad student I found these carrels to be of great help in assisting me in my study and were quite annoyed when i found out that they were no longer available. I'm quite sure I'm not alone in saying that this decision is ridiculous and that the study carrels should be returned to their previous state.

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As a third year undergraduate, I would like to address those students complaining about lack of access to third level study carrels. Having your own private study carrel is not the solution to the problem. This would only be fair if there were enough for everyone which is of course an impossibility. So here is the answer. It is up to the people who can't respect the "silent study" space on lvl 3 to shut up. I find it ridiculous that we even need a security guard to patrol the third floor to ask people to study silently. What are we? School kids? It seems it will take a little time to instil a culture of silent study on lvl 3. Until that happens, we will all have to grind our teeth and bare the frustration. Darryl

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For the past 2 years I have used the study carrels on the third floor for study. As an undergrad student in my third year, he changes this year to make the carrels available only for postgrad students is completely unfair. I used them at least once a week, sometimes up to 3 times a week and they helped me to get a lot of study and homework completed. I know I won't be alone in saying that I hope this changes back to availability for all students.

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I would like to thank the person who found my laptop near car park 1 and was kind enough to return it to the library's lost and found. I am so very grateful to you. Thanks a ton !

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In the previous year, I loved that I was able to book a single-person study carrell online to the hours that suited me. I found this method very conveinient and very fair that another student could take my booked carrell if I was too late. This year, I was disapointed not only to find that I could no longer book online, but in fact that I am no longer allowed to use a study carrell at all! I was told that only honours and postgraduate by research are allowed to use such rooms. Whilst I am a postgraduate by classwork and understand that I do not have a thesis to work on like thesis students and as I did as an honours student last year, I still find it is disapointing that I am effectively 'banned' from using such rooms. I used the carrells often last year and felt it was the best learning environment for me to be able to complete my work. Now, I feel as though my work is somewhat inhibited given that I cannot use the rooms. Last year, I found that there were often spare rooms and were very easily able to be booked. Was there feedback that the rooms were too often taken up by students not completing thesises and taking them away from those that really needed them? It would really interest me to hear if this was the case, as I found they were readily avaliable using them frequently previously. Perhaps I could suggest that the same rules apply as last year to continue fairness across courses? That if a student does not turn up in time, another student, of any area, be it post graduate by coursework or otherwise, is able to take the room booking? Perhaps non-thesis students may be allowed to use the rooms at certain times for limited hours? I understand that thesis students have an enormous task ahead of them and may need prioity for such room bookings, but would love to have some opportunity to use the study carrells, even if it is limited as it is how I, and I'm sure many others, study at their best!

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I have been studying on the third floor, and while it's quieter than other levels, there have been conversations going on around me and people chatting on their phones. I haven't seen anyone patrolling the area since I've been here for the last hour and a half. It would be nice to see more of a constant presence on this floor, so I don't need to worry about the distractions or picking up my books and leaving my spot to ask the help desk to send someone up to manage the noise. Cheers.

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I understand that a review on 3rd floor study carrel access is due later this year and that student feedback will be taken into account. When is this review planned? Many students I have spoken to have negative feedback on the sudden and unwelcome exclusivity of these rooms. Would you prefer direct feedback to this site or a petition? If you prefer a petition, who should it be addressed to? Regards

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The new way to book rooms is far more complicated than it needs to be. As a third year student it was hard enough fo me to deal with let alone, the new students who have a heap of other things to worry about. It worked perfectly fine last year as well. There was no real need to change it.

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I am an international student who chose to study at LaTrobe in part due to the support services offered to postgraduate students. My degree is an intense 2 year program (by coursework), and I had been told that through the library I would have access to all of the reading resources/textbooks that I would need, and also that I could book private study carrel rooms for periods of intense study and especially during exam time. However, when I went to request a key last week, I was told that from this year only postgraduate students by RESEARCH are able to access these rooms. I am very frustrated, as I planned my housing situation around the supposed availability of this space for me to use in the library, for quiet and focused study, and there is no other dedicated quiet/private study space that I can turn to on campus. I was also told that a room will be built for other postgrad students to use, but that it is only in the planning stages and will not be completed until (at the very earliest) perhaps 6 - 8 months before my program finishes. What are we to do in the meantime? I feel that it is very unfair that access has been removed for coursework students, before the room available for us has been built. I implore you to reconsider this decision to restrict access to study carrels for postgrad by research students only - after all, they do have a room that is specifically for their own use, on the second floor, as well, while coursework students have no other dedicated space available to us. My suggestion is that perhaps booking priority can be given to research students, but that to some level postgrad-by-coursework students also be given access to the study carrels, whether for a reduced number of hours, or fewer rooms are available for us, again until the new room has been built for us to use. Failing this, can you give us access to the postgrad-by-research room on the 2nd level? Please, we need an alternate arrangement to be made! Thank you very sincerely for your attention to this matter.

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Hi Library is too cold to study a*s freezing. Air condition blowing cold air out and sucking our flesh&bones leaving us freezing all the time. no seasonal sense? summer, winter all same? outside 15 degrees and stil air condition wrking at full capacity. what the heck this? please pay attention and fix this freezing cold inside, in particular 3rd floor. Thanks

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I just wish to comment on the entry exit system for the library. When I first encountered it, the sides they were on struck me as unnatural, as they require people to walk on the opposite side to the usual “keep to the left”. I thought maybe with time I would get used it. But still I find myself attempting to enter by the exit, and exit by the entry. Even when I wake up in time, I find I am impeding others in my sudden change of direction to get through the correct door at the last moment. I spent some time this week observing, and rather than it being just me, as I feared, I noticed that the same dance steps, near misses, and eddying traffic flows occur with people going through the wrong doors, or at least approaching them in the wrong “lanes”. I am afraid we are just too much creatures of habit, and enter buildings on “auto-pilot” too often, for the current system ever to work smoothly. Can consideration be given to having the arrangement of entry and exit reversed, please? It may be a relatively minor irritation, but one that could be fairly easily remedied. Many thanks.

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I'm am furious with the changes to the study room booking system implemented this year. Firstly, not having the doors lock has taken away the convenience of not having to pack up everything if you pop out to the bathroom or for lunch. Furthermore, if you pack up everything and leave, it is likely another group will take your place. This makes it quite inconvenient and time is wasted clarifying the situation. I was advised by library staff that one can print off the booking as proof to present to other users of the space, but at La Trobe University, an institution renowned for eco-consciousness, it seems a ridiculous waste of paper. Secondly, the booking system is illogical and difficult. One can no longer at a glance find which rooms are free at a particular time. Furthermore, the booking system is only available through the "full version", which is only accessible to Windows users; I cannot book a room from my home in advance, as we only have Macs. Mac and Linux users use the “Light Version”, which does not have the drop-down arrow to the right of “New Message”. I understand it makes it easier for the staff, not having to sign in/out the keys, but it seems the many negatives outweigh the positives in the changing of the booking system.

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Terribly disappointed by the decision to give study carrels to PG research students only. This is inequitable and does not cater for the needs of the broader student base and for example mature aged students. Coupled with the fact that there are no lockers available on campus it is practically impossible for me to base myself at Uni for a whole day now the carrels are not open. Very disappointing.

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I would just like to comment on the new room booking system. I found it to be very time consuming due to the excessive amount of steps required to complete the process, it was also confusing at times due to the number of different dialog boxes that were opened and the fact that you put a date in on the first step and you then have to search for it again in the second step as it shows up as todays date not the one you originally entered, you are then required to go through every room one by one to find you available time, it was much more conveniant before to just enter your time and date and the availabilities were shown to you. I would also like to add that although the email acceptance is the only good thing to come from this new system it also caused confusion as i had recieved a meeting request to my email from a named person rachele gore instead of an administrative name e.g. room bookings and as i did not know my group members very well confused this person as being one of them and forwarded further meeting details onto her it wasnt until i did my own booking that i realized who this was, why it is a named person baffles me as there are a number of systems that email us with administrative names and it is much easier to follow whats going on e.g. webct or circulation email notice. So overall not impressed at all by this new time consuming and at times uneccessarily confusing new system.

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Insulted by the new library booking system. Bring back the old system to be able to see bookings and control back to library staff

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What is with the new study room booking system? Give control back to library staff. Complaint.

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hello folks how do i pay my library fines?? thanks denise

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I was astonished to find that study carrels are no longer available to undergrad students, who are also fee paying students at La Trobe. I was further outraged as most of the carrels are empty throughout the day, when the space could be used by students wanting to study quietly. This is an unfair & inequitable policy & if the decision to make more space available to Post grad students has been made, then they should be able to access the said resource on a % basis (ie. if La Trobe Bundoora has 20% post grad students, they should have unfettered access to only 20% of the carrels. This is an outrage & will make study very difficult for many. What a waste of such a resource. Not happy!

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I would like to know why the study carrels are no longer available to undergrads? I attend this university and expect a level of professionalism and common courtesy that seems to be failing. Postgraduate students are not the only students at this institution. Undergrads also use these facilities. The booking system where ALL STUDENTS could access these rooms was equitable, now there is nowhere a serious student can study in peace. If the 3rd floor is good enough for undergrads, IT IS GOOD ENOUGH for postgrads. They already have dedicated space - WE DO NOT. In making this decision, what, if any, usage data was collected? How was this decision made and why weren’t students notified that this would be happening, instead of suddenly having facilities stripped away?

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I am disgusted and angered to find that as a Masters student who is writing a these I am unable to book a study carrel. I just walked past them and only 3 are being used. The librarian told me I could book a study room or booth, but am not able to book it for a semester. Why is there no place allocated for Masters students, what are my fees going to? Something needs to be done about this as Masters students also need a quiet place to study and should be given at least a third of the study carrels. Please tell me where I can study that is the same comfort and quiet location as the study carrels.

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I am very disappointed that I have been denied access to the study carrels as my postgraduawte studies are by coursework and not by research. Are you telling me that my postgradute studies are lesser because it is not by research. I am a mature aged student who needs this service.

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I don't understand why U/Gs can't book study carrels on Level 3 - this is REALLY disappointing and very annoying. So P/Gs by research can book a carrel for an entire semester?? What about days on which they are not being used?? What is the rationale for this and under what circumstances would it be reversed? I'm guessing that U/Gs would constitute the greater proportion of La Trobe students, yet we can no longer book the carrels - why do we have less right to access private and secure study areas?

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Kanopy doesn't seem to work as easily with Safari (on a Mac) as it does with Firefox (on a Mac). Get lots of question mark icons in Safari.

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I understand that study carrels on level 3 are no longer available to undergraduate students. While I understand there may be a need for study spaces for Post Graduate students it seems unfair to take them away from undergraduates. The carrels are often empty (like right now for instance) and the space is being wasted. I am a mature age student and appreciate the quiet and private space. Also, you will need to police the open study areas more effectively and remove the belongings of people who take-over a space all day and leave their belongings behind while they are not there. This occurs quite frequently. I look forward to my study time in the carrels and I am terribly disappointed by this decision. Perhaps a system that gives Post Grads priority can be created without excluding undergraduates all together.

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I still cannot access journals from the website. I have repeatedly tried Wiley and WoSci and I get either a proxy error or the system freezes. It allows me to accept the terms and I can enter my login details but then nothing. This is killing me. I am out doing field work 300km from Melbourne and I need to get access. Before you ask, yes I am enrolled and yes I still have access to both LMS & my email.

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Please, please do not exclude undergraduates from the use of the private study carrels on level 3! You have already turned the rest of the library into a giant playroom, with people trying to do serious study marginalised. I am a grad-entry law student and the only place in the library I can get peace and quiet to study (the only place on campus I can get this) is the study carrels. They are fantastic and I know many fellow law students who frequently utilise them. During semester they are always heavily booked but you can usually get one if you book in advance or benefit from someone else's cancellation. Reserving them for postgraduates is a ridiculous idea. I guarantee they won't use them. I was a postgraduate at Monash and we had a whole separate building dedicated to postgraduate study space. Even though getting a desk there was a competitive process, and people signed up for them, only a minority of students actually used them with any regularity -- I was one of them. So please don't waste valuable library space by dedicating its use to people who, although they may have good intentions, won't actually regularly use it. Please leave it as an open booking system for undergrads and postgrads, and, yes, by all means give postgrads the preferential treatment they currently have, of being able to book for double time. But don't let these rooms become under-utilised spaces where postgrads can store all the lengthy tomes on post-structuralist theory they aspire to read. These books can be perfectly well housed on the general shelves of the library, and post grads already have privileged access to the study rooms under the current regime. Please do not let the rooms rot away when there are many students desperate to use them every day. Thanks,

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Hi there, I am a clinical educator for a Latrobe occupational therapy student and I understand that I have on-line library access as a practice educator. Can you tell me how I can gain access and enjoy the benefits of this reward? Many thanks, Ellie

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I find it difficult and frustrating to log in externally in order to make regular changes to my password. I find no simple path through the site that leads me to the relevant page, unless I'm requesting an item from the catalogue.

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thank you to the lady and gentleman in the red shirt who helped me retrieve the books I needed for my research on metaethics, especially for getting me the extra book on epistemology in metaethics. Merry Christmas! Monica

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I am a postgrad student at Latrobe. It goes without saying that I depend on the library to undertake my research. We have been given no warning that there will be downtime over summer, and now every day there seems to be arbitrary extensions to the shutdown. Someone has just told me that there has been a notice posted in the library during the course of today saying that the whole third floor will be shut as of tomorrow until the end of January. I understand that maintenance needs to be done, but this sort of random shutdown for extended periods is completely unacceptable. Do you have anyone in charge of this process? Did you have any idea how long it would take before you undertook it? If not, why not? If so, why did you give no notice that the library would be shut for so long?

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Hi, I think the post-grad room in the library is a fantastic idea, it is nice for post-grads to have their own little space in there. It is a nice set-up and I enjoy working in there. I see from previous feedback that people have asked about getting a kettle and a microwave in there - is this still a possibility? I can understand the budget issues and concerns about maintenance, however there doesn't seem much point in having a kitchen without these things - sure I can keep my lunch in the fridge and my mug and teabags in the cupboard but then I can't heat my lunch or make tea anyway! I hate to complain but this is the biggest drawback of this space at the moment. Could the post-graduate committee on the student union offer any help with this?

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Can the computers and desks please be kept clean they are filthy. Why not put alcohol wipes at the end of desks so students can do it themselves

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I've been a student at La Trobe for five years now and love the improvements to the library that have happened during that time, it is a much more functional space now than it was back in 2007. However I m now a research student and am finding the library's limited Summer opening hours to be very difficult to work around, especially as I work part-time. I know I'm not the only student in this situation. What I would like to suggest is that for one or two days per week the library opens during the evening so that those of us researchers who are working on our theses throughout the summer but also have family or work commitments can access the library. Maybe the library could open later on in the day so the opening hours are the same, like some public libraries do so instead of opening from 9am-5pm (for example) the library could be open from 1pm-9pm. This would make the lives of many researchers much, much easier, especially those of us working to tight deadlines.

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I get articles from the Annex from time to time - usually scanned. In geological articles, pictures are extremely important - they are part of the data -, and the resolution of the scan is often insufficient to see the pics properly. Please, could it be possible to request a higher-res scan.

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Hi, How is it possible that the decision was made that all books on the 3rd floor (the majority of books!) would be allowed to be unavailable for a week? The primary purpose of a library is to make books and resources available to those who need them - I'm a PhD student about to finish my thesis and am in urgent need of a number of books, which I'm told are unlikely to become available to me until at least Monday. I understand that maintenance work may need to be done, but surely the priority of the Library is ensuring access to its resources to the University's students. You could have at least implemented a system whereby we could request the books and staff could get them for us, rather than making all books on the 3rd floor unavailable with no notice. This is totally unacceptable for a library, and very frustrating for students or staff who need access to books. Jasmine Westendorf

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On Google Scholar, different papers from the same conference is only indexed once. This is because the 2 different papers are classified as "different version" instead of 2 completely different papers. Thus, the paper counts is reduced by the one if 2 papers are presented at the same conference. Please correct this problem as soon as possible!!!!

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I needed to read the following e-book (http://library.latrobe.edu.au/search~S5?/aMusick/amusick/1%2C4%2C8%2CB/frameset&FF=amusick+marc+a&1%2C1%2C) to assist with my writing of a book chapter on volunteering and found netlibrary's service to be awful. The program opened up a separate pdf file for every single page that I needed to read; these pdf files did not close when I finished the page. I had to go back to the original browser to "turn" the page even though the pdfs opened up independently -- it might be easier if the book could be read inside the browser perhaps. I called the library for help but it seems there are no ways around this problem other than to request the book in paper copy from another library (which I have now done). It would be good to feed this comment back to netlibrary to improve their service.

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Hello, I am writing to you in response of some assistance that I received this semester. I am a Masters student and was using the research help desk for the first time. Sue Porter was the librarian on duty and helped me research a topic for the major assessment for one of my subjects. Sue went above and beyond her abilities and would not stop trying to find exactly what I required. Her manner was pleasant, extremely professional and nothing seemed to much for her to do. I would only hope that every librarian is as professional and helpful as Sue was that day. I will be hoping to find her personally give her thanks. The research went towards getting my assessment mark of 84. Thank you, Sue. Regards, Matthew White

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Hi, I was just wondering if the cleaners could pay a bit more attention to the carrels on the 3rd floor please? I'm not sure how often they are cleaned, but there is a small chocolate on the floor in one of the carrels that has been there for weeks and weeks (I often use the same carrel)which suggests that the floors aren't being vacuumed well, if at all, and I often have to clear rubbish out even if I am the first user of the day. The desks are also often covered in crumbs or are sticky and could benefit from semi-regular cleaning. Otherwise books and laptops can get food all over them. Small issue, I know, but would certainly enhance my library-using experience! Otherwise, great library. Thanks

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Melbourne 1/11/11 The extended hours are more than helpful towards making better use of our study time. Additionally could you consider adding some bean bags? Many thanks

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Hi Laura, I had another idea. I realised that not many people seem to be using the many lounge type chairs in the pgrad room in the library. Perhaps eventually a few more computers with desks could be put in that area instead, rather than having so many lounge chairs there. This would enable more pgrad students to study in there on the busiest days (tues and wednesdays). Kind regards,

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The after hours library service has been great, however like last semester, as we come to the exam period the first floor is completely flooded with students. Please open upstairs so that people can get a computer without fighting for it!! Thank you

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Dear Lovely Librarians My name is Errol Salih and I just wanted to thank you for the generous help shown this morning. As a Post Grad student from Monash Uni, I was delighted at the response shown when needing to borrow a much sort after book for an exam I am currently undertaking. The no fuss attitude was most appreciated. Kind Regards Errol

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Ground floor ladies toilets, there is obvioulsy a problem with the amount of hand towel being used in peak times out does the capacity of the bins provided. It may be worth the investment of providing two more similar sized bins to make it a more heigenic place and relieve the poor staff from an infection they do not need. The cost of the bins would be much less than the cost of workers comp for your staff or worse for a student to fall and sue the library.. SHOW SOME COMMON SENCE DO SOMETHING NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.

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I would like to thank Jen on the help desk last week. As she gave lots of assistance and was so helpful that I would not have had the patience to do what she did... I would hate to not have the help desk there as it is a great resourse. I have tried the student services guys in futher towards the back of the bank of computers but they do not have the customer services skills or the maturity when dealing with those less knowldegeable and more senior in years. They come across rather apathetic towards mature age students...

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I wish to make a suggestion for the following acquistion to LaTrobe University Library: Title: His Majesty's Opponent: Subhas Chandra Bose and India's Struggle against Empire Author: Sugata Bose Publisher: Harvard University Press (May 2011)

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The construction work being carried out at the moment on the third floor of the library, repairing the toilets, is unreasonably loud. I don't understand why this kind of noisy, disruptive and irritating work was organised to be carried out in the PEAK LIBRARY period of the semester. Every carrel, booth, and table is occupied, with disgruntled students sick of having to put up with construction noise at all hours of the day. Its bad enough that there is construction work being carried out next to the library, but within it, at a time when the most people are using the library is inconsiderate to the students. Please plan with more discretion and compassion next time you're going to arrange renovations!

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I would prefer to pay library fines via the web site. Seems strange that I can update my print card on line yet have to go on campus to the loans desk to pay a fine.

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After reading feedback from others i am in utter disbelief of the complaints about the front desk staff. I have often asked for their assistance and ALWAYS received the best outcome from them. It is comforting to know that any time I have need help or have a query they are always there. I know this is also the case for many students, I have only heard positive feedback. So THANK YOU to all the staff at front desk for helping us ease into first year. You really are an important part of Latrobe University. :)

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I really appreciate all the help and support I get from Library staff - I have never officially, except to the person helping me directly,say 'thank you'. I especially appreciate the ordering online facility and the 'extra mile' library staff have gone to helping me with books I can't find on the shelf or in one case half a reference! I know, as a person who has been on the frontline, that it is usually the person with the complaint who goes to the effort of providing feedback or contacting those in charge - it is rarely the satisfied and happy customer who makes the effort. So, thank you La Trobe Library Staff - thank you to the people who walked around and found books on the shelves; thank you to the people who work behind the scenes organising books from the Annexe; thank you to counter staff who, when I had a question that couldn't be answered easily, followed up and found the resource! Cheers Annette

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One has to question publicly posting these complaints and whinges. If it's an attempt to make it look like your solving problems, it's not. All your doing is encouraging people to make frivolous complaints. The comment about 'characters speaking Arabic' for example, is clearly discriminatory and should be taken down. I'd suggest you follow your own university policies and address these as they should be addressed, and that is not in a public forum.

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Hi, why cannot i renew my study carrel booking (if not booked next) from my libraray. it saves time to go to reception in the middle of doing assignments or exam prep.

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THANK YOU librarians for listening. I am currently sitting in a gloriously quiet 3rd floor computer block - with a security guard watching on. All I can say is THANK YOU for saving me from the conflict of asking other students to please be quiet!!!!! The security guard asked, and the group continued to talk continuously as soon as she walked away, and she came back and addressed them again, and then stayed for a while. Sad that that is what it takes - but GREAT WORK !!!! I really appreciate the concentration time....

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This is a complaint regarding the attitudes of a vast number of library staff. It is incredibly rare that I feel the need to complain, especially with regards to customer service. I understand people have 'off days' and it is often hard to keep a constant smile on your face for an eight/ten hour shift. Nonetheless, this complaint is the result of two years of accumulated frustration. I am a frequent user of this library, I spend an average 25 hours a week studying in the carrels. The new renovations to the library are first-rate and it is generally a very comfortable place to study. Unfortunately I now live in fear of approaching the majority of the librarians on the front desk and those who are re-shelving books. This trepidation is shared by a number of my peers. We are frequently met by grunts, snatching and sneers just on account of producing a student card to pick up a carrel key. I politely asked a gentleman in Reserve this morning if he could help me locate a book that was marked as "recently returned" and it was if I had asked him to pull his own teeth out. (Needless to say the book was not found and I was dismissed with the turn of his back). I am sick of being sneered and grunted at on a daily basis by those who I am assuming have been hired based on their ability to provide library assistance to those who seek it. I am not sure how whoever is in charge of responding to these complaints may go about fixing this situation. The purpose of this email is to draw your attention to the matter in the hope that something adequate will be done to address the often poor levels of customer service provided to patrons of this library. (It would be prudent to add here that there are a few rare gems amongst the library staff who are a delight to speak to and always willing to help. I am sorry that I do not know their names, but the gentleman with the (i'm assuming Welsh?) accent is fantastic as is the lady with the very colourful watch.) Thank you for your consideration of this comment/complaint.

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There needs to be a policy or policing of computer use in the library, particular in the regards to people leaving their belongings on a computer station in order to claim the computer. This is an unfair and rude practice that slows down computer rotation and prevents people from accessing the public computers.

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The new referencing guide is really annoying when you click on a section the window that pops up flickers and it is hard and annoying to read the information.

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My complaint regards the bathroom facilities in the library. Today it would have been nice to have a heads up about the noise going on in level 3 with the bathroom renovations- I booked a study carrel but would have been better to stay at home. Also spent 20 minutes queuing to use the one bathroom on level 2 while the level 1 bathrooms were being cleaned. The traffic that is required to negotiate through the one door on level one is ridiculous, and people are constantly opening doors into one another. This is a health and safety issue.

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I dont understand why we cannot place a book that is available on hold for a few hours until we are able to travel in to the library to ensure that the book is available when we get there. I have 3 children I have to travel in with today and will be very disappointed if I get all the way in to the library and the book is not available to me. I rang the library and was told that because the book was available on the shelf that it cannot be put on hold, what if it is borrowed in the mean time? This service for students needs to be addressed.

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Hi, In regards to the library extended opening hours (Melbourne Campus), if this continues next year, I would to recommend that Alumni who have library membership also be able to use the library during extended hours. Thanks

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I have not yet received a response!!! the air conditioning on level 2 is set too high. is it possible to have the temperature lowererd as it is very stuffy in there, which makes it difficult to concentrate on my studies? Other students are also likely to have the smae problem.. thanks

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Melbourne 29 Sept 2011 Massive issue with door labels ‘ENTRY’ and ‘EXIT’... I suggest we either upsize and colour code the labels so as to be visible to all or alternatively we invest in a information campaign in order to educate the patrons as to what constitute entry and what exit bc I'm utterly sick of people walking into me while I'm exiting and vice versa.

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Is it possible to perhaps provide more bins etc throughout the Library? The smell in some of the male toilets is terrible. Exhaust fans? Deodorisers?

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The study corral computers need to be updated and maintained. Webpages take a long time to load, and that's if they don't make the browser crash. LMS doesn't work with IE, Only Firefox and it would be nice if we could log in as ourselves to access our :/Z drives. Also, typing into word is an arduous process as word takes a while to catch up when typing a large amount of text. Thanks

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As a law student I would like to bring it to your attention that the law section of Level 2 a supposed ‘quiet’ study area has been infested by unsavoury characters who are unruelly and make a habit of intimidating actual students away from the surrounding areas. I hope the matter is dealt with soundly so I can continue with my studies in a safe environment. We think that their is warranted cause to request an explanation as to why the people with the clipboards are counting us like cattle. Reasoning should be made public to all students for this measure. Side note referring to previous feedback form: clipboard people witnessed the unsavoury characters yet took no appropriate action(s). Not happy!!!

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Hi.. I used to print out double-sided paper in the library which is cost me 22 cents and the same price if i print 2 single-sided papers. By printing double sided can save one paper and less cost.Would please consider to give cheaper price if double-sided paper printed? Thank you very much:) Regards, Salmon Pandarangga

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i can't log on to reborrow my books! they are now overdue as i can not come in to personally re borrow them. my friend is also having the same problem

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hi, i use the computers regularly on level 2. But it gets difficult to concentrate as the heating is set so high, which makes the environment stuffy. could the temperature be lowered please??

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• Not enough toilets on second level for the amount of people using the Library • Never enough chairs/desks/tables. There is always people sitting on the floor • Not big enough bins, always bins are overflowing • Not enough computers and they are very slow to logon • Not enough plugs to connect my own computer when I bring it

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Hi, Iḿ pregnant and found a good supply of books on this topic and raising children in the library. However, these books are mostly from the 70s, 80s and 90s and thus outdated. It would be really great to have some newish books on this topic. I'm a teacher and out of 150 students, 3 are pregnant, so that is about 1 in 50 students, I think it is quite a lot and I'm sure they will all want to know a bit about whats ahead of them. Of course, we can go to the normal library, but as most spend a lot of time at uni, the uni library is just so much more convenient. If you would like, I'd be happy to donate a couple of my books when I'm done with them. They´d go to the opshop otherwise (where they came from) and are in great condition, looks like new. Would the library be interested in these books? lastly, monday should be a mythical being, I disagree with your list down the bottom of this page. Best regards, Marijke

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Yes, just some feedback. 1 years ago, the title MEMOIRS OF A PUBLIC BABY, Phillip O'Connor, FABER, 1958, went missing in transit or at the storage. What's happening? any replacement or search for this item. It was a favorite, I wanted to finish reading it. Thank you.

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Is it acceptible during after-hours to talk at a conversational volume in the library, such as that required for talking on a phone or to a group of people? During regular hours this seems to be perfectly acceptible but since during after-hours access the second and third levels are closed, are the rules different for the ground level? This is of course different to playing music out loud, which I see as deliberate noise creation.

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In the library, on the first floor between the research help desk and the toilets, the drink fountain is really quite dirty and even though the actual toilets get cleaned regularly this fountain has had the same mess in it for weeks and it's just getting worse. I'd just like to bring it to someones attention as it's obviously getting neglected by somebody.

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The flow of traffic in and out of the library is chaotic because you enter on the right instead of the left. Often when several students are leaving the library at once its hard to even navigate the inquiry desk line as people cut through there to get out of the RHS door.

I think there needs to be better traffic flow maybe be entering on the LHS closer to the library counter and main stairs.

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Can the people who look after the computer please get there act together ASAP. I tried logging on to about 8 computer today to no avail, please remove that insulting screen that says infinite possibilites and replace it with a statement about if the computer works or not and a phone number of someone who is responsible for fixing if it does not. I have reported this problem about 4 months ago so there are no excuses for not solving this problem. If there is some major problem then tell students what is happening and what is being done to rectify it.

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I am trying to access on line: Tony Birch, ‘Come See the Giant Koala’, Meanjin, 3 (1999). I am using Windows XP, Adobe version X, and either Internet Explorer, or Mozilla Firefox. I can access the Meanjin volume but can see only the Love, Leonard, Muecke, Jakubowicz and Papastergiardis articles. Ann Copeland helped me at the counter yesterday and supplied the document. Thanks. I spoke to her again today. But when I come to repeat the exercise here, my access problem recurs. It seems something is missing/blocked in my system set-up. Can you suggest a solution, please? Patrick McNamara. Student 15198373. Tel 03 94592858.

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I can understand why the library would not to have a kettle in the postgraduate room. How about installing one of those taps that has boiling hot water. I'll supply my own cup and teabags. Love the room.

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I don't know if you're aware, but many of the movies in the catalogue (those recorded from TV to DVD) do not display in the correct aspect ratio. By watching a 16:9 film in 4:3 you're losing a quarter of the director's vision, and as a student seriously studying Cinema Studies I don't think this is acceptable. Another issue is that these same movies have no chapter option and won't play on computers, making it difficult to analyse them scene by scene. Considering that in such a state they're effectively unwatchable, is there anything that can be done?

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Image on flat screen above security desk, picture of a mouse has a wire coming from bottom instead of the top. Seems tad silly that it even has a chord, although it is accurate to have a chord.

Sarah

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Has the library thought about imposing time limits on the computers during peak periods? Nmit seem to have a system like this that functions quite well. Just a suggestion.

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The light notification system on the laptop lockers in the library is extremely inefficient and difficult to use. One cannot, at a glance, tell which are free and which are in use. It would be better to simply have the locker light solidly on when in use, and off when free. Also, I think it would be a brilliant idea to put a digital countdown timer set to one hour that begins count down when in use. That way, people who need to use them know how long they may have to wait until there might be a free locker.

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I think a sign in/on the group study rooms saying "We kindly remind you that these rooms are not soundproof" is needed. Also, the group study rooms on Level 3 are not just 'non-soundproof', but actually reverberate the sound. It would be better to not have group study rooms on this level, as group study does not equate to silent study, and Level 3 is the "silent study" level.

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The description for the group study rooms on Level 3 (http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/melbourne/room-bookings.php) say that there are whiteboards in them, but I know for a fact that 3.01 does not have anything but a table and chairs. As a Math student, I use the boards a lot for calculations, so could you either put a whiteboard in there, or change the page saying that there are whiteboards in there?

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Since the "upgrade" to the Bundoora campus library, I feel like there is less usable work area. I simply don't believe there are enough non-silent study areas to supply the demand, in particular during the busier hours around 10am - 3pm.

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Hello, A few days ago I received email from head of school about SPSS training by the library. I went to Lib webpage to register straight away after reading that email, and was quite surprised (and disappointed) finding out that the 2-day training was already fully booked! Hope there will be another one soon. Thanks

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Hello, Thanks for providing a postgraduate study room in the library. Would it be possible to put a printer as well as a microwave oven there?

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Borrowing Bonus books is a fines trap! The fact that they are only allowed to be renewed once is not clearly shown anywhere on the book or under your borrowing record until you try to renew them a second time. This means you can easily get caught out thinking that like any other general LTU book you will have another option to renew them a second or third time. In reality I often renew my books when I'm away from home, such as when I'm at work or at uni, and the books I'm renewing are not physically with me. I use the due date online to tick for another renewal, and then discover that the bonus book should have been returned and can't be renewed. It's frustrating and a fines trap as it is not always possible for me to get to uni that day. Why not add a banner over the renewals page to remind borrowers that Bonus Books only get one renewal? Or asterisk bonus books on students' borrowing records with this information accompanying every Bonus book borrowed? Please make this vital difference in borrowing rights more transparent with fine preventative alerts and reminders. The Bonus system at the moment can be revenue raising and punitive, not educational and supportive. Add this issue to the carbon miles involved in transporting books around Australia and from New Zealand and it seems a dicey option that shouldn't be encouraged or made available at all, unless fine revenue is the real goal. Why not just buy more books here at LTU?

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Hi. I just saw a book in the La Trobe bookshop which looks really interesting but it's not on the library catalogue. I think it's a new release. Will you be getting it in? The book is 'Rome' by the famous art historian Robert Hughes.

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Hello there. The University of Melbourne Library has just increased the borrowing limit to 100 books for all staff and students (http://www.lib.unimelb.edu.au/services/loans/semester2.html). It would be great if La Trobe considered increasing the limit beyond the existing 30 because there are times when simultaneous research demands for multiple subjects really test the existing limit. Thanks for your consideration.

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I have just begun studying a Latrobe this semester. I have had many new things to learn, sometimes feeling overwhelmed. I just want to say that I have found the staff at the library to be FANTASTIC. They have never given me a hard time for some of the 'silly' questions I have asked. I have not encountered a rude member of staff, not at the front desk, the IT area or the staff I have seen 'on the floor' around the library. I have had all my questions answered concisely and without being made to feel like I am a waste of their time. Thanks for making my transition from working full time to studying full time a little easier. A HUGE thanks from me to ALL of you!! A job well done- please keep it up. You are appreciated!!

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Charge a lesser rate for double sided printing that way if saves paper and students carry less. Win – win.

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I'm at home and the library page won't let me in (neither will other uni pages) although my staff password does get me into my computer and my email. THis has also happened to my husband. We click on help but it tells us to click on the "eye" icon at the bottom of the page. We don't have an eye icon at the bottom of our page. We don't even have a bottom on our page. So, alas, I can't do research in my own time.... can you advise?

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problem with colour printer in Library: I printed off 125 copies to find the LaTrobe logo came partly in BLUE, not red! I can't seem to paste in the section to show you but it should be red. If this is not your responsibilty, please forward it on.

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Hi Librarians in Shepparton, I just want to let you know that the computer with the yellow sign on the top of its screen in the library has a sticky "enter" key. If you push it once and it stays pushed - rendering the document very long and the student very wary of using the computer again. Please help!

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Hello, The recently renovated library looks great but it is VERY UNCOMFORTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! the chairs and tables are all the same awkward height. there is no variation or choice. I am of average height and feel terribly uncomfortable when doing my work in the library because i am too far away from my work ( I cant imagine how tall people would feel) Please get some lower chairs and some taller tables so people can mix and match what works for them.... this is seriously effecting my studies as I have no where to work whilst on campus. Regards Amber

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It would be great if there was a citation download option for books directly from the library catalogue!

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For some of us it is anything but a great relief to discover that the Music Score collection has been restored..... I wonder why La Trobe gives space to a music collection when other key collections have been relegated to off-site storage. It would be interesting to hear the justification for a music collection when there are no music courses taught at La Trobe.

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hello just spent a long time in your stacks looking for a book that your catalogue claims is/was available. It wasn't there - so naturally I checked every single spine of all the books in the vicinity without luck. Ten-fifteen minutes later I came all the way back down and the very helpful librarian knew to tell me about the shelves called 'Good Reads'. It strikes me as very unhelpful to stack a book in an entirely different section without indicating that in the catalogue. I am a busy academic and dont' have time to search zillions of shelves for a book supposed to be one place but moved elsewhere. Thanks.

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I think the extended opening hours are a great idea, but wouldn’t it make sense to extend weekend hours as well? You could do something like 8am to 8pm weekends, which means there doesn’t need to be someone there all night, but students can still make better use of time on the weekends. Also, some students don’t get holidays at the same time as everyone else (e.g.final year students on clinical placements, and masters students in the faculty of health sciences) so extended hours during July would be great, as we’ll still be studying just as hard during this time. Thanks :)

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For the umpteenth time since the laptop charging lockers have been installed (fantastic idea!) I tried to use one today and found, as usual, that they were all taken. Not surprising due to the number of students vs the number of lockers. What has me royally peeved, however, is that i stood waiting- in the end, for an hour. Each time someone would come and remove their computer they would then close it, and lock it- saving it for future use. Several other people came and unlocked lockers that had been empty and placed their computer in them. In the end a locker did become avaliable and the girl removing her things from it only removed a pencil case and a binder. There are not enough powerpoints around the library to service everyone with a laptop. May I suggest having a window at the front where library staff can peep in and if there is no computer, empty the contents where it can be collected from the front desk. If no improvement is made to the system, i’m going to end up having to go to the dark side- getting here early to save myself a locker, like all the selfish people doing it now. (And in case you’re wondering, I asked three people if i could use the locker they had vacated- each said “no! i’m using it!”

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Group study rooms on level 3 should be removed, or be made sound-proof. The much louder than necessary noise of discussion if that is really what they are doing, totally ruined the silence in Silent Study Area. For people who choose to study in Silent Study Area, their careless noise is neither encouragement nor inspiration but DISTURBANCE and ABUSE, especially during busy revision period before exams.

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