Library rules and services

All books but Reserves taken out of the Renison Lusi Wong Library can be returned to any university libraries or their designated book deposits. The Renison Library can be also be designated as the pickup location for books requested by means of a hold or through Interlibrary Loan Service. You may also pick up ordered library materials ordered through the Omni catalogue.

Two group study rooms are available for booking during Library hours. Bookings must be a group of two or more, and can be created by students, faculty and staff. A booking can be requested through the Library outlook booking system where rooms availability can be accessed through the calendar, phone (519-884-4404 ext. 28646) or in person at the Renison Circulation Desk.

The maximum period of a booking per group is three hours a day. If a booking is no longer needed notification of cancelation is appreciated, while failure to show up within the first 15 minutes of a booking causes the release of the booking. The Library reserves the right to revoke the booking or ask occupants to vacate a room if the activity is deemed a disruption to the Library. The Library is not responsible for the security of personal items. Any items found in rooms after the end of the reservation period will be placed in the Library's lost and found.

There are also many silent study areas available and charging stations are available on private desks.

Preamble

The Lusi Wong Library at Renison University College is part of 16 Ontario university libraries via the new easy-to-use academic search tool Omni. This search tool provides a full range of library materials to its members. Renison's own collection is specialized to supports the College’s Social Work, Social Development Studies, East Asian Studies, Religious Studies, Applied Language Studies, Studies in Islam, and English as a Second Language programs.

General purpose and objectives

The Library collects materials in the College’s areas of specialization to support undergraduate and graduate teaching, study, and research, as well as to facilitate the ongoing learning/research of both faculty and students.  Standard general reference tools are also made available.    

Selection responsibility

The decision to select library materials is the responsibility of the Librarian, who may consult with faculty members with particular expertise.  Recommendations and requests from faculty members are encouraged. 

Languages

English language materials are preferred for the general collection.  Materials in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean may be procured for East Asian Studies; materials in Arabic may be procured for Studies in Islam.

Geographic areas

Materials from any part of the world, with a preference for Canadian materials, may be collected to support teaching and research programs, subject to the language limitations. 

Chronological periods

Material with a recent imprint date is preferred; however, important or representative retrospective material is also collected.

Types and formats of material collected

Books, periodicals, newspapers, reference works, and government documents are collected in either print or electronic format, according to availability, cost, and anticipated use.  Textbooks are purchased when content is of lasting importance in its subject area or when required for Reserve readings.  Duplicate copies are acquired only in areas where heavy use makes multiple copies advisable and where the budget allows.  In general, the Library does not acquire materials in a format for which access cannot be provided in the Library.

Access and related resources

Many external resources can be identified through the Library’s catalogue.  A broad spectrum of additional information and collection resources is available through cooperative arrangements and accessible via library servers, the Internet, document delivery, and interlibrary loan.

Donations

Donations of books and other materials are accepted with the understanding that ownership transfers to the Library.  The Library reserves the right to decide the retention, location, cataloguing, use, and disposition of gifts.  (See Donation Policy for details)

Special collections

The Library’s non-circulating archival collection includes historical materials concerning Renison College and its founders.  Among these materials are three special collections: the Bishop Renison Collection, the Denton Massey Collection, and the Florence Li Tim-Oi Collection. Along with the previously mentioned collections, there is also the East Asian Special Collection (EASC) which consists of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean language materials covering a wide range of subject areas. 

Care and maintenance

In an effort to retain materials in a format appropriate to their continued use, basic repairs are undertaken when possible.  When repair is impractical, the librarian will review items to determine whether they should be rebound, replaced, reformatted, or withdrawn.  Lost or damaged materials are evaluated for replacement according to their prior use, subject content, current and anticipated demand, cost, and availability for purchase, as well as all other selection criteria.

Appendix of existing substantive areas (according to principal classes of Library of Congress classification)