This brief guide is designed to assist Shenandoah University students who receive their course instruction in locations other than on the main campus in Winchester, or who wish to access library resources and services from off-campus. Library staff is committed to providing support in all situations and locations. The university libraries have made a number of arrangements to ensure access and to assist students in the successful use of these resources.
The University Libraries subscribe to over 125 databases, 215,000 e-books and more than 75,000 e-journals, plus 80, 000 CD equivalents of streaming music. Each of these resources is accessible over the Internet from our Databases and Electronic Resources page, our Journals A-Z Lists and several other tools.
Off-campus users connect to databases and electronic journals after logging into the library’s proxy server. Your SU network account and password will be used to log in. If you do not know your network account username and password, please contact Rosemary Green. Some of our online resources require a separate username and password. Passwords can be obtained from the Library Passwords link, found under Tech Support in Canvas.
Our proxy server does not require you to configure your Internet browser for remote access. Most current browsers should work, including Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer. In all cases, cookies must be enabled. Usually, the default setting on your browser will be cookies enabled. Some corporate or institutional connections may automatically configure browsers so their own proxy server is used. It is possible that these automatic settings, if they exist, could interfere with your use of Shenandoah’s proxy server. If these other networks have a firewall or preset Internet security settings they could interfere with the proxy server. You will need to talk to your network administrator at your place of business or school.
Many of our digital collections can be found and accessed using the library’s online catalog. Another tool, the Journals A- Z, can be used to locate and access e-journals, e-books and other e-reference materials. In addition, the Library staff has created a number of Research Guides that pull together information on various disciplines, for government information, or for many courses offered by the university. These include information and guidance on citation styles and the research process. The Databases and Electronic Resources page lists the online resources students can use. Each of these tools is found on this library website. In addition, you can access these same tools while logged in to Canvas.
For users desiring to access digital content using a mobile device, we recommend several library-related apps for your iPhone, iPad or Android device. These include the ShenandoahU mobile app, with links to the online catalog and our digital collections. The BookMyne app lets you search our online catalog and check your borrowing record. Other apps, such as WorldCat Mobile, Ebscohost Mobile, ebrary, and Naxos Music Library are optimized for specific digital resources. Each of these is free from Apple’s App Store <www.apple.com> or from the Google Play site (Android device) <http://play.google.com>.
All currently enrolled students have a Shenandoah ID number and campus network account, which permits them to access the electronic resources that the Library makes available via our website. If you are unsure about the status of your network account, or have any questions, please contact Institutional Computing at x5555. They will work with you to reset your password or answer any questions about your network account.
In addition to digital collections, the University Libraries have physical collections in Winchester housed in the Alson H. Smith, Jr. Library, the main library for the University. The Health Sciences Information Center, located in the Health Professions Building on the campus of the Winchester Medical Center, has no physical collections, but is staffed by librarians and provides a variety of study spaces.
The Worldcat Discovery online catalog provides access to all physical collections. World cat Discovery provides a sign-in feature to enable borrowers to check to see what items they have checked out and to renew them if they wish. Your login and password is the same as your SU network or Canvas credentials.
The University “Hornet” ID card is also your library card in both the Smith and Health Sciences Libraries. If you have not been received a University ID card, the first time you come to the University libraries, we will request other identification and proof of your affiliation with the University. The Library then will provide you with a temporary card for use in checking out materials. Please bring a tuition receipt, letter of acceptance or registration document connecting you with the University. Once we have issued a library card to you, please bring the card with you on future visits. If you have questions about borrowing materials, please contact Becky Rockwell at (540) 665-5424, toll-free at (877) 289-4611, or via e-mail at rrockwel@su.edu.
Loan Period – Graduate students may check out books and scores for 60 days. Three additional renewals are permitted, totaling 180 days, unless another user has requested the item. Books can be renewed over the phone, or by the student directly though access to our online catalog. The online catalog has a feature that permits borrowers to check to see what items they have checked out and to renew them if they wish.
Overdues – Notices for overdue items will be sent by SU email throughout the year. The fine for overdue books is $0.10 per day. The fine for overdue interlibrary loans is $1.00 per day. Failure to receive an overdue notice does not relieve the borrower of the obligation to return the materials in question. If you are returning books to the library by mail, make sure you allow enough time for mailing to avoid overdue fees. We suggest that you renew books checked out to you prior to putting them in the mail.
Some of our students rarely, if ever, come to the Winchester campus. However, if you live in communities covered by Zip Codes 22601, 22602, 22603, 22604, 22611, 22620, 22624, 22625, 22645, 22654, 22655, 22663, you should plan to pick up library resources at the Smith Library. If you live in any other Zip Code area, you may request that library materials be mailed to you at your home or office. If you wish to borrow a book, score or journal article in the library’s physical collection, submit your request by using the forms found under “Interlibrary Loan” on the library’s website. Through the Library’s Document Delivery Service, library staff will retrieve books from our collection, make photocopies of articles, and will mail materials to you without charge. However, the cost of returning books to the SU library by mail or other delivery service is your responsibility. If you are returning books to the library by mail, make sure you allow enough time for mailing to avoid overdue fees. We suggest that you renew any books checked out to you prior to putting them in the mail.
Students may request that items not owned by SU libraries be borrowed or copied from other libraries through interlibrary loan (ILL). Please submit your ILL and document delivery requests electronically by using the ILL links found on the Interlibrary Loan page. Please allow at least 10 days for processing interlibrary loan requests. In many cases, journal articles can be obtained within 48 hours and may be sent to you as links to PDF documents.
If you live in areas covered by Zip Codes 22601, 22602, 22603, 22604, 22611, 22620, 22624, 22625, 22645, 22654, 22655, 22663, you should plan to pick up interlibrary loans at the Smith or the Health Sciences Library. If you live in any other Zip Code area, you may request that ILL materials be mailed to you at your home or office at no cost to you. However, the cost of returning interlibrary loan books to the SU library is your responsibility. If you have questions about interlibrary loan, you may contact Jan Edgar, call (540) 545-7318, or use the Library toll-free number at (877) 289-4611.
Rosemary Green, Graduate Programs Librarian, is the principal contact for our off-campus and distance students for reference and research assistance. Her office is in the Smith Library, and her phone is (540) 665-4634. At the request of course instructors, Ms. Green often travels to off-campus sites to meet with students and provide instruction on the use of library collections and services. She also meets with graduate students when they come to campus, either as a group or as individuals.
In addition to Ms. Green, Andy Kulp and Kathy Evans provide reference and instructional assistance in the Smith Library. In the Health Sciences Library, the contact is Meghan Davitt at (540) 678-4351. Off-campus students may call the Smith Library toll-free at (877) 289-4611, or contact librarians by email. All library staff will be happy to offer assistance or direct your call to another staff member who can help.