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ABOUT
THE LIBRARY
- Mission statement
- History and background of the collection
- The Collections
Main collection
Reference
Periodicals
Reserve
Special collections
HOURS OF OPENING
COMPLETE OUR LIBRARY SURVEY
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LENDING SERVICES
- Who is eligible to borrow?
- What can be borrowed?
- Renewals
- Holds
- Returning books
- Overdue items
INFORMATION
SERVICES
- Information Desk
- Internet Access
- Catalogues and Databases
OTHER FACILITIES
- Photocopying
- Notebook computers
- Disability access
ABOUT
THE LIBRARY
Mission Statement
The mission of the Veech Library is to support the objectives of the
Catholic Institute of Sydney through service to the teaching and research
needs of the faculty staff and students. It also seeks to serve the
wider Christian community and others in order to clarify and make the
Gospel message relevant in our age.
History
and background of the collection
The foundational collection of the Veech Library goes back to Australiašs
early colonial history. John Bede Polding, first Catholic Archbishop
of Sydney saw the urgent need of a library. With books brought back
from his various journeys all over Europe, the first Catholic library
was set up at the original St. Maryšs Cathedral site. Transferred to
Lyndhurst, the Benedictine seminary and school in Glebe, and subsequently
to St. Johnšs College, University of Sydney, the growing collection
arrived at St. Patrickšs Seminary, Manly in 1888. From here the library
expanded mainly through purchase and bequests of its professors and
other clergy. In 1996 the Catholic Institute of Sydney and its library
were transferred to their present location in Strathfield after the
closure of St. Patrickšs.
While the early collections were formed largely as a result of gifts
by clergy and prominent lay people, a more systematic acquisitions policy
has been pursued since the 1960s. With older collections reflecting
developments and trends typical of Catholic theology and with a strong
continental and Irish background, more recent acquisitions represent
the interests and concerns of a contemporary theological faculty in
dialogue with the burning questions of our day. Its strengths now lie
in a fine continuum of theological literature and its philosophical
underpinnings and in a variety of specialisations.
The
Collections
The Main Collection of the Veech Library is an open
access collection located on 2 levels in the library. The collection
strengths of the Veech Library are in such areas as patristics, ecclesiology,
ethics, philosophy and works by and about Thomas Aquinas. The Library
supports undergraduate study in theology, scripture, pastoral care and
practice, church history and liturgy.
The Reference Collection includes encyclopaedias, dictionaries,
bibliographies and major collections of Church documents and writers
eg. Mignešs Patrologia Latina and Patrologia Graeca, documents of ecumenical
councils, collections of papal encyclicals.
Periodicals
The Library currently subscribes to 280 periodicals and holds a number
of other back-runs. The latest issues of periodicals are on display
for easy access, while bound volumes are shelved nearby in alphabetical
order by title. Periodical holdings are listed in the Australasian
Union List of Serials in Theological Libraries (AULOTS) available
at the Information Desk. A detailed "Serial Holdings"
index can also be found at the south end of the Library ground
floor.
The Reserve
Collection contains books and articles in heavy demand for
course reading. Most reserve books are not for loan (although over night
loans are possible). Any multiple copies are available on 3 Day Loan.
Articles put on Reserve should be photocopied and returned to the Reserve
shelves. The Veech Library also has a number of Special Collections
in Closed Stack. The Special Collections include the Australian
Catholic Documentation Centre, the Australiana Collection, Dissertations,
the Hibernica Collection (Irish history and literature), pre 1960s Liturgical
books, Multimedia , the Church Music collection (currently being sorted
and catalogued), Rare and older books (including over 4,000 books published
before 1800 and the Benedictine Collection formed between 1840-1885),
and the Latin Seminary Manual Collection.
HOURS
OF OPENING
The primary function of the Veech Library is to assist the Catholic
Institute of Sydney in its work of teaching and research. However it
welcomes all those in need of its theological resources.
Hours during academic semester
- Monday - Thursday 9am - 8pm
- Friday
9am - 5pm
- Saturday
10am - 3pm
LENDING
SERVICES
The following categories of people may borrow from the Veech Library.
- CIS staff and faculty
- All full-time and part-time CIS students
- Students from other SCD institutions,
(whether or not undertaking subjects at CIS)
- Teaching staff from other SCD institutions
- Post-graduate students and faculty
of the Mount St. Marys campus of the Australian Catholic University
- Past students of the Catholic Institute
(a fee applies)
- Catholic clergy and religious (a fee
applies)
Other interested
persons (living within the Sydney metropolitan area) may apply to become
a Subscription Borrower on payment of an annual fee
of
$200.00.
Application should be made to the Information Desk and is at the discretion
of the Veech Librarian.
New
visitors to the Veech Library who fall
outside these categories should make themselves known to staff at the
Information Desk and should fill in a Veech Library useršs form. The
information thus provided will help us to assess and improve our library
services.
What can be borrowed?
- Any books in the Main Collection. Only
CIS students may borrow Reserve books marked as Three Day Loans
- Books in the Special Collections such
as Reference, Australian Catholic Documentation Centre, are for Library
use only
- Journals are available for reading
or photocopying within the Library only
Borrowing
Regulations
Full details of all borrowing regulations are available at the Information
Desk of the Library.
Failure to return or renew a borrowed item by the due date results
in a loss of borrowing privileges until the item is returned.
INFORMATION
SERVICES
Information
Desk
Staff are available at the Desk at all times to assist with queries
and to issue books to registered borrowers.
Library staff are here to:
- assist in finding resources and references
- to demonstrate use of the Library catalogue
and CD ROMs
- to indicate the best CD-ROMs and databases
to use
- to help find resources on the Internet
Please ask Information Desk staff for
assistance at any time.
Internet
Access - Library users may access
the Internet on any of the 3 PCs used for CD databases in the main Library
area.
Computer
Catalogue - The Veech Library
uses the Dynix Library System (Release 181). All book
and periodical titles are on the computer catalogue.
 CD-ROM
Databases - Three PC terminals in the
main area of the Library provide access to networked databases including:
ATLA Religion Indexes (1949-2001)
Catholic Periodical and Literature Index (1981-2002)
The Philosophers Index (1940-2002)
National Union Catalogue of Serials
Austrom Australian databases
Aquinas complete works
Bibliographies from these databases may be saved onto clean diskettes
sold by the Library.
Printouts may also be arranged through the Information Desk.
OTHER FACILITIES
Photocopying
The photocopying area is located opposite the Information Desk in the
main area of the Library.
Notebook
computers
Notebook computers may be used at most desks on the main floor of the
Library provided surrounding users are not disturbed in any way.
Access for people with disabilities
The Library is fully accessible.
Contact the Information Desk on 9752 9530 for details.
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