This information applies to people who are not members of the Department of Plant Sciences.
Access
The official opening hours of the Plant Sciences Library are 8.30 to 17.00, Monday to Friday. If you are not a member of the Department, you will need to be let in by staff in Reception. Please note that some access may be restricted due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic so please do contact the Library before visiting.
Non-members of the University should contact us in advance of your visit: plant@lib.cam.ac.uk.
Stock
The Library has around 16,000 plant-related books and many journals as paper copies, plus of course access to many relevant journals online. It is not always easy to find things, and some items are held elsewhere, so it is always best to contact us first.
- Books – If a book is out on the open shelves, and not marked ‘Reserve’, it may be borrowed. All the books in the Library have been catalogued, so you can always check beforehand if we do hold what you are looking for on iDiscover.
- Journals – Journals are represented on the catalogue, but full details of the run held are not always given. If you are a member of the University, you will probably need to sign out a journal, so that you can copy or scan it in your own Department. Our photocopier operates with your University card if you have credit on it for the DS Print system.
- Electronic journals and databases - These can be accessed from the Library computers in the same way as from anywhere else within the University.
Facilities
- Computers - We have 12 PCs, housed in Bays 7 and Bay 8, offering limited functions. Non-department members will not be able to send files to the printer. You are advised to save what you need to a data stick. Do remember though that access to e-journals within the Library is no different to anywhere else in the University, as we don’t have subscriptions limited to this library only.
- Your own laptop - There is no special area for laptops : you may use your laptop anywhere in the Library, depending on whether you need access to a power socket or network cable. There is a network box in the Library, so connection is good, but you may need to contact the Computer Officer for initial set up.
- Photocopier – The photocopier will not operate unless you have credit for the DS Print service on your University card.
