About the Library
Welcome to the Social Work Library at the University of Michigan! This guide presents basic information about the University Library's branch library, housed in the School of Social Work Building. The computing facility is a cooperative effort between U-M's University Library, the School of Social Work, and the Information Technology Central Services. You may also download our informational brochure.
Misson of the Social Work Library
As a unit organizationally aligned with the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library (HHGL), the Social Work Library espouses the mission of the HHGL and of the University Library, which is:
"To support, enhance, and collaborate in the instructional, research and service activities of faculty, students and staff and to contribute to the common good by collecting, organizing, preserving, communicating, and sharing the record of human knowledge."
The Social Work Library (SWL) supports in particular the professional education information needs of the School of Social Work, including its values and ethics, through the library�s services, instructional efforts, collections, and collaborative computing resources.
Hours information: Hours vary during university holidays and intersessions. The Circulation Desk closes 10 minutes before the posted closing time. All library materials must be checked out by then. Please call 734/764-5169 for more information, or check the library's "What's New" page for announcements about changes in hours of operation.
Social Work Library Collection
The Social Work Library collects information on subjects related to the curriculum of the School of Social Work (SSW). These subjects include: social work practice and administration, social work education, social casework, social welfare services and policy, child welfare, and gerontology. In addition to providing over 45,000 books on these topics, the library subscribes to approximately 160 journals and newsletters. A collection of books authored by SSW faculty and an archival collection of SSW dissertations are maintained here, as well as course reserve materials. The book collection is arranged by Library of Congress call number (e.g. RC 569 .P341 1998), and the Periodicals Collection is arranged alphabetically by journal title. The items in the Reference Collection, such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, guides to subjects, manuals, statistical compilations, etc., do not circulate; however, there are many sources represented in that collection which are available from the library's web pages (Online Reference Collection). The library also has access to various electronic resources, such as catalogs and databases, covering all disciplines. Those databases of particular interest to social work researchers can be found on our Alphabetical List of Social Work Databases.
A network of 20 individual library locations supplement the collections in the Social Work Library, in particular the Hatcher Graduate Library, the Public Health Library & Informatics, and the Taubman Medical Library. (For a list of the libraries on campus, see http://www.lib.umich.edu/cmaps/central-campus.html.)
The library gratefully accepts gifts of books, journals, and scholarly reports. Donations of research materials significantly enhance and enrich the collection. Sometimes, it may be necessary to decline donations which are outside of the library's scope or which duplicate existing holdings. However, the library can still benefit from these gifts by placing the materials in the University Library book sale events. Please be aware that library staff cannot appraise materials or provide a cash value to gifts. All gifts accepted for the Social Work Library become the property of the U-M University Library, and library staff reserve the right to determine the retention policy, the cataloging, and the location of donated materials. Book plates will be inserted in the front of hard bound gift books, at the donor's request. Those interested in donating materials to the Social Work Library should contact the Interim Head of the Social Work Library at 734/764-5169 or social.work.library@umich.edu.
Services at the Social Work Library
- Circulation Services
- With a valid university ID (Mcard), University of Michigan students, staff and faculty may check out materials from the collections, including items "on reserve." Reference books, current journals and items in special collections may not be checked out of the library. Faculty, staff, graduate students and academic guests may check out books from the general collection for one academic term; undergraduates and non-acedemic guests may borrow items for 3 weeks. The borrowing periods for some items may be extended or renewed. All library materials must be checked out 10 minutes before the posted closing time. The library accepts personal checks only for library fines.
- Computing
- The library space houses the Comprehensive Information Resource Center (CIRC), which serves as a computing lab for the SSW. There are 46 full-featured workstations and a 30-seat classroom, equipped with computers and projection system. These computers provide access to statistical software, word processing, spreadsheets, and other information resources. Connected to 6 of these computers are digital scanners. There are 6 express, e-mail only cyberstations. There is no printing capability at these stations. A U-M uniqname is required to use CIRC workstations. There are 3 other computers that provide access to library-related resources, such as Mirlyn; researchers not affiliated with the university may use these computers for library research. Students are charged for printing information from all computers in the site. In addition, an ergo-assistive workstation (Ergopod) is available on site for individuals in need of software designed for blind and visually impaired computer users. Wireless networking is available in the Social Work Library. For information on wireless network access on campus, point your browser to: http://www.itcom.itd.umich.edu/wireless/.
- Course Reserves
- Many SSW instructors provide materials related to courses in the library for student use. These "reserve" materials are available at the Service Desk. To check out reserve books, photocopies of articles, coursepacks, etc., you must present your Mcard. Course reserves circulate for 4 hours only. Late fines for reserve items are $1 per hour, including any hours that the library is not open. To find out what is "on reserve," login and search the Mirlyn course reserves catalog. SSW instructors can request materials for the reserve collection online at http://www.lib.umich.edu/socwork/courseresreq.html. Please note: SSW course syllabi are available from the school's web site, under "Class Listings ."
- Group Study Rooms
- There are 2 group study rooms, available for use by those affiliated with the School of Social Work. These rooms are available for group use during regular library hours, for 2-hour periods, on a reservation basis. Room B772 houses video viewing equipment, which is used strictly for selected SSW class assignments. B792 is equipped with a computer for SSW students to practice PowerPoint presentations. Please check in at the Service Desk or send an e-mail message to social.work.library@umich.edu to place a room reservation.
- Library-to-Library Delivery/Interlibrary Loan/7-FAST
- Social Work students, staff and faculty may borrow books not owned by the Social Work Library but available in other libraries on campus through a service called Library-to-Library Delivery. Requested books are typically delivered in 2-3 days. Journal articles may not be requested through this service. Log into Mirlyn, search for the item you wish to obtain, display the "What Libraries Have" (holdings), and click on the "Get This" link. Complete the form and click on the "Submit" button. You may also borrow books and photocopies of articles not held by campus libraries via a service called Interlibrary Loan. Submit a loan request via the web at: http://ill.lib.umich.edu/. The 7-FAST service locates your journal articles in any of the campus libraries and delivers photocopies to your departmental mailbox. You may also download your requested articles from a secure library web site. Please note: there are fees associated with this service. See the fee schedule for details.
- Photocopying
- There are 2 photocopiers near the Periodicals Collection (see map), which use a debit card to make copies. There is a photocopy debit card dispensing machine nearby, which accepts $1, $5, $10 and $20 bills. For $1, you receive a card with $.50 of value. With this card, photocopies cost $.10 per page. U-M faculty and staff wishing to purchase or re-encode a photocopy debit card that is charged to a U-M account may do so at the Library's Copy Center, Room 17 Hatcher Graduate Library (basement), 734/764-0404. Please note: These cards will not work at the Kresge Business Library or the Law Library. Malfunctioning cards may be taken to the Graduate Library Copy Center for re-encoding or replacement. Monetary refunds for unused value on cards are not available. However, refunds for illegible copies due to copier malfunction are available in Circulation Services (Room 104, Graduate Library) for amounts up to $1.
- Reference Service & Instruction
- Social Work Library staff provide research assistance to all members of the university community performing research in the field of social work. Library staff can assist you using the collections, in searching the catalog (Mirlyn) or other electronic resources, or in locating information on the Internet. Reference service hours vary from term to term and during intersessions, but are posted on the library's web site. (For the latest information, see Need Help?). Students are encouraged to submit reference questions via web form, or via e-mail at social.work.library@umich.edu. Individual consultation appointments are available for in-depth research and individualized instruction. Librarians meet with SSW classes to provide instruction on using library resources. All instructional web pages and research tips for SSW class assignments are available on the library web site, as well as information about the library instruction program.
Other Information
- Artwork
- The School of Social Work has a commitment to enhancing the school environment with pieces of contemporary art. The Social Work Library is in the enviable position to display a portion of the School's art collection. "The Real Blue," a work by renowned American artist Sam Gilliam, is a 4-piece sculpture of polychrome birch panels. The pieces are mounted on the walls above the library floor, making the artwork viewable to the basement and first floors. "Vox Populi," created by U-M School of Art faculty member Mark Pomilio, is mounted in the stairway leading to the basement level, outside the library entrance. This work was composed with aquacryl and charcoal on canvas panels.
- Cell Phones
- In order to provide a research environment, students should conduct cell phone conversations outside the library (e.g. lobby areas), and should turn off pagers and cell phone ringers while in the library. Please be considerate of your fellow students' and researchers' needs for quiet study areas.
- Exhibits
- The library makes exhibit space available to School of Social Work individuals and groups. For more information, consult the Social Work Library's Exhibits Information and Policy. Check the library's What's New page for details about the latest exhibit. [See Exhibits in the Social Work Library for digital images of selected previous exhibits.]
-
- Food/Drink
- In concurrence with the policy of consumption of food and beverage in the Hatcher Graduate Library and other libraries on campus, the Social Work Library strictly forbids food, uncovered and alcoholic beverages, and tobacco in the facility. Food, uncovered beverages, and tobacco are prohibited in the library facility in an attempt to maintain the usable condition of library materials and computing equipment, and to improve the study and research environment. Individuals attempting to enter the library with these prohibited items will be requested to put them away in the individual's bag, discard them outside the library, or to leave the library. This policy applies to the computer classroom (B696) and to the group study rooms (B772 and B792) as well.
- History of the Library
- The Social Work Library has a unique history, being closely tied with the Hatcher Graduate Library and the School of Social Work. A brief history of the library, including a chronology of library services and social work, and a library image album document the past and present of this unit. A history of the Hatcher Graduate Library is available at http://www.lib.umich.edu/grad/showcase/.
- Library Privacy Policy
- The Social Work Library adheres to the University Library policy on patron privacy, in essence, the privacy of all users shall be respected in compliance with federal and state laws and professional standards. The Library will not reveal the identities of individual users or reveal what information sources or services they consult. This policy applies to all resources regardless of their format or means of delivery as well as to all services offered by the Library. Details about the privacy policy can be found at: http://www.lib.umich.edu/policies/privacy.html.
- Resources for Social Work Professionals
- Off-campus access library resources by current U-M students is possible. See the page entitled University Library Electronic Resources: Access Information for details. Please note that alumni do not have off-campus access to library resources. Information on services and resources available to alumni and visitors is gathered on the web page entitled Resources for Social Work Professionals.
- Space Use Guidelines
- The library, including the group study rooms, is subject to guidelines and policies delineating appropriate use. The Space Use Policy/Guidelines, approved by the School of Social Work Facilities Committee, highlights how the various rooms in the library are to be used and who to contact.
-
-
- Student Jobs
- The library is always looking for friendly student assistants to help library staff provide the myriad of services to the School of Social Work. Working at the lively Service Desk, customer-oriented student assistants check out books and reserve items, handle library-to-library delivery requests, answer phones, search databases, assist researchers with using Mirlyn, and various databases and software applications, shelve library materials, and perform miscellaneous technical processing duties. Beginning positions start out at $7.40 per hour, with regular pay increases for every 300 hours worked. Interested students should contact Karen Blackford at social.work.library@umich.edu or at (734) 764-5169.
.gif)
