The Service

Telebook delivers library materials to eligible students and other library patrons.  Materials that can be delivered include:

• Videorecordings from the general collection, including videos from the SFU Library Curriculum Collection (to addresses in Canada only)
• Videorecordings from the Telebook collection (to addresses in Canada only). Please contact Telebook or your instructor about available videos
• Books from the SFU Library, including government publications and conference proceedings (to addresses in Canada only)
• Books from other libraries (to addresses in Canada only)
• Print theses held by the SFU Library (to addresses in Canada only)
• Photocopies of periodical articles from SFU and other libraries (worldwide)
• Photocopies of selections from SFU Library Reference books or books from the SFU Library Reserves area (worldwide)

Some materials cannot be delivered:

• Videorecordings from the Media Resource Centre (formerly Media Collection), SFU Surrey Library, or Belzberg Library
• Complete volumes of periodicals or magazines
• Rare and valuable books
• Books difficult and expensive to mail
• Reference books
• Books from the Reserves area

Telebook reserves the right to limit the number of books and photocopies provided.

Eligibility

People in the following categories are eligible:

• Students taking SFU Distance Education courses.  For more information on SFU Library services for Distance Education students see Services for Distance Education Students
• Faculty and students currently registered in the SFU Faculty of Education
• Master of Publishing students during their internship semester
• Thompson Rivers University Open Learning TRU-OL students registered in SFU Distance Education courses (other TRU students can check the FAQ about other forms of library service)
• Students in courses where previous arrangements have been made between an academic department and the library; contact your department if you think you might be eligible and ask them to contact library staff at 778.782.5596
• SFU students and faculty outside the above categories, as well as SFU alumni,  on a pay-per-use basis ($7 per item; contact Telebook staff to set up arrangements).

When you make an online request for Telebook delivery of an item, your eligibility will be confirmed through your SFU ID barcode number. If you already have a SFU ID card, you will see this number right above the barcode. The barcode number always begins with 2934500.... Contact Telebook at tele@sfu.ca, if you do not have a SFU ID card and need a SFU ID barcode number.

We regret that we cannot mail books to addresses outside Canada because of mailing costs and time that books would be in transit.

Accessing web-based library resources

You may be prompted for a username when accessing online resources such as ebooks and articles from ejournals.  If prompted, enter you SFU Computing ID and accompanying password. 

For information on obtaining and activating an SFU Computing ID see Your Computing ID.

Requesting print-based books and articles via the catalogue or making interlibrary loan requests

To order paper books or journal articles via the library's catalogue or to request material from a non-SFU library, type in your last name or family name when prompted plus your SFU Library barcode. 

For more information on what a SFU Library barcode is, see What's the barcode number that I'm asked for when I request books....  You are also welcome to ask Telebook staff to send your barcode to you.

How does the mailing out of books and articles work?

Requests are handled in the order they are received. Allow plenty of time to avoid disappointment.

Books or articles from the SFU Library are mailed within three working days of the request. Allow another week for the books or articles to reach you via regular mail.

If the requested title is not owned by the the SFU Library, it can very likely be obtained through Interlibrary Loan. Add between one and four weeks to the time required to fill the request.
 

Costs

Eligible students receive this service at no charge.

• Books from the SFU Library collections are mailed with postage paid return labels and instructions for their return by regular post.
• Books obtained from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan are sent out by courier and instructions for return by courier with the prepaid label that is provided.
• Photocopies are yours to keep.
• Videorecordings from the SFU Library collections are mailed with postage paid return labels and instructions for their return by regular post.

Students and faculty who are not in one of the eligible categories and SFU alumni can use the service on a pay-per-use basis:

• $7 for each book or article from the SFU Library collection or through interlibrary loan
   

Loan Periods

Due date information is mailed with each book. Books that are not overdue can often be renewed online.  Overdue materials will result in fines and suspension of borrowing privileges, i.e. you won't be able to make more requests. Contact SFU Library Loans (778.782.4345 or  circadm@troy.lib.sfu.ca) to deal with fines.

Returning Books

Return books and videorecordings by mail using the package in which the item was received. Attach the return address label with guaranteed prepaid postage which was included in the package. Photocopies of journal articles or book chapters are yours to keep. If a book is recalled and you still have other books signed out, contact Telebook to request a second  return address label with guaranteed prepaid postage. If you are near any of the three SFU libraries, you can also return books at the loans desk.

Ordering books and journal articles

Ordering books when you know the title is very easy:

• Look up in the SFU Library catalogue the title of the book you want to order.
• Click on the Request Item button at the top left of the screen.
• Show that you are an SFU student by entering your name and your SFU Library barcode number in the box on the next screen.
• Select the "Pickup Location" Telebook.
• Click on the Submit button.
• Library staff will mail the book out to you.

Ordering articles when you know the title is also easy:

• Look up in the SFU Library catalogue the title of the journal where the article you want to order is published.
• Click on the Request Item button at the top left of the screen.
• Show that you are an SFU student by entering your name and your SFU Library barcode number in the box on the next screen.
• Select the "Pickup location" Telebook.
• Fill out the Request article form below (author and title of the article, the volume and issue numbers, page numbers)
• Click on the Submit button.
• Library staff will copy the article and send it out to you.

If you do not have a specific book or article in mind see the guide Services for Distance Students for research suggestions.

Tutorial

Check out our quick, live-action tutorial on Using the Library's Telebook Service to learn how to look up books and other materials in the SFU Library catalogue and order them using Telebook.

Borrowing from other libraries

If SFU Library does not have a book or an article that you need,  you can request items from other libraries by completing an online Interlibrary Loan form (pickup location: Telebook). Books requested from other libraries will have shorter loan periods and are delivered by courier.

You are eligible to borrow books in person from other Canadian academic libraries, through agreements between the SFU Libraries and libraries of partner institutions. These agreements are explained at the Canadian University Reciprocal Borrowing web site. To get a card at one of these partner libraries you will need a special card called a COPPUL card. Contact the Telebook office for your COPPUL card or other information.

Contact Library staff

For information about SFU ID barcode numbers, or materials being mailed to you, contact Teleboook staff:

• E-mail: tele@sfu.ca (the preferred way)
• Phone from within BC, toll free : 1-866-277-9675
• Phone from outside BC: 1-778-782-4896
• Fax: (1)-778-782-4908
• Mail: Telebook, WAC Bennett Library, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC V5A 1S6

For research assistance, contact the liaison librarian for your subject area, or use one of our Ask a Librarian services. Online help is provide from the Library's web site www.lib.sfu.ca, including Subject Research guides.