Library Services for Mature Students

Welcome to the SFU library! Burnaby campus map

So, you've joined the SFU community as a mature or returning student. You probably have other commitments too, a family, or a job, and you may be a bit older than the majority of your classmates. You are excited, but feel the pressure and have questions and concerns.

No worries. The SFU library can help you find the answers and build your confidence. All our services are free of charge!

Ask Us!

Don't hesitate to ask us. Our librarians are committed to helping students and researchers in a friendly manner. Contact us with your research and other questions in person, by phone, email or by live chat! You have a question, we most probably have the answer. Ask Us!

How do I get a library card?

Your SFU student card is your library card.
Your library barcode number appears just below your name and starts with the numbers 2 9345.... You will need this number, for example, if you want to request a book from another library, or put a hold on a book that is out to another patron.

If you're a new student on the Burnaby campus, you can get your card from the Office of the Registrar, in the Maggie Benston Student Services Centre (MBC 3300) during regular office hours.  Harbour Centre students and SFU Surrey students can get their student/library cards from Information and Registration Services. You can speed the process if you have your student number and picture ID.

Library notices by e-mail

You will be automatically notified by e-mail when a book you have requested is ready for pickup, or when the due date for your books is close.

Borrowing library materials

You can take out as many books videos and CDs as you need, but remember that journals do not circulate. Check the general guide Borrowing Library Materials for more information on borrowing from the Simon Fraser University Library collections.

Logging on

Use your SFU computing ID and password (the same for SFU email) to log on to computers. New SFU students can activate their computing account via the Student Information System linked from the SFU homepage. If you are doing research from home, you need to identify yourself as an SFU user. Use your SFU computing ID and password to access article indexes and databases from home.

If you need help with your computing account, contact the SFU Academic Computing Services.

Technical assistance, WebCT & Student Information System

If you are in the library and have a problem with your laptop or your computing account, or if you have a question, for example, regarding software you are using, or WebCT, or you don't know how to print, ask at the Reference Desk. Our Technical Assistants are experts and will assist you right away.

If you are at home and encounter technical problems while using the SFU Library web site or a database, telephone assistance is available during Library hours at 778.782.4706, and email assistance is available at libhelp@sfu.ca.

For assistance with web browsers, connection problems, course navigation, Webmail, or your SFU account or password, you can contact the lab attendants in AQ3148 on the Burnaby campus, or the Academic Computing Services (ACS) 24-hour help line at 778.782.3230, or at help@sfu.ca.

Check the FAQs on the WebCT page and the Help Files on the Student Information Services page.

Information Commons

Located on the 3rd floor of Bennett Library, this is a one-stop library shop. Computers on this floor have all you need: from Microsoft Office, to Media Player. On this floor you can do research, ask librarians, scan materials, write your papers, create presentations, print in colour, photocopy, listen to lecture notes. Read more about this library service.

There are also several Academic Computing Services labs spread across campus.

Wireless access

To access the SFU campus wireless network, you need a laptop computer, a wireless network card (NIC) and a valid SFU computing account. Wireless network cards are available at the SFU Microcomputer store, which is located in the Cornerstone Building, on the east side of campus.

Within the Bennett Library (Burnaby campus), wireless access to the SFU network is available from the 3rd floor and in some other parts of the library.

More information on wireless access throughout SFU is available here.

Your personal file space

Every member of the SFU community with a valid SFU computing account has what is called "personal file space". You can use your file space, for example, to save your documents at home and then open them again on campus. We recommend that you use your file space as opposed to floppies.

For more information on how to access your file space on campus or off-campus click here.

Reserves & Online lectures

Required reading material for specific courses are kept in the Reserves area, on the 3rd floor of the Bennett Library beside the Checkout Desk. Reserves are kept in several locations near the Reference Desk at the Belzberg Library, and at SFU Surrey.  Reserves materials have short loan periods (2 hours to 7 days) to ensure that all students in the course have access. Online Reserves material or online lecture recordings may be available for some classes.

Click on the Reserves link on the Library web site to get a list of these materials by course number or instructor's name, or to get online course lectures. The lectures disappear from the library home page at the end of a semester, but if you like, you can save them for future use. This is how.

If you need assistance with this, the Reserves or Reference staff are happy to help.

Library Research Skills

Libraries may have changed quite a bit since the last time you were in school. Maybe a new system has been introduced, or a dozen databases purchased. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed! Come to one of our Lib Skills sessions and learn everything you need to know to be able to use the SFU library system confidently. In an informal lab setting a librarian will guide you through the library maze. No need to register, just come. If you cannot attend any of these sessions, contact Ivana Niseteo, the Instructional Librarian, for other arrangements.

Recommended book:
Rose, J. (2007). The mature student's guide to writing (2nd ed.) New York : Palgrave Macmillan. Bennett Stacks, PE 1408 R6758 2007

How do I start researching for my paper?

First, make sure you know exactly what the assignment requires you to do and when it is due. Start working on it as early as possible. Ask your instructor or TA. Talk to a librarian at the Reference Desk. You can do your research online from home. You just need to be recognized as an SFU member by entering your SFU computing ID and password when prompted - the same ID you use for accessing your SFU e-mail account.

Start from a library guide relevant to your subject area. From the Library home page click on the link Research and Writing Guides and choose the subject of your interest. These guides are an excellent starting point for any research. Find the name of the liaison librarian of your interest, who specializes in a particular subject area. Don't hesitate to contact the liaison librarian if you need help with finding relevant materials for your paper.

How do I find books?

You can find books by searching in the catalogue by author, title, or keywords. The catalogue record for each book will help you decide if a book will be useful to you: take a look at the subject(s) of the book and the date of publication. The record will also give information about the location of each book and whether it's available to be borrowed. You can learn to search the catalogue by using our Library Catalogue Search Guide.

How do I find journal or newspaper articles?

You can use the Library catalogue to see if SFU subscribes to a specific journal, but remember that the catalogue doesn't list the articles published within the journal.

To find individual articles on your topic, from a variety of journals, you need to use a periodical index. Find the best index for your topic by looking at the subject listings on the Article Indexes and Databases page of the Library web site, or ask for help at the Reference Desk. For newspaper articles, search the databases listed in News Sources.

To help you keep track of your research, you can use our RefWorks software, which is free for all current students, faculty and staff. RefWorks allows you to store your references and export citations from a variety of article indexes and databases into your personal RefWorks account. Learn more about RefWorks at SFU, see the schedule for the next training sessions and take a look at the online RefWorks tutorial.

How do I request materials from other libraries?

If we don't own it, we will get it for you, free of charge, via our interlibrary loan services. Undergraduate students are eligible to request only from Western Canadian libraries. To make interlibrary loan requests, select and fill in an online Interlibrary Loan request form. For further details see Borrowing Materials from Other Libraries.

Other resources

• Library Services for Undergraduate Students | Library Services for Graduate Students
• Student Learning Commons
  • Provides writing and learning support services across the three SFU campuses.  Services are provided through workshops, personal consultations and print & online resources. Drop-in, or by appointment.
  • See the guide Mature Students
• SFU Student Services
• SFU Academic Computing Services
• Health & Counselling Services
  • Provides all SFU students with access to basic medical services, physiotherapy, personal counselling, health promotion programming, learning skills and career advising.