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Research support: Library resources and support

Provides information and links on all aspects of the research process

UKZN LIBRARY SERVICES

  • Membership of UKZN as a registered student or staff member gives access to all UKZN libraries. 
  • The UKZN Library website is the portal to the services, facilities and resources of the library. The core resources are in the form of print and ebooks, print and online journals via databases, statutes and law reports, the institutional repository (ResearchSpace) and Yabelana the research data facility . All journal subscriptions are for online format only. The library catalogue is the main discovery and access tool to the core resources.
  • The library's website also provides access to Libguides - self help guides to resources per discipline, contact details for library staff and subject librarians and college based generic emails, library staff blogs, opening hours and quick links. Library training is also advertised here. The My library account option linked to the catalogue for interlibrary and intercampus requests
  • Photocopiers and wifi are available in all libraries and postgraduate Resaerch Commons can be found in the main libraries on each campus.

Inter-UKZN campus library loans

Material available at a particular UKZN campus can be requested via My Library Account (MLA) or campus library generic emails (use the email of your home campus):

Pmb library  illpmb@ukzn.ac.za, Howard campus email address libraryhc@ukzn.ac.za, Westville campus email address illwest@ukzn.ac.za and Edgewood campus email address edge-ill@ukzn.ac.za.

If you are using the above generic email provide your name and staff/student number and FULLEST details of the item must be provided along with the OCLC item to ensure the correct item is requested - look up the item on the catalogue, click on the title of the item for fuller details and scroll down the record to see the OCLC number.

Books in Academic Reserve collections cannot be borrowed.

Requested journal articles will be scanned and sent to the requester as a PDF.

SEE THE NEXT BOX FOR INFORMATION ON LOANS FROM OTHER SOUTH AFRICAN LIBRARIES

Inter library loans

Books and articles not available at UKZN can be requested from other South African libraries using your My Library Account or the generic emails (see box to the left for these emails).

Books: Please note that UKZN Library uses the Post Office and deliveries of books are extremely slow. Ask a subject librarian for help with finding a possible online copy.

Journal articles: Journal articles will be scanned and sent to you as a PDF. We are dependent on the cooperation of other libraries for the supply of materials.

If an article or book chapter is not available anywhere in South Africa, a Pay Per View service is available for obtaining a scanned copy. (See the next box to the right for details). We use suppliers overseas and provided the publisher grants permission, the library will pay for a copy of the item.

Please always consult your subject librarian as they may be able to find a copy for you.

Pay per View

When an item is not available in South Africa, the Library can source a copy overseas and provided permission is granted from the publisher the library will pay for the item. The turnaround time for this should be 24 hours, but be aware that South African libraries will be consulted first via inter-library loan, which may take a few days.

Consult your subject librarian for assistance 

Where to look if you cant find an item via the library's website

Google scholar - you may find a free version here or check the 'versions' option if they are listed, under each record

Google the name of the journal or article or book - sometimes you may find that an article is available from a journal site and some books may be partially available via Google Books or other sites. Sometimes adding the words 'free download' at the end of the title may narrow the results list of possibilities

All information © 2018 University of KwaZulu-Natal. All rights reserved.