Introducing the MCAST

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• Introducing the MCAST
• Library and learning Resource Centres
• (LLRCs)

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• Outline of session
• Mission Statement
• Health, Safety Security Issues
• Opening hours
• How the library is arranged
• Classification scheme used
• Lending policy
• Library Catalogue
• Other Library Facilities

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• Mission Statement
• The MCAST LLRCs aim to provide organised and
  easily accessible banks of information that all
  MCAST Students, Lecturers and Administration
  Staff can make use of for free to support their
  Learning and Lecturing programs. Moreover we also
  provide some items of edutainment value.

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• Health, Safety and Security Issues
• One of our main concern is the Health Safety of
  all library user during your visit to our six
  libraries. The following are the safety rules at
  MCAST Libraries.
• If you hear a fire alarm
• LEAVE IMMEDIATELY and go to the assembly point
  outside. Do not return to the library until told
  it is safe to do so.
• Do NOT use the lift. Use inside stairs or
  external emergency stairs exits.
• If you cannot use the stairs let a member of
  staff on your floor know you will be assisted.

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• If you had an accident or incident in the
  library no matter how small or big or you have
  noticed something dangerous, report it
  immediately to a member of the library staff.
• Emergency exits are STRICTLY for emergency use
  only. Their use will set off alarms and in case
  of improper use disciplinary action will be
  taken.

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• Ensure that all items to be borrowed are issued
  at the reception desk in your name. If the book
  detection alarm sounds upon leaving please return
  to the reception desk.
• Please deposit your bags at the main entrance
  before entering the Library however DO NOT leave
  valuables.
• For your safety and security all areas of the
  Library are covered by CCTV cameras

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• The MCAST LLRCs
• Main Library Paola
• Agribusiness - Qormi
• Art Design Mosta
• Building Construction Naxxar
• Gozo Centre - Xaghra
• Maritime Kalkara

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• Opening hours
• Term-Time
• Main Library - Paola
• Mondays Fridays 08.15-16.15
• Tuesday and Thursdays 08.15-18.45
• Other Institute Libraries
• Please refer to our library web-pages at
• www.mcast.edu.mt/llrc/

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• Library stock
• More than 25,000 books
• over 250 journals
• 30 journals in electronic format
• Over 300 CD-ROMs
• More than 200 Videos DVD films
• Access to over 100 PCs with Internet connection
  to help you research and prepare your assignments

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• Book stock arrangement
• Materials in the MCAST Library are arranged
  according to whether they are
• Fiction (stories) or
• Non fiction (facts about people or subjects)

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• Book stock arrangement
• Non fiction materials are grouped according to
  subjects.
• Each subject has a number from 001 to 999

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• Book stock arrangement Non Fiction
• Ground Floor
• Generalities 001 - 099,
• Philosophy Psychology 100 - 199,
• Religion 200 - 299,
• Social sciences 300-399,
• Language 400-499
• Natural sciences Mathematics 500-599.
• Periodicals 001 999 (All subjects)
• Reference Books 001 999 (All subjects)

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• Book stock arrangement Non Fiction
• Second Floor
• Technology (Applied sciences) 600- 699,
• Arts 700 -799
• Literature rhetoric 800 899
• Geography history 900-999.
• Intermediate, Junior and Kinder Collections
  (Fiction and Non-Fiction)
• Basic Skills Collections

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• Book stock arrangement Non Fiction
• Third Floor
• Lecturers Collection 001-999 All subjects
• Audio-Visual Collection (Films, CDs and music)

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• Book stock arrangement Fiction
• Ground Floor
• General Fiction in English and Maltese
• Second Floor
• Intermediate, Junior and Kinder Fiction in
  English and Maltese
• Third Floor
• Fiction films as Videos and DVDs

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• Classification system
• The Dewey Decimal Classification divides all
  knowledge into classes numbered 000-999.
• Examples include
• 004 Computing
• 150 Psychology
• 510 Mathematics for Engineering
• 570 Biology
• 611 Medicine
• 620 Mechanical Engineering
• 658 Management
• 796 Sports
• The Library Catalogue gives you the exact number
  you need

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• Shelf Marks and Collections
• Besides classification numbers that indicate
  subjects items, are given letters (shelf-marks
  to indicate their collection.
• Examples include
• (Blank) Books can be borrowed for home use (95
  of all books)
• R Reference (use in the Library only)
• A-V Audio visual (CDs, DVDs, Videos, music)
• M Melitensia
• F Fiction
• I Intermediate
• The Library Catalogue lists all these shelf-marks
  with their explanation and location in each
  library

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• Class marks / shelf marks
• So to help you find items easily each item has a
  spine label with
• Shelf mark (letters only) if applicable
• A set of numbers to indicate subject if non
  fiction
• 3 letters taken from the authors surname

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• Class marks / shelf marks
• As an example the book
• An Introduction to Physical Science by Shipman,
  Wilson Todd. has the following spine label where

Reference
R 500.2 SHI
Classification number
First 3 letters of author
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• Loan categories
• 3-WEEK LOANS Open shelves
• 1-WEEK LOANS Periodicals Collection
• You need to first register with the library at
  the reception desk (form available on-line)
• Show us your ID Card to borrow Books
• You will be charged a fine (5c a day) if you
  bring books back late.

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• Reference books
• In addition to books on the open shelves the
  Library also holds a good collection of reference
  books
• GENERAL and SUBJECT REFERENCE collections,
  located on the ground floor of the MCAST Library.
  The collection contain language and translation
  dictionaries, general encyclopaedias like
  Britannica, specialist encyclopaedias like McGraw
  Hill enycl. of Science Technology , Atlases,
  Year Books, Almanacs, Annual Reports, Business
  Directories etc.

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• Journals
• The MCAST Library subscribes to around 250
  journals and periodicals some in electronic
  format. Details of our journal holdings are
  shown on the Library Catalogue - direct access to
  electronic journals is provided.
• Journals and periodicals are shelved according
  to subject areas.
• All journals can be borrowed for 1 week.

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• Library Catalogue
• The Library Catalogue is on the Web
  (www.mcast.edu.mt/llrc/) and tells you whats in
  our Libraries and where to find it.
• You can search by
• Author
• Title
• Keyword
• Subject
• Author keyword
• Author title
• Your course and study unit
• You can use the catalogue anywhere you have
  access to the Web

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• Using the Library Catalogue
• http//www.mcast.edu.mt/llrc/ Library
• Search
• Our
• Catalogue

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Click on the Show Copy link to show all the
copies of the book, with their shelfmark, loan
type and availability .
Title
Author
Loan type
Location of the Book
Shelfmark
Availability
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• Your course and the Library
• You can search for library titles that are
  directly linked to your studies at
  http//195.158.110.84/llrc_yourcourseandlibrary.as
  p
• Choose your Institute, then choose your course,
  and for all study units in your course there is a
  direct on-line link by Subject or Class to
  our catalogue.

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• Other facilities
• Photocopiers near the Issue Desk. Cost 2c / A4
  sheet
• Printers. Cost 2c 0.05/ A4 sheet For black and
  white prints, and 10c 0.23 for colour prints
• Scanners Free
• Computers offering word-processing and Internet
  access free
• A-V Equipment Video, DVD, Cassette and CD players

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• Other facilities
• Assistance with Basic Skills on the second floor
  by qualified BSU staff
• A-V Presentation area for groups on the first
  floor please book beforehand
• Lecturing area for groups on the first floor
  please book beforehand
• Areas for small group work on the third floor
• Lecturers area on the third floor

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• Things you should do
• Register with the Library (you can print the
  on-line form)
• Ask for assistance from Library staff as
  necessary
• Read the Library Posters and follow Library Signs

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• Things you should do
• Visit our web-pages www.mcast.edu.mt/llrc/
• Practice using the on-line Library Catalogue so
  that you can find books about a particular subject

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• Things you should do
• Practice using the Your course and the Library
  page on our web-site. It is an invaluable tool to
  find books for each particular study unit in your
  course.
• At the Main Library Paola get your Username and
  Password to use PCs.

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• Remember this URL
• URL of the MCAST Librarys website
• http//www.mcast.edu.mt/llrc
• Provides links to the Library Catalogue, the
  Subject Directory and many pages of help and
  advice to aid you in getting the most out of the
  Library.

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• Rules and Regulations
• In every house there are
• rules and regulations and
• even MCAST library has its
• own rules and regulations
• so please ask at the
• reception desk for a copy or
• refer to our web-pages

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• Thank you for your attention and we look forward
  to seeing you on a regular basis