Finding & Requesting New Books

FINDING NEW BOOKS:

Like many users of the Libraries, you may have had trouble finding new books. Trecker, as with the other UConn libraries, has new book shelves but, of course, they only show the new books that are currently in the library. Two new services have been developed to help you discover all of our new books:

HOMER NEW BOOKS. The University Libraries online catalog, HOMER, now has a tab which allows you to find, library by library and for the whole system, new additions to the online catalog. This list may be directly accessed at: http://homerweb.lib.uconn.edu/cgi-bin/newbooks.cgi

It is also accessible from the Blog sidebar at left.

One caveat about this list: Trecker’s books appear in the online catalog before they actually arrive at Trecker. Please check at our front desk if you are looking for a new book that is not where it should be.

TRECKER LIBRARY RECOMMENDED NEW BOOKS. The Homer New Books List is a great advance but it only provides location and basic bibliographic information. Trecker staff have created an annotated list of recommended new books which you may find of particular interest. This list is created after the books arrive so there should be no location confusion. Also, each entry is accompanied by brief information from major review media or from publishers about the book’s content and importance. Trecker’s recommended books can be found at http://treckerbooks.wordpress.com/

It is also accessible from the Blog sidebar at left.

REQUESTING NEW BOOKS:

Funding for book purchases has been tightening as UConn faculty and students have become increasingly focused on internet based resources. While we have not lost sight of the value of books for research and knowledge, we are moving away from purchasing books with the hope that someone may find them of interest and instead we are moving toward basing our collections more on curricular needs. As a member of the UConn community, you have significant power relative to recommending library purchases and as a result we not only welcome your suggestions for additions to the library’s collections but have taken steps to make this process easier. Two approaches have proven to work well:

E-Mail. You should feel free to e-mail one of the Library Liaisons with your request(s). It will be helpful if you can include information about how you intend to use the book for your instruction or research needs.

Trecker Liaisons are:

*Jan Lambert – Social Work
*Marsha Lee – Humanities
*Janice Mathews – Social Sciences
*Bill Uricchio – History, Sciences

Online Purchase Request Form . This is an easy way for you to suggest that the library purchase a resource. By indicating the “Hartford Campus” and choosing an appropriate subject area, your request will be forwarded to the proper liaison for handling. It will be especially helpful if in the “notes field” you indicate: “Need for my ____ research” or something similar. This form is mounted on the University Libraries website and can be used at any time: http://www.lib.uconn.edu/print/services/RequestForPurchase//

William Uricchio — Library Director