Academic, Research & Administrative Staff

Loan Period, Quota and Fines

Material Type Loan Period Loan Quota Hold Maximum
Renewal*
Fines
Books 1 term § (excl. Reserve books & other short-loan items) 60 15 (PolyU books and AV items of 7-day loan only) N/A ¤ $2/day
AV Items # Hourly loan AV items including Reserve AV items (3 hours) 8 N/A $2/hour
Popular Movies & drama series (3 days) N/A $5/day
Other AV items (7 days) 21 days *
Reserve Books 60 hours / 7 days 6 N/A N/A Hourly loans: $2/hour;
7-day loans: $2/day
Interlibrary Loan (Books from local UGC-funded university libraries via HKALL+) 30 days 30 (quota includes loans and requests for books, journal articles or book chapters at any one time) 90 days * $2/day
Interlibrary Loan (Books from non-local libraries) Up to the lending library Up to the lending library $2/day
Interlibrary Loan (Journal Articles / Book Chapters from local or non-local sources) Log into myRecord to download the item within 30 days for a maximum of 5 times N/A N/A
i-Space digital equipment Click here for details

+ Only current PolyU staff and students on all programmes leading to PolyU Awarded Degrees are eligible to HKALL service.

# Some AV items have been restricted for in-house use only due to very high user demand, copyright restrictions, technical limitations or at the request of teaching staff.

§ Due for return one week before a new semester starts. All loans are subject to recall.

* Items may be renewed any number of times from the date of the initial check-out until the due date reaches the limit of the “maximum renewal” period, if the item is not recalled or requested by another user. Late returns / renewals are liable to fines.

¤ Renewal of term loan items is available 1 month before the term loan due date if no requests or recall on the items. Due date of successful renewals would be the next term loan due date. 

HKALL & Interlibrary Loan

Use Beyond PolyU (HKALL + Interlibrary Loan) to search for books that are not available at PolyU Library and access literature beyond our collection. If a title is available for borrowing from another local UGC-funded university library, simply request the book online and have it delivered to PolyU Library for pick-up. For journal articles and book chapters, the Library will source the literature via our partners, agencies, and libraries around the world, and provide access to the requested literature as soon as practicable. To know more about the Interlibrary Loan service, please check the guide.

Off-campus Access

Get off-campus access to most databases and e-books through the Library website using your NetID and NetPassword.

Library Notices

Due date reminder, overdue, recall, reservation pick-up, and other Library notices will be emailed to your official PolyU email account by default. 

PolyU Institutional Research Archive

PolyU Institutional Research Archive (PIRA) is an online platform that actively collects and disseminates the research and scholarly outputs created by the PolyU community. Submit your final accepted manuscript to PIRA to increase the accessibility and visibility of your research outputs.

EndNote

EndNote is a powerful reference management tool that helps you collect and organize your references over your research projects. Effortlessly insert in-text citations and generate bibliographies for a paper or presentation. Guidance on adopting and using EndNote is provided on the Library EndNote Guide or through one of our open Library workshops.

Researcher Profiles

Well-managed researcher profiles can increase the visibility of your research outputs. We have worked out good practices that you can follow in managing your author profiles like ORCID and Scopus Author ID. Contact us for a personalized consultation.

Research Visibility

Raising the visibility of your research outputs will increase the chances for your works to be discovered, accessed, used and cited, thus increasing the influence and impact of your research. You are welcome to contact us for more information.

Researchers@Library

A one-stop guide for you to gain easy access to information at different stages of your research cycle: Preparing Your Research, Doing Research Project, Publishing Your Work, and Publicizing Your Work.

Citation Search Services

Contact your Faculty Librarian and send us a request form with your publication list. We will issue a certification letter with verified citation search results based on information from Web of Science or Scopus databases.

Faculty Librarians

Faculty Librarians are always ready to provide personalized assistance to support your teaching, learning and research activities.

Group Study Spaces

Group Study Spaces support discussion and collaboration within designated areas in the Library:

  • Collaborative spaces in 6/F South Wing, 4/F North Wing (i-Space), 1/F North Wing (inside 24-Hour Study Centre) are open areas designed for working together in groups. Lower your noise when discussing.
  • Group Rooms and Group Viewing Rooms (6/F South Wing, 3/F North Wing, 1/F South Wing, G/F North Wing) are equipped with whiteboards & LED monitors to help students plan and prepare for presentations.
  • Online Meeting Rooms (3/F North Wing), with a capacity of 1-2 persons, can be reserved for online interviews and virtual meetings.

Quiet Study Spaces

Quiet, individual study spaces are available on all floors. Please refrain from talking and ensure that your digital devices don’t disturb others.

i-Space (3/F North Wing and 4/F North Wing)

i-Space is an experimental learning space zoned for inspiration, ideation and implementation. With i-Space facilities, Digital Visualisation Room, Makerspace and Studios, you can build prototypes and develop a spirit of innovation.

24 Hour Study Centre (1/F North Wing)

24-Hour Study Centre provides group study and quiet study spaces in separate areas. During the overnight access period, the Centre is only accessible via the 1/F entrance opposite the Campus Control Centre (P111).

Academic Presentation Spaces

The Forum and The Bubble (6/F South Wing) provide venues for you to present research progress to peers. The Outstanding Work by Students Showcase (P/F) features exceptional student work nominated by PolyU Faculties and Schools.

LibCafé@PolyU

LibCafé@PolyU is an ideal spot to take a break and refresh your mind while inside the Library. It provides a lively and stimulating atmosphere for social interaction and ideas exchange.

Computers, Laptops & Tablets

Eligible to use Walk-in & Guest Public PCs at all floors, they are installed with popular software applications. You may also access to special software via Bookable PC on 3/F & 4/F North Wing, it is available for booking using the online iBooking system. For using computers in other area of the Library, Notebook PCs, MacBooks, iPad, iPad Pro with Pencils, and various computer accessories are available for loan at the self-service kiosk at 4/F i-Space.

Printing, Scanning & Copying

Find black-and-white printers and photocopiers on every floor of the Library; some of the machines support colour printing and scanning. Access to thermal binder and lamination services is also available at the Technical Support Desk. Payment by Octopus card is accepted.

Wi-Fi Services

Look for the PolyUWLAN wifi network from the list of networks detected on your notebook or mobile device. Refer to  PolyU ITS website if you need help getting connected.

Notebook/Mobile Printing

You can print directly from your personal notebook or mobile device once you are connected to the Library’s wifi network. Notebook/Mobile Printer Drivers (Android or iOS) are available on the Library website; simply install the driver on your devices.

Battery Recharging

If your mobile device is low on battery, drop by the Battery Recharging Stations on P/F, 4/F, 5/F, 6/F and 1/F 24-Hour Study Centre for a quick charge.

Request Library Workshops

Contact your Faculty Librarian to arrange a customized workshop. Librarians can introduce students to research strategies and information resources relevant to a specific discipline or course assignment.

Recommend Course Readings

Send us your list of course readings to ensure your students have easy access. Our staff will purchase the items not currently held at the Library, and create an annotated list with hyperlinks to records on the OneSearch catalogue. Students will easily be able to locate textbooks and reference readings under the Course Readings Databases on the Library homepage.

InfoLit for U (MOOC)

Get your students enroll in this massive open online course (MOOC) to equip them with the skills to face the challenges of 21st century information use. Co-developed by the 8 UGC-funded university libraries and led by PolyU Library, the course presents specific information scenarios to engage students from different disciplines. Through videos, exercises, and built-in toolkits, this course will help students to develop information skills and to make the most of their learning in University and beyond.

Copyright

The University regards copyright infringement as a serious offense. Refer to the Using Copyright Materials in Learning and Teaching webpage in the Library website to avoid violating the statutory regulation.

JULAC Library Card

Apply ONLINE for the JULAC Library Card to enter other UGC-funded academic libraries and enjoy borrowing privileges. Application is free of charge. (Note: For UGC-funded postgraduate degree students, UGC-funded postgraduate non-degree students, or PolyU's self-financed postgraduate degree students only)

Have questions about using the Library’s resources and services? The Library can help you in the following ways:

Service Counter (P/F)

Get instant assistance from our colleagues in person or call us at 2766-6864.

Enquiry Service

Call or Whatsapp us at 2766-6863. Also send questions through the online form.

Research Consultation Service

Make an appointment with your Faculty Librarians for more in-depth Library research assistance.