Self-guided tour of Auraria Library -
Welcome! This is a truly unique academic library. It was created to serve three separate and excellent institutions of higher education: University of Colorado at Denver Downtown Campus (UCD), Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD) and Community College of Denver (CCD).
This tour of the award-winning Auraria Library building is a basic introduction to the Library as well; it will:
- take you to the different parts of the Library,
- describe and explain the different collections and
- explain library services.
Like most libraries, Auraria puts different types of material in different physical locations so that each type of material, such as reference books, maps and media, has its own area.
To your right as you enter thru the front entrance of the Library (btw, it is the only non-emergency exit) is the Circulation Desk.
Stop #1 CIRCULATION (or CHECKOUT) DESK
At this desk you can:
- check out books, maps and government publications,
- place holds on books that are checked out so that you'll be the next one to get the book,
- renew books,
- pay fines (see the fines faq),
- correct the data on your personal library account,
- pick up holds, interlibrary loan, Pascal and Prospector materials
Pick up a current book mark for a handy complete list of checkout periods, hours and more. Students may check out up to 75 items for 28 days, with as many as three renewals if the item hasn't been recalled. Your student ID is your library card. Non-campus patrons may use any current Colorado picture identification and may check out up to 6 items for a 21 days, with one renewal.
Once a book is checked out to you, you are responsible for it. Patrons are given a grace period of 30 days to return or renew materials without fines. After items are 30 days overdue, patrons are assessed an initial replacement fine of $125.00 per item. If materials are returned after they are 30 days overdue, a fine of $25.00 per item is assessed.
Walk past the central stairway toward the back of the Library. On your right just before you reach the Reference Desk is a print card machine to purchase a card for printing from the computers. Proceed forward and then stop at the long desk on your left.
Stop #2 INFORMATION/REFERENCE DESK (Ref desk)
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This is the place to go with nearly any question. A Reference librarian is almost always on duty at this desk. Librarians are information specialists. They can teach you to use the library's online databases, suggest sources that you need to begin your research and help you find details, facts and statistics for your research assignments or help you in the periodicals area.
When the Ref desk is busy, we may only have time to help you get started. We encourage you to come back for more help as frequently as is necessary for you to complete your projects. Until then try our How Do I?l guides, subject guides or class guides.
Beyond to your right as you face the Ref Desk is the Reference Collection. The section is marked with large numbered blue cards labeled REF.
These books are not meant to be read cover-to-cover, but consulted to find the appropriate definition, general description, address, law or quick fact. Reference books may be general or they may relate to a specific subject and tend to fit into several categories:
- Encyclopedias (examples: The Encyclopedia of Psychology and the Encyclopedia of Science and Technology)
- Dictionaries (examples: Webster's and the Black's Law Dictionary)
- Handbooks (similar to one-volume encyclopedias)
- Almanacs (examples: World Almanac and the Information Please Environmental Almanac)
- Atlases (examples: world atlases, road atlases and the Atlas of Contagious Diseases)
- Directories (examples: National Directory and Higher Education Directory)
- Statistics books (examples: Statistical Abstract of the U. S. and Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics)
- The indexes are now integrated into the Reference Collection. Most magazines, newspapers and journals are indexed in the Library's online databases, but older or specialized periodicals may still be indexed only in a print index. They are in Library of Congress call number order, so for information about choosing an appropriate index or online database for your subject consult a Reference librarian at the Information/Reference Desk.
Take the time to browse the parts of the Reference Collection that will be most valuable to your future research. (Use the "Library of Congress Classification System" Help Guide which can be found at the Information/Reference Desk to aid you in locating the call letters for your major area.) Reference books are not checked out, so they'll always be here for your use.
Turn around, retrace your steps and walk back past the stairway towards the Circulation Desk. Turn left and proceed down the hallway until you see the PERIODICALS and COPY CENTER signs.
(You can also get into the Periodicals Reading Room through the back of the courtyard you see on your left by going through the microforms area.)
At the end of the hallway, look to your right.
Stop #3 CLICKS (the Copy Center) 
At the west end of the Periodicals area is the Library outlet of Clicks, the Copy Center. This is a place where you can have overheads made, things photocopied, faxed, or laminated, get change for photocopying, buy a print card for printing from the Library computers, purchase a scantron, green(no longer blue) books, usb drives or other student supplies. Clicks will take cash, checks or credit cards. Right near Clicks is the largest collection of photocopiers and the cost is $0.15 per page.
The area to the left (south) and east (back of the Library) of the copy center is the William Sharpless Jackson, Jr. E-Learning Center and the Periodicals Reading Room.
Stop #4 E-LEARNING CENTER 
The William Sharpless Jackson, Jr. Enhanced Learning Center is 1,800 square feet of flexible space that will accommodate multiple programs including individual study, classroom, community activities and meetings.
Stop #5 PERIODICALS
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This is where magazines, newspapers, or journals (anything that comes out periodically) are kept.
The most recent copies (usually between 2-5 years) of most of Auraria's periodicals are shelved alphabetically in the current periodicals stacks which are further to the left toward the back of the Library.
Periodicals may not leave the Library, but self-service copy machines and the copy center are nearby for your convenience. You can get help at the Reference Desk when no one is at the Periodicals Desk.
Older issues of the periodicals are kept in one of two places
- with the Bound periodicals, or
- in the Microforms section.
The bound periodicals are just ahead of you, kept on the shelves marked by location cards. They are filed by call number.
Auraria has two types of microforms:
- Microfilm is kept in call number order
- Microfiche -- also called fiche. Fiche of periodical articles is kept in the cabinets; it is arranged in alphabetical order by name of the journal.
Microfilm and fiche readers and printers ($0.15 per page) are available in the Microforms area on the far side of the south courtyard to your left.
Other fiche at Auraria Library include college catalogs from all over the country, annual reports for many companies and the ERIC collection of education documents. Many periodicals are now only online through various databases. Check with the staff at the Info/Ref desk or check the Skyline catalog to determine the exact location of your periodical.
Walk back up the hallway towards the Circulation Desk and proceed to the staircase and up it to the second floor.
Stop #6 CIRCULATING COLLECTION
Books here on the second floor are arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification System (the same used in the Reference Department). The Library of Congress (LC) number serves as the address of the book or other library material. If you know this number and what kind of material you want (reference book, magazine, journal) you can find what you need. The call number actually begins with a letter; the letter at the beginning of an LC call number represents a subject. For example, at the top of the staircase, you'll see book stacks (shelves) labeled J on the right side of the stairway and P straight in front of you. You will notice that the books are arranged in alphabetical order by call number. (As you walk down the rows of book stacks toward the back of the Library you will pass J’s, K's, L's, M's and N's. ) After this tour you may want to browse areas of special interest to you on this floor. If you find books that interest you, you may check them out at the Circulation Desk downstairs.
Turn right and walk toward the back of the Library. At the back take a dozen steps to the right. To the left, you will notice a sign saying Library Instruction (room 245). This is the room where classes come to be shown how to use the resources in the Library.
Now turn and go back down the wall (north) and past the murals and the books with the R call numbers. You will be standing in front of an enclosed area with two doors. This is the Archives department.
Stop #7 ARCHIVES and SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
| Archives collects documents produced by and relating to UCD, MSCD and CCD: course catalogs, newspapers and budget information. Special Collections, in this same department, includes material that is rare and sometimes unique, such as the Copeland Colorado Railroad collection or the National Municipal League Records collection. Since most of this material is rare, old and/or hard to replace, none may be checked out. This department is open 10 a.m. - 12 noon and 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. |  |
Now turn left and walk toward the front of the building, past the bookshelves marked Q, to the stairway. Before going downstairs, be aware that beyond the stairway there are restrooms. Go down the stairs and turn right.
Stop #8 COMPUTER COMMONS
At the bottom of the stairs to your right you will see the sign for the Computer Commons. This computer lab is open to students, faculty and staff of the Auraria campus only. Equipped with Microsoft Office software, networked printing, email and web browsers, this lab is available all hours the Library is open. No food or drink is allowed in this lab. When the lab is busy there will be a one-hour time limit for users. You must show a valid student ID to use computers in the lab. A second machine for buying a print card is located here. Lab hours
Beyond the Computer Commons heading towards the back of the Library is the Access Center.
Stop # 9 ACCESS CENTER
The Access Center is now the combination of Disability Services Office (DSO) and the Combined Computer Access Center (CCAC). The DSO is the designated office that maintains disability-related documents, determines a student’s eligibility for academic accommodations, determines reasonable accommodations and develops plans for the provision of such accommodations for MSCD. The DSO also advises faculty and staff in the development of reasonable accommodations that allow students with disabilities to demonstrate their abilities.
Equivalent offices for UCDHSC are called the Disability Resources and Services Office (DRS) and are located in the Arts Building, Room 177, 303.556.3450, TDD 303.556.4766. And those for CCD are called the Center for Persons with Disabilities (CPD) and are located at South Classroom Building, Room 134, 303.556.3300, cpd@ccd.edu .
The CCAC is a computer lab with special equipment that is open to students with disabilities of all three schools who are registered with their institution.
The area to the right of the Computer Commons is Government Publications.
Stop #10 GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS
The Auraria Library is a selective depository, acquiring U.S., Colorado and local government publications suited to the needs of this campus population. Denver Public Library and the CU-Boulder Library are full depositories of all publications distributed by the Government Printing Office.
The publications here are quite varied because the government publishes information on virtually all subjects. Many of these publications may be checked out of the Auraria Library.
One of the first things you may notice here is that Library of Congress classification numbers does not arrange this collection. These call numbers have slashes (/) and colons (:) and begin with letters that signify the agency which produced them. This system is called the Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) Classification System. Colorado State documents have their own similar system based on the issuing agency.
On Skyline, when you see a call number containing a colon or slash and with the location "GovPub", you'll know to come to this section of the Library. More and more government information is online and this is indicated by "Internet" on Skyline.
If you need assistance in finding government publications, ask at the Info/Ref desk.
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Turn around and walk toward the front of the Library.
Stop #11 RESERVES/AUDIO-VIDEO MEDIA SERVICES/INTERLIBRARY LOAN(Information Delivery)
This area is the Reserves/Audio-Video Media Services/Interlibrary Loan area. Many professors place materials on reserve to make sure that all students in the class have an opportunity to use them. In general, reserve materials are checked out for 2 hours, 1 day, or 3 days, depending on the instructor’s directions. Videos are checked out for 4 hours but need to be viewed in the Library.
To request reserve material, first consult the course reserves/videos link on the Library homepage. Pick the top choice "Search Course Reserves". There are computers conveniently located in the Reserve/Audio-Video Media/Interlibrary Loan area for you over by the window (see photo). You can find the item you need by looking it up under the professor’s name or a course number. Once you get to the record for the item, you will see the call number. Write the call number down and take it to the staff person at the counter. This person will locate the item in the collection, check it out to you and let you know how long you may use it. A valid Auraria student ID or a valid Colorado picture ID is required to check out these materials.
Some items such as articles and book chapters will be available online. This means that once you get to the article, it can be printed out. So look at the reserve record carefully. If you see a . PDF file listed, this item can be printed out. Please remember if you print it out in the Library, you will have to purchase a print card which you can get at the machines at the Reference Desk or in the Computer Commons.
Also in this area is the media collection, which includes such items as cassettes, CD’s, video recordings, DVD’s and records among other types of media. You can also find the audio and video equipment needed to use these items as well. Some media items may be checked out of the Library with a valid Auraria student ID.
Please note: If you are part of a self-paced class with video assignments or if you need to see a video or film, this is where you come to find the video and equipment for viewing.
No library has everything you might need for research; Interlibrary Loan can often help. Using a nationwide computer network, we can check with other libraries to find what you need and have it sent here for your use. You may place your requests online through Interlibrary Loan (ILL), which is available on the Auraria Library homepage under “Library Services” then "Interlibrary Loan".
If you go to the front of the Library, in the northeast corner, you will find a coffee cart. The cart is normally open during the busiest times in the Library.
Walk back to Reserves/Audio-Video Media section and turn right and go past the Government Publication sign toward the Information/Reference Desk.
The map area is located beyond the computers by the stairs, almost under the stairway.
MAP COLLECTION
The cabinets here are filled with one-sheet and booklet maps, filed in call-number order (some in LC and some in SuDoc). There are many topographical maps in this area. The maps may be checked out. The atlases are in the Reference collection, under the call letter G and across from the G row in the Reference collection in front of the indexes.
Your final stop on the tour is Skyline, the Auraria Library catalog which is located on the computer. Walk back toward the Indexes. Clusters of computers are located to the right and left of the Information/Reference Desk.
Please have a seat and explore.
Stop #12 The Auraria Library Homepage
These computers allow you to access the Auraria Library Homepage with its wide variety of resources including both full-text, citation and other databases and Skyline, Auraria's online catalog. Select article databases from the Library Homepage to find many of these research databases. (There is one more large banks of computers at the top of the stairs on the second floor.)
- Skyline is the online catalog for Auraria Library. This catalog is the key to everything the Library owns -- films, books, maps -- everything but articles in magazines and journals. You can search by word, subject, author, title or call number. Once you find the items you want in the online catalog, write down the location and the whole call number for each item. Be sure to write both down. If you forget to write down the location, you may go to the wrong section of the Library and have a hard time finding your items.
If a book you need is checked out or Auraria does not own the title, you may want to expand your search by using the Search Prospector button on the Skyline screen.
Prospector is the catalog for 23 Colorado academic and public libraries in the Front Range and Wyoming. Requested material can be picked up at the Circulation/Checkout Desk in 3-4 working days.
- Article databases are where you will find a wide variety of research information in magazines, journals, newspapers, government and legal documents, technical, statistical and other types of reports. Some databases will provide you with the full-text of an article or report. OneFile is an excellent database to start researching in as it covers a wide variety of subject areas and is approximately 50% full-text. The Auraria Library subscribes to many of the magazine or journal titles indexed in this database. If you don’t find it full-text in this database, do a journal title search in Skyline to find out where the magazine or journal is located in the Periodicals Reading Room or for a link to full-text in a database. When the article is full-text you can avoid printing costs and save money by downloading it or emailing it to yourself.
- Printing - Across from the Reference Desk are print stations where you can pick up the printouts from your research. Go to the print station and follow the directions closely. Enter the same id number you used for the PC.
- Printing is $0.15 per page. You can buy a print card at the machine next to the print stations which are across from the Ref desk or in the Computer Commons, or Clicks will sell you a $5 card. If you use the machine, you will need a one dollar bill to purchase the card because the machine does not take or give change. $0.55 goes to the cost of the card and you get $0.45 for printing (3 pages). Keep this card because you can always add value to it throughout the semester. Save $$, download!
If you have questions about the material covered or need help getting started on your research, ask for assistance at the Information/Reference Desk.
We wish you success in your research and hope to see you often in the Library.
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Last updated August 24, 2009 By Diane Turner |
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