Last updated: 9/2/10
Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the University Library!

Some of your questions may already be answered on one of the following pages:

  Quick Links for Undergraduates
  Quick Links for Graduate Students
  Quick Links for Faculty

For other questions, please see below, or submit yours to our Suggestion Box. We appreciate your feedback.

Q: The media center should be open later on Friday and Saturday nights, when people like to check out movies. Even if you have to open later or close earlier during the Monday through Thursday time period, more people would still be using the media center on the weekends.
A: Our first priority is to support the faculty and the students when that population's usage levels are at their highest.

Q: Why are you closing at 11:30?
A: Due to budget and staffing issues, the library reduced its hours beginning this Fall Semester of 2010, Sunday through Thursday.

Q: URI library computers do not support Chinese characters? all funny codes when I tried to open Chinese webpage... URI is internationally recognized as a university with diverse cultures.... many Chinese students.. and other international students... are presented on campus and library.. Can library do better to live up to its image.. installing language packet including all major foreign language.. including Chinese.... thanks.
A: The Library Systems Office was contacted and will install the necessary language software package.

Q: It's one thing knowing that an old building probably has roach problems. It's another thing to see live little cockroaches and dead ones in the basement when I'm attempting to study. Is it possible to have the bodies disposed of so I don't have to see them? Or to lay more traps to kill the ones still building condos? Maybe that's not such a great idea; because that would just create more work for someone, probably the same someone who is leaving the cockroach corpses belly up all over the place.
A: Two answers to this one:
a) If a cockroach or any insect/pest is seen, please tell the staff at Circulation EXACTLY where you saw them. If the sighting was in the Serials Stacks, did you see it near the serials with the call number H or down by the Men's room across from the elevator. Same holds true with any floor. Specifics are required because when Facilities are called, they need to know more than, "There was a cockroach sighting on the third floor." So, please, if you sight any type of pest, tell Circulation EXACTLY where you saw the pest.
b) One way to prevent any insect infestation is to not bring sandwiches and pizzas and any other type of take-out food into the stacks. People do leave their food debris at the tables or do not take care that crumbs and food scraps do not fall down onto the floor where creatures like cockroaches or ants will be waiting.

Q: I don't know if you take suggestions for getting new books for the library, but I read reviews of a novel called "Better Than Chocolate" by Bruce Golden in Asimov's magazine and on the Science Fiction Revu website: http://www.sfrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5821 It sounds like an interesting mix of science fiction and satire.
A: Yes, we do take book suggestions. Here are the steps to follow if you want to suggest a book for the library to order:

1. From our Home Page, click on the SITE INDEX link located in the orange bar.
2. Click on B.
3. You'll see a link for Book, Suggest a. Click on that.
4. Depending on which URI Library you frequent (Kingston * Narragansett * Providence/CCE) -- click on the appropriate online book suggestion form. Fill out the form and send it off to our Collection Management Officer.