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Following are descriptions of the Library's many collections, both electronic and hard-copy/print .
Movies / Media Collections (1st floor)
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BORROWING (HARD-COPY) |
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Movies / Video Recordings
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The Library provides online access to two streaming video collections on its A-Z Databases: Video page: Films on Demand, with over 20,000 streaming videos, and Kanopy, with over 26,000 streaming videos. For more info on films, visit the Films Online guide.
The Library also has over 1000 VHS videotapes and DVDs (NOTE: the library has very few commercial motion pictures). They are located behind the Circulation Desk (see our floor plans), along with the CDs, and are searchable by title, title keyword, and video number in BU Books & More
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Available for 4 week loan, with 1 automatic renewal and 1 additional renewal request to all patrons with a valid BU ID. Following a short grace period, any items that are overdue will be considered lost. An $85 replacement fee will be assessed per item. Once a lost item is returned, the $85 fee will be waived.
Items charged out are subject to recall if needed for classroom instruction. Professors may place videos for course use on Reserve as they do books to ensure their availability when needed for viewing during class time.
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Sound Recordings
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The Library provides online access to Naxos, a streaming music collection with over 130,000 CDS, on its Databases A-Z: Audio page.
The library also has over 5,000 33 1/3 LPs and over 2,000 compact discs. Most of the recordings are of classical music, but there is also jazz, easy listening, rock, drama, and a variety of others. LPs are located in Compact Shelving on 2nd Floor. Compact discs are located behind the Circulation Desk (see our floor plans). Ask at the Circulation Desk for assistance.
Both Naxos and hard-copy recordings are cataloged by composer (major works), artist, and type of music in our online catalog. A search by artist or type of music may be limited in the catalog to Location. Choose "Compact Disc Collection," or "Phonodisc Collection."
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Scores
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This library has several hundred musical scores in print format. They are stored in various locations depending on their size. Those whose call number begins with the word "score" are stored in a two drawer file cabinet located at the northeast corner of the 1st Floor. In BU Books & More (online catalog) limit by Location and choose "Scores."
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Scores may be checked out at the Circulation Desk for a 4 week loan. |
Popular Reading Collection (1st floor)
The library maintains a small collection of "fun" reading books, including Young Adult, mystery, fantasy, romance, thriller, and light nonfiction books. These books are located on two double-sided, free-standing shelves near the Circulation Desk on the first floor. Books are arranged by the author's last name.
Borrowing
Popular Reading books can be checked out at the Circulation Desk for 4 weeks, with 1 automatic renewal and 1 additional renewal request.
Ebooks
The Library also provides access to several large ebook collections, accessible here. These collections also have more recent 'bestseller' books, too.
Reference Collection (2nd floor)
The Library has both electronic and print reference books, like encyclopedias, dictionaries, compendia of statistics, collections of quotations, indexes, etc. The reference collections are a great place to find facts and start your research.
- Electronic reference books - check the Encyclopedias, etc. web page for a listing and search BU Books & More, the Library catalog, by title or subject. When searching the Library catalog, limit search to Full Text Online and Books and click on View It to link to the book.
- Oxford English Dictionary - OED is a treasure trove, perhaps the most accepted authority, on the evolution of the English language over the last millennium. Includes word histories, taxonomies, and sources of definitions, and is searchable by a number of categories of definitions.
- Print reference books - search BU Books & More to find. Limit by Available in Library, and under Location select Reference Collection, noting the call number. Reference Collection is on the 2nd floor. Some special types of reference books include:
- Atlases and Maps - Because of size and shape, many geographical atlases and all maps are not shelved in the Reference Collection but near it (see floor plans). These include:
- ATLASES - Oversized geographical atlases are on wall shelves in the corridor near the beginning of the Reference Collection on the Second Floor. The other geographical atlases are found in the "G's" in the main Reference Collection.
- MAPS - The cataloged maps are in a map case across from the atlas shelves on the Second Floor.
- Indexes and Abstracts - Indexes and Abstracts are used to identify articles published in journals/magazines/ newspapers. Our most heavily used indexes are the online databases. The Library also has several indexes in paper copy, located in the Reference Collection (2nd floor) or near the Microfilm Collection (1st floor)
Using Reference Books
Print reference books normally are not checked out. Readers may photocopy or scan pages of short sections of books they wish to read outside the library. Special loans are available for some reference books. Ask at the Circulation Desk for assistance.
General Collection (3rd & 4th floors)
The General Collection is the main circulating collection of the library with over 300,000 volumes. Books are checked out at the Circulation/Access Services Desk on the first floor. The General Collection uses the Library of Congress classification system:
- Call numbers beginning with "A" through "N" are on the Third Floor
- Call numbers beginning with "P" through "Z" are on the Fourth Floor
(View all floor plans here)
Oversize Books
Oversize books (those over 29 centimeters in height or 25 cm. in width) are shelved separately to maximize shelving and are designated as such in our catalog, for example, Get It: Harvey A. Andruss Call Number: General Collection OVERSIZE, 4th Floor, etc.. Oversize General Collection books are shelved after the normal size books on the Fourth Floor (see our floor plans).
Borrowing
Books from the General Collection may be borrowed for 4 weeks, with 1 automatic renewal and 1 additional renewal request by BU students and by patrons with Community Borrower's cards. To obtain a Community Borrower's Card, ask for an application at the first floor Access Services desk.
Ebooks
In addition to print (hard copy) books, the Library also provides access to several large ebook collections, accessible here. Some of the largest collections are listed here:
