Policies and Procedures

1. The discussion rooms are for the use of teaching faculty, staff, and currently-registered students. Reservation, at least one day before its use, is required. Form can be accessed Here
2. Users will be required to sign in a logbook to get the key to the discussion room and be accountable for the room’s upkeep and the care of its equipment and other resources.
3. NO eating, smoking and littering are allowed in this facility. Be considerate to the next users.
4. A Library Staff will be in charge of monitoring the observance of the above policies and users are requested to follow strictly the abovementioned regulations.
5. Anyone who does not abide with the abovementioned regulations will be met with disciplinary action such as fines and suspension of privileges.

Thank you for your most valued cooperation!

Loan Procedures

Faculty may borrow up to twenty books at one time for a period of 8 weeks. The University ID card serves as the library card. Faculty must not lend books to students under the faculty member’s name; such a practice creates confusion in the circulation records. All books must be returned at the end of each semester; it’s important to keep the circulation record up-to-date. A fine will be imposed on all those who keep books and materials past the date due. Payment is made for lost or damaged books. In the event that a teacher fails to comply with the above regulation and accumulates dues, the Finance Office Payroll Officer will be informed so that such amount will be deducted from the teacher’s monthly salary.

Reference books do not circulate except for class use; books borrowed must be returned immediately after use.

Reserve Shelf

Faculty may put books and other materials on the Reserve Shelf located at the circulation desk. Bring such materials and fill out the appropriate form; indicate whether the reserve material is to be borrowed overnight or is reserved for room use only. Loose pages will not be accepted unless properly compiled.

Periodicals/Journals Services Section

Periodicals are arranged on the racks by categories such as General, Science, Nursing, etc. Back issues are kept in the red boxes on the shelves until a collection is complete. When the volume is bound it is moved to the second floor in the bound periodicals section. The latest issue of periodicals may be borrowed for the weekend only. Loose back issues may be borrowed for one week. Bound periodicals do not circulate except for class use as requested by the respective teacher.

Book Selection

The library has a book selection policy within which the professional staff of the library operates. Teachers are encouraged to recommend specific titles in their fields of specialty. Each department/faculty is allocated a certain budget for purchasing books. Use “Online Acquisition” under “Library Services” on the library website to request new books for purchase. The general policy is to purchase a single copy of each title. Books needed for faculty offices are not included in library purchases. The ultimate responsibility for book selection rests with the Library Director and the Professional Library Staff. When the purchased books arrive, they are processed and placed in the built-in spaces at the entrance on the ground floor where new books are displayed.

Library Liaison Team (LLT)

The purpose of the LLT is to communicate concerns and interests between the library staff and the faculty in order to improve library resources and services. The team is composed of a representative of each department/faculty and the heads of each section of the library. A single annual meeting with all the representatives is scheduled in the fall semester.

Faculty Guide to Bethlehem University Library

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Bethlehem University Library is to serve the academic community of students, administration, faculty, and staff by providing materials, resources, services, and facilities to meet curriculum-related needs. The library pursues this mission through acquiring, organizing, and maintaining the requisite information resources, equipment, and materials in various formats; by providing production of audiovisual materials; and by creating an environment conducive to learning. Additionally, the library makes its resources and services available to visiting researchers and Bethlehem University graduates. The library serves as a vital component of the educational mission of the University.

Internal Telephone Directory

Office / Services

Floor

Room No.

Tel. No.

Journal Services Librarian Garden Floor 2487
Library Director Ground Floor 103 2024
Secretary to the Library Director Ground Floor 2263
Reference/Information Library Staff First Floor 2268/2263
Arabic Technical Services First Floor 205 2268
Turathuna Center First Floor 206 2428
Circulation Services Second Floor 2267/2263
English Technical Service Second Floor 306 2267
Archives Third Floor 401 2426
Digital Services Third Floor 401 2313

 

Bethlehem University Library serves the academic community of students, administration, faculty, staff, alumni, and visiting researchers. The four-story building, dedicated in 1978, has a capacity of 100,000 volumes, and seating space for approximately 320 library users, audio-visual materials, and equipment.

Bethlehem University Library features an open stack which provides quick and easy access to its readers, and uses the Library of Congress Classification System.

Library Opening Hours

The library is open on class days from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. It is closed on university holidays.

Library Floor Plan

Garden Floor

  • Technology support unit
  • Equipment lending
  • Journal services
  • Compactus
  • Disability resources
  • Garden courtyard

Ground Floor

  • Library director’s Office
  • Circulation services
  • Information
  • References
  • Printing station
  • Discussion rooms 1 – 3

Circulating books: R28.3 – ZA 4480

First Floor

  • Arabic technical services
  • Turathuna center (special collections for palestiniana)
  • Information
  • Printing station
  • Discussion rooms 4-7

Circulating books: AC 1 – PR5442

Second Floor

  • English technical services
  • Information
  • Printing station
  • Discussion rooms 8 – 11
  • Café-library

Circulating books: PR 5480 – QR981

Circulating books: foreign languages

Third Floor

  • archival services
  • digital services

Loan Policies

Bethlehem University Library grants borrowing privileges to all faculty, staff, and registered students.

Books: Faculty may borrow up to 20 books at a time for a period of 8 weeks, subject to renewal if not requested by another reader. In cases when a student might need a book borrowed by a faculty or staff member, priority is given to the student.

Reference books do not circulate except for class use. Teachers are requested to pick up the reference book themselves from the Director and return it immediately after class.

Reference books may not be lent out for weekends or during vacations.

Periodicals: the latest issue of a periodical may be borrowed for the weekend only, and should be returned before 9:00 a.m. on Monday. Loose back issues may be borrowed any time for a period of one week. Bound volumes of periodicals are treated like reference books, that is, for Library use only.

Loan Procedure

Present your University ID card to the circulation staff. Faculty and staff are requested to keep their circulation record up-to-date. It is not recommended that teachers lend students books under their name, or get the books borrowed by a student. This causes confusion in the circulation records and loss of books. Special requests from students who need more than 5 books are always considered by the Circulation Librarian. Students with seminars are allowed 7 books.

Security: An automatic security system in place; be sure that all materials are properly checked out before passing through the exit.

Library Sections

Circulation Desk / Reserve Shelf

The Circulation Desk is the front desk of the Library where library materials are checked out/in.

Faculty may put books and other materials on the Reserve Shelf located behind the Circulation Desk. Faculty are requested to bring such materials and fill out the appropriate form themselves. They should indicate whether they want the material to be borrowed overnight, or labeled Room Use Only. Once instructions are given, Faculty members are expected to observe them or ask the circulation staff, not a student, to change them; if personal appearance is not possible, a phone call or an email will also do.

Loose pages or just stapled materials will not be accepted for Reserve, unless they are properly compiled.

Short documents for E-reserves can be posted on the library website.

Refer also to this link: https://bethlehem.edu/library/services#Circulation

Reference Desk

The Reference Librarian is available to assist any library user who needs help in looking for library materials.

Refer also to this link: https://bethlehem.edu/library/services#Reference

Journal/Periodical Room (Garden Floor)

Periodicals are arranged on the racks by broad categories such as General, Science, Nursing, etc. Back issues are kept in red boxes until a volume is complete, then bound and kept on the second floor.

Reference Section

All reference books, including teachers’ dissertations and big sized art books are located in the Reference Section on the ground floor.

Books in other Latin languages are included with English.

Turathuna Center – Special Collections-Palestiniana Division

TheTurathuna Center – Special Collections – Palestiniana Division, was opened in 1990. Generous donations of Catholic Near East Welfare Association and Pontifical Mission to Palestine made this section of the Library a reality. Through the generosity of Ireland Aid a new addition to the first floor of the library was constructed in the year 2000. The new center was named Turathuna: Center for Palestinian Heritage at Bethlehem University. The Special Collection is now located in this center.

Holdings

The main collection includes reference and circulating books in all fields of knowledge related to Palestine and Palestinian affairs except literary works which are kept in the general collection. Old newspapers and periodicals like Falastin, Palestine Post, Mira’t al-Sharq, Palestine Weekly and al-CarmeI are available on microfilm. A microfilm/fiche reader-printer is available also for all users. Other types of materials like rare books and manuscripts are for Room Use Only.

Borrowing Policy

Bethlehem University Faculty, Staff and registered students may borrow materials from this Division within the same borrowing policies and procedures of the main Library. Students need to have a valid library card.

* Researchers from outside the University may use the Division upon request of a special library card from the Director for a minimal fee. A researcher must seek permission for photocopying manuscripts and/or other materials for study purposes; the same holds true before publishing any manuscript. Indiscriminate photocopying, which can be tantamount to publishing is not allowed. Researchers should inform the Library in advance of their timetable for research and use of the division.

Archives

The Archives organizes and preserves the history ofBethlehemUniversity. Photographs, documents, brochures, newsletters, newspaper articles, course catalogs, and other memorabilia are collected. In 1999 the Archives was relocated to the third floor of the library and is included in the structure and organization of the library. It is open from 10:00-12:00 and 2:00- 4:00pm.

Library Services

Library Instructional Sessions / Organized Tours and Visits

The Library professional staff offers special sessions to students upon request from teachers on how to use the Library and its different resources.

Tours may be also organized for new faculty, staff, and students who wish to know the library, its different sections, holdings and services.

Arranging for the service in advance is required.

Prioritized Processing of books

The library continuously acquires new books throughout the academic year. These books are classified and catalogued as soon as they are purchased. Teachers are always informed of the arrival of such new acquisitions. If certain books are urgently needed, a teacher should inform the librarian in charge, and the books will be given priority in classification and prepared within 3 days at most.

Library Liaison Team

The Library Liaison Team was initiated in 1984 to provide a channel of communication between the Library and Faculty for the purpose of improving library resources and services. The L.L.T. meets once a term (or as the need arises) upon an invitation from the Library Director with a proposed agenda.

Information and ideas are communicated both ways, and suggestions acted upon when feasible.

Book Budget Allocation

Each department / faculty is allocated a certain budget for purchasing books. At the beginning of every academic year, the Library Director sends a memo to the deans and chairpersons to inform them of their budget allocation for that year. By the end of the Fall Term, the Director informs them of their expenditures on book purchases.

Book Selection, Ordering and Purchasing

The Library has a book selection policy within which the professional staff of the Library operates. However, the teaching staff is very much encouraged to recommend titles in their fields of specialty but the ultimate responsibility for book selection rests with the Library Director and the professional staff.

The Library usually provides the faculty with up-to-date publishers’ catalogs from which to select appropriate titles. Use “Online Acquisition” under “Library Services” on the library website to request new books for purchase. Once the request is received, the ordering procedure will be taken care of by the librarian in charge of book orders.

In very special cases and with previous arrangement with the Library Director, teachers may purchase books themselves and be reimbursed upon presentation of appropriate invoices or receipts.

The general policy is to purchase one copy of every title. However, in special cases, up to 5 copies will be allowed particularly when the books are to be placed on Reserve to cater for a big number of students taking the same course.

Periodical Selection

In selecting periodicals, the choices of the faculty are important and the Library Director should give great weight to their recommendation, but he/she should maintain some control of selection. With a change of teachers in the faculty, there will often be a change preference for periodicals.

While faculty member in general might be quick to drop periodicals and start new ones as their preferences change, the Library attempts to maintain continuity with its periodical holdings. The overall responsibility for the growth of the periodical collection lies on the Library Director and he/she should make effort to achieve a truly excellent subscription list.

Gifts

Many valuable books and other reading materials are received as gifts and such gifts are encouraged and welcome. When gifts are made to the Library, adequate and prompt acknowledgement is done through a thank you note or a letter. Gifts in terms of cash/check are handed over to the Vice President for Development, who in turn submits this to the Finance Office. The Library keeps a record of all donors.

For Your Information

Study Atmosphere

A quiet study atmosphere should be maintained at all times in the Library. The support of faculty in this matter is very much appreciated.

Lost and Found

The Library assumes no responsibility for missing articles and valuables within its premises.

Food and Beverages

Food and beverage are not allowed in the Library.

Smoking

Smoking is strictly forbidden within the Library premises.

Assistance

Never hesitate to ask the library staff for help at any time.

Library of Congress Classification System

A

General Works

PG

Russian Literature

B-BJ Philosophy, psychology PJ-PM Languages and Literatures of Asia, Africa, Oceania American Indian Languages Artificial Languages
BL-BX Religion PN General Literature
C Auxiliary Sciences of History PR English
D History: General and Old World PS American
E-F History: America PQ French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
G Geography, Anthropology, Recreation PT German, Dutch, Scandinavian
H Social Sciences PZ Fiction
J Political Science Q Sciences
K Law R Medicine
L Education S Agriculture
M Music. Books on Music T Technology
N Fine Arts U Military Science
P-PA General Philology and Linguistics Classical Languages and Literatures V Naval Science
PB-PH Modern European Languages Z Bibliography. Library Science

Loan Procedures

The student must have a current university ID card in order to borrow books. The card is not transferable. Students may use the Self-Check In /Out machines. In case they face technical issues, they have to present the ID card with the books to the Library Staff on duty at the Circulation Desk. The loan period is for three weeks; five books plus one reserve book can be borrowed at one time. Seminar students are allowed seven books at one time. Reference books do not circulate. Reserve books may be used in the library upon deposit of the university ID card and may be borrowed overnight after 2:30 PM until 9:00 AM the following day. Reserve books are issued on a first come, first served basis. All books must be returned on the last day of classes of every term. Failure to do so, grades or graduation petition will be blocked through the Registrar’s Office. A fine will be imposed on all those who keep books and materials past the date due. Payment is made for lost or damaged books. Suspension of library privileges will be imposed on those who do not follow these procedures.

Quiet Study

A quiet study atmosphere must be maintained at all times. The Discussion Rooms of the Three Floors are available for group work or group study or students can study in pairs with moderate voice in the Group Study Area/Zone. Study carrels in the Quiet Study Area are designed for individual study. Students who want to do serious study must be allowed to concentrate.

Food, beverages, and smoking are prohibited.

The use of cell phones is prohibited.

Shelves

Students are requested to cooperate in maintaining order in the books on the shelves. Books are placed in order according to the call numbers, a call number is a combination of letters and numbers. Students are expected to take from the shelves only the books needed. After using them, students are expected to place them on the book trolleys. While browsing the shelves place the book back in the exact place found.

These policies and procedures are established in order to provide for all the students a location on campus for serious study. The respect and courtesy due to other students requires the cooperation of all.

Graduates of Bethlehem University have privileges to use the library. A proper application form with an annual payment of NIS 50 and a letter from an employer or a center for graduate studies must be submitted to receive a valid library card. All other procedures and policies for students apply to graduates. Non-BU users and students from other universities may visit the library for research; however, these users cannot borrow books.

During the academic year, September to May, off-campus users–students from other West Bank universities or those coming from overseas–may use the library and its resources/facilities only on Wednesdays and Fridays, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. In view of the priority to serve our faculty, staff, and students, as well as with the overriding concern of the alarming increase of overdue books from our library clientele including BU graduates, no book loan is allowed to outsiders.

Special researchers on a transient status–those doing serious, investigative studies–are given a concession on a case-to-case basis and upon an interview-meeting with the Library Director. There is also a very limited list of guest-users, foreign teachers, or employees with proof of a year-long residence (or more) and with reference persons in Bethlehem, who are allowed to borrow books with the payment of an annual fee of $50.00 (or its NIS equivalent).

After the summer session and in between semesters, the Library is closed to all for an inventory of books and for an upkeep of materials, resources, and equipment in order to prepare for the new academic term/year. Non-access to the Library is strictly enforced.

Stipulations of Inter-library Loan Policies Between Bethlehem University Library and Bethlehem Bible College Library

I. Why an Interlibrary Loan: Definition and Rationale

  • Definition:

An interlibrary loan between Bethlehem University Library and Bethlehem Bible College Library is a deliberate and concerted effort to share resources by making library materials available to all of the members, both faculty and students, of these two libraries and other possible eligible members (in the case of BU Library graduates, who are off-campus members/users and for Bethlehem Bible College Library, being also a public library, their outside users will avail of the same privilege).

  • Rationale:

Considering our respective curricular offerings and our close geographical proximity, the librarians of both libraries share the perspective that our resources can be put to maximum use not only by our own clientele but also by accommodating other users/borrowers, especially of our respective libraries (as mentioned above).

II. Coverage of ILL Scheme

Bethlehem University Library and Bethlehem Bible College Library will make available resources that are in their general collection when their respective clientele request them. However, with the exception of circulating books at the Turathuna Center, the borrowing of rare, unique, or expensive materials; reference books; dissertations; theses; books on reserve; and audiovisual materials—items that would be difficult or impossible to purchase or replace—is not permitted. Issues or volumes of journals and old newspapers are not usually available for circulation. The decision to make available any library resource remains exclusively with each of the libraries.

III. Procedures to observe in ILL

In normal circumstances, the library that needs materials from another library initiates the request either through a phone call or by email. Complete bibliographical information is provided so that search for the material can be carried out effectively and efficiently.

Once the book is retrieved from the shelf, it is set aside on a reserved section at the circulation desk until the interested library collects the item.

An online ILL request form can be filled in with the necessary information and sent by email to the respective library.

IV. Loan Policies and Restrictions

Bethlehem University Library stipulates its policies and restrictions on its own homepage:

https://bbnc.bethlehem.edu/Library/Policies

As indicated, these policies and procedures govern the following: faculty/staff, students, graduates, and off-campus users. Unless the books or other library resources are in demand or placed on reserve, the other library may be able to borrow the needed books and/or other library resources.

If the books or materials are needed by the members of the lending library, the borrowing library is given three days to return the books/materials on loan.

Penalties/fines for overdue, damaged, and lost books will be charged to the borrowing library. These are non-refundable. Specifications of fees and charges remain within the discretion of each of the libraries concerned.

Books should be taken and returned by the respective borrowing library staff.

V. Libsys Records at Bethlehem University Library

Bethlehem University Library utilizes Libsys, an automated system which is a package of circulation, cataloguing, and management tools. The Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) allows access to our resources on- and off-campus. This access, in more ways than one, is a decided advantage for the Bethlehem Bible College Library users.

Policy:

The Bethlehem University Library Staff continually seeks to add services and materials to the library collection so as to enhance its overall quality and its provision of excellent resources to support the academic curriculum. One of the means by which the library collection can be increased is through accepting gifts of books, periodicals, Braille texts and audio material (especially books on tape that may be used by students with visual impairments), as well as other hard-print and on-line donations based on the following criterion:

  1. The content of the material is current.
  2. The material treats topics related to the academic program of the University.
  3. The material is appropriate for the reading and interest level of the students.
  4. The material is in good condition. Old, worn out, or damaged material, especially books with torn pages, underlined and highlighted passages, and missing pages are not accepted.
  5. Duplicate copies will not be added to the collection unless there is a need (as determined by the Library Staff in consultation with members of the faculty).
  6. Only complete sets of periodicals and journals fulfilling the same criteria stated above will be accepted.

Procedure:

Persons or organizations wishing to make a donation of books, periodicals, Braille texts and audio material (especially books on tape that may be used by students with visual impairments) as well as other hard-print materials to the Library are asked to follow these action steps.

  1. Send list of materials for donation before the materials are shipped:

It is important that before materials are sent to the Library as a gift that the Library Staff be contacted and have an opportunity to review and approve the list of materials being considered to be donated.  The person or persons who wish to make a donation of library materials should send a list of the material (noting the author, title, publisher, publishing date, number of pages, and any other significant features) to the Library Staff responsible for coordinating such donations, Mrs. Vera Koussa (verak@bethlehem.edu).

  1. Confirmation that materials for donation are appropriate for Bethlehem University:

Under the coordination of Mrs. Vera Koussa, the Library Staff and the appropriate faculty members will decide which materials are acceptable and would be of use to the Bethlehem University community. Mrs. Vera Koussa will then contact the person or persons who wish to make the donation of library materials to explain which materials have been determined to be useful to Bethlehem University.

  1. Arranging for shipping materials to Bethlehem University:

Unfortunately, due to cost constraints, Bethlehem University is not able to fund the transportation and shipping costs for the donation of books and other library materials. Consequently, donors are asked to make arrangements for shipping as part of their donation.

While the University Library cannot accept responsibility for the payment of shipping the donated books, we have been successful at times in making arrangements with some organizations who are able to assist donors in shipping materials to Bethlehem University at reduced or no costs.  Please contact Mrs. Vera Koussa (verak@bethlehem.edu) for more information about this possibility.

For further information, please contact:

Mrs. Vera Koussa, verak@bethlehem.edu

INTRODUCTION

Bethlehem University serves the Palestinian society as a center of knowledge.

It is the first university and the only Catholic educational institution of higher learning founded in Palestine and is open to students of all faith traditions. About two-thirds of its students are of the Muslim faith tradition and one-third are Christians – coming from a variety of home settings of towns and villages as far as Hebron, Ramallah, Jenin, Zababdeh as well as nearby refugee camps in Bethlehem (Deheisheh, Aida, and Azzeh camps).  For deprived, young people coming from these areas, Bethlehem University is indeed, an oasis of hope and peace, providing them varied opportunities of, not only classroom teaching, but also a rich tapestry of relationships, respect for, and acceptance of diverse inter-cultural and inter-religious realities.

Bethlehem University on its 39th year of founding, traces back its history in October 1973 when war broke out – and “red flags” seemed to signal a bad start. However, steadfastness, resilience, perseverance, courage of the pioneering Christian Brothers and local staff have brought the University to where it is now – moving from an initial enrolment of 112 students to a current enrolment of more than 3,083 students and more than 13,586 graduates. The University has been a witness and testimony of perseverance and forward movement, realizing even more excellence and greater academic achievements as the present Vice Chancellor, Brother Peter Bray, FSC, EdD, often encourages the University community with his call to “do things in a better way.”

“Indivisa manent”, that is, “united we stand” forms part of the University logo. In a world that is torn by war, hatred, and division, the Bethlehem University academic community, tries its best “together and by association” – in an uphill journey – to serve the best educational interests of the young Palestinians who come to the University’s threshold of knowledge, imbuing them with intellectual, moral, spiritual, aesthetic, and cultural values.

Bethlehem University Library, the “heart of the academic community,” serves the University’s educational mission.  In October 2009, the University Library embarked on a daunting project, that of digitizing four areas of its resource-collection envisioning a carefully selected array of materials to be converted into e-formats and make them available to on-campus and online users.

Hence, the project of digitization, first of its kind among the West Bank universities, has as one of its aims, the conversion of library resources into digital format to enhance the teaching-learning process in the classroom. It is also aimed at assisting the academics exchange resources with their fellow colleagues locally and internationally since their mobility is greatly paralyzed by checkpoints and walls built around the cities and villages where they live and work.

A. ARABIC AND ENGLISH BOOKS – RARE/OLD RESOURCES/NEWSPAPERS ON PALESTINE

I. SELECTION CRITERIA

Books and other resources (old newspapers and oral history recordings included) are selected according to the following criteria:

  • According to date (before 1900 and up to 1947, old and rare, without copyright dates/places, nor authors);
  • According to subject (on and about Palestine, written/contributed by Palestinians living here in Palestine or overseas).
  • According to subject interest and significant contribution to the arts, culture and education in Palestine; work by artists, painters, authors, etc., regardless of publication date.

II. PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

After selection and scanning of the book/manuscript, the Librarian/Staff in charge prepares a full description of the content of the book or manuscript both in Arabic and English, including author, title, publishing date/place (if available), etc.

Past issues of newspapers are converted into pdf and are saved on the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) to make them accessible online. The Bethlehem University Journal annual issue basically follows the same procedure.

In the case of oral history recordings, once transcriptions have been prepared, the original tapes are kept in the archives while the transcriptions are made available through the OPAC.

In general, access to such documents is done only through the OPAC.

Rare books and manuscripts may not be taken out of the Library. Copies made of online format are only for research or educational purposes and not for sale of any kind.

B. ARCHIVES

 I. SELECTION CRITERIA

Criteria for selecting materials to be digitized were based on the recommendation of the UNESCO Archivist who visited the Archives sometime in August of 2009.

  1. The idea of preserving the value of the original materials is the main objective of digitization.
  2. Another criteria in selecting materials to be digitized is the educational use of the materials to the teaching-learning activity in the university.
  3. A practical criterion is space-saving; keeping ephemeral files on electronic format saves space for other more important records.

II. PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

Digitized materials are recorded in the Library Management System (Libsys) and can be accessed through the OPAC. Most of the Video Cassette Recordings (VCR) Sector can be accessed immediately through the OPAC by the streaming server and can be used for educational purposes such as classroom activities and/or private viewing by teacher, staff or student for research purposes only.

Digitized materials which are sensitive and confidential in nature such as recorded private interviews and lectures/talks, maps and plans, and photographs cannot be accessed through

The streaming server although stored in the OPAC and can be accessed with permission from the Archivist and/or Library Director.

Digitized materials (DVDA) which are permanently kept in the Archives can be copied by Faculty/Staff members of BU for research purposes. A request form can be filled out and a promissory note signed by the researcher stipulating using information gathered for a good purpose.

In general, no regular loans are allowed in the Archives considering the confidentiality of information found in its stored materials. If deemed necessary and upon permission of the respective authorities, some photocopying may be allowed.

C. AUDIO-VISUAL CENTRE

I. SELECTION CRITERIA

Materials chosen for conversion to e-format include archival resources, books in Arabic/English on Palestinian topics, old newspapers in Arabic/English (including those on microfilms and microfiche) and oral history recorded tapes.

The formats of the uploaded materials are: Videos, Audio, or offline materials such as pictures/html/doc/xls/ppt/…etc.

II. PROCEDURES AND POLICIES – USE OF STREAMING SERVER

  1. The stream server is the property of the Bethlehem University Library and is located at the Computer Center for maintenance purposes.
  2. Usage of the steaming server materials falls under the Teach Act/Fair Use.
  3. Uploaded Materials are not allowed to be downloaded/ republished under any circumstances (not for sale, rent, and share).
  4. The Computer Center is the party to support the maintenance/backup and software updates for the Server.
  5. The AVC staff is the only technical authorized party to upload/remove materials into/from the Stream Server after consulting the Library Administrative Team.
  6. Accessing the streaming material is limited to be used through BU Intranet (Campus’ PCs).
  7. Students can access the uploaded materials from the computer labs in BU and the Library computers using their own headsets.
  8. The Library can loan headsets to be used for viewing the streaming material from the Library PCs.
  9. The Library is authorized to upgrade the streaming server upon recommendations of AVC staff and the Computer Center.
  10. Films, videos/other materials recorded for teachers/staff may be stored in the streaming server for the duration of its use or, at most, for the term it is needed for classroom use.

NOTE: In all of the above-cited materials (found in A, B, & C sections), the Library has purchased scanners for the purpose of converting hard formats to digitized forms. Hence, the Library, with its funds has purchased these scanners which are included in its inventory of owned items.

One of the responsibilities of the library personnel is removing from the library collection those materials that are no longer appropriate nor supportive of the university curriculum. Removing such materials improves the overall quality of the collection.

Factors to be considered in removing materials from the library book collection include:

The condition of the book: missing pages, loose pages, fragile and brittle paper, torn cover, highlighting, writing, underlining, damaged binding, mutilated
Duplicates: the number of copies of the same book in relation to space on shelves and use
Edition: superseded edition where content is cumulative
Content:
  • material with outdated, inaccurate factual content
  • material with outdated interpretations of values, attitudes
  • materials with inappropriate reading, interest level
  • material no longer circulating
Cost: replacing the book with a newer copy

The same factors apply as appropriate to non-book materials. The subject of the material will affect these factors.

 

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