UNSW Sydney Library Service Catalogue

The Library's services span learning, teaching, research. Our core collection and inquiry services are available to all clients, while curricula and research services are tailored to the needs of our specific client groups. Our Service Catalogue outlines the expertise, resources and activities on offer.

Services available to all clients

Research collection management

  • Ensures the integrity of UNSW Library’s unique, world-class, research focussed print and multimedia collections through the implementation of the Collection Maintenance Framework.
  • Provides access to these collections for UNSW staff, students and globally via resource sharing networks through borrowing and circulation activities, accessioning and preservation activities, and the review of borrowing conditions and rights.

Library search and discovery (including website)

  • Single search interface to UNSW subscribed scholarly content (including electronic, digital and print collections).
  • Access to personal account details including saved searches, loans and requests.
  • Library website including access to, and information on how to use, all of UNSW Library's services and resources, including access to electronic databases and eBooks, for research and study.

Resource sharing

  • Provides eligible UNSW staff and students with access to copies and loans of items not in the UNSW collection from local, national and global resource sharing member networks. Requests are fulfilled via Interlibrary loans.
  • UNSW Library supplies requests to other libraries for copies and loans of items in our collections.

Library spaces and facilities

  • Scholarly, managed spaces for individual and collaborative study that support learning, research, well-being and connection at the Kensington (Main and Law Libraries) and Paddington campuses.
  • Facilities include over 3,800 study seats, 60 group study rooms, seminar rooms, postgraduate lounges, exhibition spaces, kitchenettes, computers, laptops.
  • Staffed, managed spaces and additional services including online booking system.

Exhibitions program

Disability services

  • Support to eligible students with accessing the Library's physical collections. The services include assistance with retrieving physical material, photocopying material and off-campus delivery of material.
  • Provision of accessible technology rooms with Equitable Learning Services.
  • WCAG compliance across all digital platforms and services.

Services for teaching and learning

Copyright support for learning, teaching and research

  • Centralised University-wide service providing copyright advice to Library staff, Library Senior Management and UNSW academics to support the University's research and teaching endeavours, and in support of licensing and statutory requirements.
  • Management of statutory licences including Copyright Agency licence for text based materials and images, Screenrights for television and radio broadcasts on behalf of the University and voluntary tertiary music licence for the use of music for educational purposes and University events.
  • Responsibility for notice and takedown procedures, review of new agreements from copyright collecting agencies, payment of statutory licences and claiming of royalties, copyright clearance procedures and policy implementation.

ELISE online lessons and quiz

Mandatory online lessons and quiz designed to introduce new students to studying at UNSW.

Learning outcomes - Students learn how to:

  • analyse topics, plan responses and organise research for academic writing and other assessment tasks
  • effectively and efficiently find appropriate information sources and evaluate relevance to their needs
  • use and manage information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
  • better manage their time
  • understand their rights and responsibilities as a student at UNSW
  • be aware of plagiarism, copyright, UNSW Code of Conduct and Values, and Acceptable Use of Information Resources policy
  • be aware of the standards of behaviour expected of everyone in the UNSW community
  • locate services and information about UNSW and UNSW Library

Works in collaboration with partners across UNSW, including UNSW Academic Skills, UNSW IT, PVCE, DVC EDI, UNSW Governance, UNSW Online and UNSW Canberra.

Library service model for curriculum support

UNSW Library's service model for curriculum support develops library systems, software, services and resources to support quality assured online and blended learning that has the student actively engaged in their learning and skills development.

Incorporates the following service modes:

  • ready to use resources including Leganto
  • flipped workshop packages
  • subject-specific course package design.

Library service model for Help Zone and enquiry management

  • Core service managing all Library enquiries ranging from general and directional enquiries about Library services and resources. This is a key service supporting students and researchers to use the Library (including its spaces, services and collections) and is a key service supporting the student experience.
  • Help Zones are staffed across all libraries and equivalent services are offered virtually via Library chat and phone.

Services for researchers

Annual Research Outputs Collection (AROC)

  • Annual collection process for UNSW's research output. Researchers deposit and manage research outputs via Research Outputs System (ROS).
  • Supports other research assessment exercises including Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). Verified data is also utilised in other systems in the Division of Research and Enterprise.

Library service model for researcher support

Comprehensive research related service delivery to UNSW staff and students undertaking research and/or building their research skills. This includes:

  • Research consultations and Expert on demand research related queries
  • Publishing Strategy guide
  • Planning to Publish suite of workshops and tools to support delivery, Library Bytes!
  • expert support for bibliometrics including Library Masterclasses, research quality and strategy, research outputs and research profile enquiries
  • author rights and copyright compliance

Research services

Infrastructure and services that support research discovery, dissemination and publication, including the UNSW Open Access Policy:

  • provision of university-wide research services and systems including ROS (publication management), UNSWorks (institutional repository), and UNSW DMPOnline (research data management plans)
  • subject matter expertise on publishing, data, objects, research outputs, including infrastructure, preservation, persistent identifiers

Scholarly collections and publishing

Collection development strategy and responsibilities including identification, selection, acquisition, management, evaluation and reporting and fiscal management of the information resources budget:

  • ensures the Library has a broad range of targeted scholarly information resources that directly support the teaching, learning and research objectives of the University
  • responsible for relationships with scholarly publishers including negotiation of agreed pricing and licensing conditions
  • organisation of supplier-provided training for subscribed resources
  • purchase recommendations
  • works closely with stakeholders including UNSW Finance, Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL), international Open Access movements, library vendors & publishers, UNSW academics

Library management and governance

Internal services that underpin services for our clients.

Library governance

  • Policy, planning and development, Library committees, structure and quality frameworks, Library value, client voice, staffing and professional development, budget and finance, project management, communications, administration, Library staff intranet and information management systems.