Accessing Library Resources Online
Accessing Online Library Information Resources
The Northwestern University Educational Resource Center (the University Library) continually makes its information and learning resources accessible to cater to the information needs of the university community. Opportunities are being provided for all library users to enable them to access information resources online anytime and everywhere as long as there is Internet connection. Through a strong collaboration between the library and the University Center for Information and Communication Technology, various ways had been designed and developed to enable library users to access the resources and make use of the services remotely or beyond the four walls of the library. These include the ASKNORA (NWU Online Reference Assistant), Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC), Mobile OPAC Service, Borrowing of Books Via Pick Up and Delivery Services, Returning of Books Via Drop Off and Courier (Book Padala), Remote Reference and Information Access, Link for Research Abstracts in the ERC Website, Link for New Acquisitions (InfoCast, the ERC’s newsletter) at the ERC Website, NWUERC E-Learning Database, NWUERC Management Information System, (MIS) Webliography, Virtual Assistant Connection (VACON), Online Library Instruction (OLI), and Online Document Delivery Service.
E- RESOURCES ACCESSIBILITY AT THE FINGERTIPS OF THE REMOTE PATRONS
The NWUERC has a rich collection of electronic resources to offer to the academic community. Library patrons can easily utilize these resources through the student/employee portal. To access the e resources of the library AskNORA or Ask NWU Online Reference Assistant is the library’s response to the “new normal” environment in the academe. Since face-to-face interaction is limited, she will serve as the library’s front liner to assist library users with their information needs. NORA is designed to reach out, entertain and answer all of her clients’ queries.
Chat with NORA (NWU Online Reference Assistant) for any concerns and problems in accessing the e resources. For queries, contact us thru the VACON (Virtual Assistant Connection) of the ERC.
Message us on Facebook at m.me/NWULibraryERC/
E-mail us at library@nwu.edu.ph
LibChat with us at: my.nwu.edu.ph/e/opac
Visit our site at erc.nwu.edu.ph
or call us at (077) 670-8152 local 137
Process on how to access E-Resources:
Log-in to your employee/student portal
Click “Library (ERC)” then “Search Book”
Choose the category E-book
Choose from three search types (Title search, Author search, Subject search)
Key in your desired title, author, subject (e.g. education)
Click the “Details” of the desired title. Bibliographic details of the eBook will pop up
“Click here to view digital copy of the ebook”, a pop up message will ask to view the digital copy
You will be redirecting to the ebook (Note: ebooks are for viewing only to avoid copyright law)
In response to the increasing demand of library clients who want to seek assistance remotely and to be more visible to library patrons in the virtual environment of learning, NWUERC launched online services that provides library patrons with “information at their fingertips”. Librarians respond through the library’s Virtual Assistant Connection (VACON). These are also venue to efficiently disseminate information on library services, activities and events.
Services provided online on how to access resources includes NWU Online Reference Assistant (NORA), NWU Online Public Access Catalog, borrowing of books via book pick-up and delivery services, returning of books via drop off and courier (book padala), Remote References and Information Access, online book recommendations, NWUERC LibChat, online library instruction, online document deliver services, digital document delivery service, and NWUERC E-Learning.
This guide provides a brief overview of important tools to locate scholarly materials online offered by the NWUERC. It also provides links on how to identify and locate information for the research needs of the remote patrons.
www.nwu.edu.ph
ONLINE SERVICES TO ACCESS THE RESOURCES AND SERVICES OF THE NWUERC
1. ASK NORA (THE NWU ONLINE REFERENCE ASSISTANT
Objectives:
1. To enable the NWUERC to conduct virtually various reference assistance and services to different library patrons of the university in the new normal during this time of pandemic.
2. To respond to and address effectively the online queries of NWUERC clienteles through online means.
Rationale:
This service provides virtual assistance to library users to help them in their information needs. This may include; answering Ready Reference Questions; providing Reader’s Advisory Services; and Bibliographic Verification.
Process:
1. Contact NORA thru VACONs (Virtual Assistant Connection) of the ERC:
Message us on Facebook at m.me/NWULibraryERC/
E-mail us at library@nwu.edu.ph,
LibChat with us at my.nwu.edu.ph/e/opac,
Visit our site at https://sites.google.com/nwu.edu.ph/library/
or call us at (077) 670-8152 local 137
Kindly send your queries and NORA will respond to you shortly.
2. NWU Online Public Access Catalog
Students, faculty, staff, researchers and other library users can use this platform https://my.nwu.edu.ph/e/opac for asking factual questions, requesting assistance, and searching the available titles of reference materials at the NWUERC. Queries will be directly attended by NORA.
3. BORROWING OF BOOKS VIA BOOK PICK-UP AND DELIVERY SERVICES
PROCESS:
Check the status of the book through the (OPAC) Online Public Access Catalogue at my.nwu.edu.ph/e/opac to determine if the book is available or not.
Send the complete book details (title, Author, and cdate) and a request for material pick-up via mobile phone; telephone or through -Facebook NWU-Educational Resource Center, E-mail library.nwu.edu.ph, and LibChat my.nwu.edu.ph/e/opac
The library will notify the borrower via email for the availability of requested materials.
Borrower may personally pick-up or arrange a delivery/courier service (book your own courier) to get the requested material/s.
Book pick-up and Delivery services are available from Monday to Friday (except for holidays) from 9:00 a.m. to 3: p.m.at the library drive-area near (gate 3) entrance gate of University. (Kindly present your registration form and school ID).
For person below eighteen (18 years old, you may send a representative to pick-up the books presenting the ID and registration form of the borrower.
Failure to pick-up the requested material/s within 2 working days upon notification will mean cancellation or forfeiture of the requested material/s.
4. RETURNING OF BOOKS VIA DROP OFF AND COURIER (BOOK PADALA)
Process:
For Drop-Off, take a picture of your drop book/s.
Place the book/s for return in the designated drop boxes located at the entrance gate of the university (Gate 3) and at the Main Library (first floor)
For Book Padala or via Courier, the necessary booking and delivery fees will be shouldered by the borrower, address to: University Library. Ensure that the book/s is/are placed in a bag/box.
Contact NORA through the Library’s Virtual Assistant Connection for the drop book and book padala at facebook.com/NWULibraryERC, or email library@nwu.edu.ph
Book returns will be accepted from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Library will send an acknowledgment confirming the returned book/s after 3 days. For safety reasons, all items will be held in quarantine for 72 hours before they are checked-in.
5. REMOTE REFERENCES AND INFORMATION ACCESS
NWUERC electronic resources are accessible remotely to the NWU community through a variety of Open Educational resources including e-journals, databases, e-books, etc.
Objectives:
To provide the NWUERC stakeholders remote access to various Open Educational Resources (OERs).
To provide guidance to library patrons of NWUERC for them to have a remote access to e-journals, e-books, databases and etc. needed in their study and research.
Rationale:
Access from Off-campus is now easy! NWUERC electronic resources are accessible remotely to the NWU community through a variety of Open Educational resources including e-journals, databases, e-books, etc.
Process:
1. Log-in to your employee/student portal
2. Click “Library (ERC)” then “Search Book”
3. Choose the category E-book
4. Click the type of your research (Title, Author, Subject)
5. Key in your desired title, author, subject (e.g. education)
6. Click the “details” of the desired title. Bibliographic details of the eBook will pop up.
7. “Click here to view digital copy of the ebook”, a pop up message will ask to view the digital copy
8. You will be redirecting to the ebook (Note: ebooks are for viewing only to avoid copyright law)
6. ONLINE BOOK RECOMMENDATION
This service is designed to provide access to resources tailored fit to the request of the library community. Students and faculty may send their recommended book/s for purchase via email or library social media accounts.
Objectives:
1.To provide a venue for systematic book purchase recommendations by NWUERC patrons.
2. To facilitate receipt of recommendations from NWUERC clients through non-physical contact transactions in the effort to develop library collections.
Rationale:
This service is designed to provide access to resources tailored fit to the request of the library community. Students and faculty may send their recommended book/s for purchase via e-mail or library social media accounts.
Process:
Contact NORA through email library@nwu.edu.ph, Message us on Facebook at m.me/NWULibraryERC/, LibChat with us at my.nwu.edu.ph/e/opac, visit our site at https://sites.google.com/nwu.edu.ph/library/, or call us at (077) 670-8152 local 137
Indicate “Online Book Recommendation” as the subject of your email.
Provide the bibliographic information (Title, author, edition (if any); publisher, copyright year, subject etc.) of your book suggestion.
Wait for NORA’s confirmation email.
7. NWUERC LIBCHAT - CONNECTING YOU WITH YOUR LIBRARIANS
LibChat is the centralized online chat service platform of the NWUERC, that is found at the upper part right portion of the library opac my.nwu.edu.ph/e/opac, . Students, faculty, staff, researchers and other library users can use this platform for asking factual questions, requesting assistance, among other things. Queries will be directly attended by NORA (New Online Reference Assistant). For more information visit our website at library.nwu.edu.ph
8. ONLINE LIBRARY INSTRUCTION
NWUERC NOW OFFERS VIRTUAL INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES AIMED AT HELPING USERS BECOME MORE ADEPT AT IDENTIFYING, LOCATING, AND ACCESSING RELEVANT INFORMATION RESOURCES PROVIDED BY THE LIBRARY.
Objectives:
1. To develop awareness among library patrons as regards to the NWUERC profile, its collections and its services in particular to the new normal.
2. To help the NWUERC patrons in identifying, locating and accessing print and electronic resources provided by the Library.
Rationale
NWUERC offers virtual library instruction aimed at helping users become more adept at identifying, locating, and accessing print and electronic information resources provided in the library.
9. ONLINE DOCUMENT DELIVERY SERVICE,
It is an electronic delivery of document service provided to all bonafide students upon request. These documents are scanned and sent electronically via requestors’ email.
Process:
Contact NORA thru VACON (Virtual Assistant Connection) Facebook, E-mail, LibChat
Send your request with the following details of books (title, author, edition, publication year, page numbers) or the following details for periodicals (article title, article authors, periodical title, periodical issue number, year of issue, Page numbers).
Documents are scanned (not more that 20% of the book) and sent electronically via requestors’ email.
Delivery time required is 1-2 working days depending on the availability of the materials
10. SCANNING SERVICES
Books and other library materials may be requested for scanning. Scanning service is FREE for enrolled students and active faculty. To comply with copyright laws, we scan only up to 20% of the material. We do not encourage redistribution of scanned materials.
PROCESS:
Check our my.nwu.edu.ph/e/opac first if the book/s are available.
Chat NORA for your request and we will scan the preliminary pages (title page, table of contents)and send it to you free of charge. Then, you may select the pages you want to be scanned.
If you have a scanning request, we require the following:– ID Number, College/Department and institutional E-mail address where we can send the scanned documents
11. Mobile OPAC Service (MOS), providing service to NWUERC stakeholders via mobile phone. One can just access the OPAC from anywhere so that they can check the availability of books in the library instead of going to library. (OPAC) was upgraded to new technology, it is now responsive and allows convenient access from wherever you are on the Smartphone, tablet or any type of device.
12. NWUERC E-LEARNING
Objectives:
1. To provide access to Open Educational Resources (OERs) available online, remotely accessible and ready for use by Northwestern University Educational Resource Center clienteles.
2. To facilitate continuous love for reading, research, and learning through the use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) that is made available through the NWUERC E-LEARNING
Rationale:
The site includes wide variety of Open Educational Resources ready for use. It is made available online and can be accessed remotely. Patrons may access by logging in to their faculty/students portals.