1. Where is the library located?
Follow the driving directions to Soka University of America, and the security guard will direct you to the library at the front gate.
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2. When is the library open?
The regular hours are Monday-Friday: 8am-10pm; Saturday:12pm-5pm; Sunday: 12pm-10pm. Check the hours during a recess or special events. As of 2/1/2010, the library is open to the public during the SUA business hours (Monday - Friday 9AM to 5PM; Closed on weekends).
After hours, SUA students and employees will enter the library from 24-hour study room with their ID card.
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3. How do I contact library staff?
Check the staff directory and contact them by phone or email.
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4. Where do I return books when the library is closed?
They can be returned from outside to a return box, located between the library front entrance and 24-hour room entrance.
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5. Can I see my library account online and renew my materials?
Access your account by putting your SUA ID number and renew your items before the due date. Request a renewal of interlibrary loan books at least 3 days before the due date.
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6. How can I find books?
Search the library catalog by keyword, title, author, or subject to find library books. You may also browse our open stack circulating books on the 3rd floor. Reference materials are located on the 2nd/main floor. Materials are shelved using the Library of Congress (LC) classification system. To search other books, not owned by Ikeda library, use WorldCat a world-wide library catalog. You can then make Interlibrary Loan request.
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7. What is Interlibrary Loan? How can I check out a book Ikeda Library doesn't own?
Ikeda Library provides Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services to current SUA students, faculty, and staff. They can borrow books or journal articles from other libraries, and Ikeda Library makes the request to the lending libraries on their behalf. By participating in the network of Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), the number of resources that are accessible to the SUA community increases significantly.
To place a request or renew the ILL item, visit the ILL page.
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8. How do I get lists of videos or audio materials?
Advanced search will give you lists of any specific material types in the collection. Type in the wildcard “*” in the search box and under Material Type, choose “Sound Record” for music, “Spoken Records” for audio books, “Video/Visual” for videos. A PDF file of video list is also available on the library website from “More Library Collections” page.
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9. Can I view DVDs or videos in the library?
Current SUA students and employees may use the TV and DVD player in the group study rooms on the 3rd floor to view media material.
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10. Do you have e-books (electronic boks)?
We offer two E-book (electronic book) collections. One is a reference collection, Gale’s Virtual Reference Library, and the other is mainly for regular titles: Ebrary. E-books are cross-searchable and accessible by multi-users, 24/7, from anywhere on campus. The interactive full texts allow you to highlight, put notes, and save them in your own bookshelves. Publishers do not make all books available in e-book format, so the collection is still limited. However, we are actively purchasing e-books especially when they are put on reserve, required or recommended in course syllabi, or evidently popular. For more information, please go to “e-books in Ikeda Library”.
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11. Where do I find novels and fiction books?
They are shelved in our Circulating Collection on the 3rd floor, call number PN (General literature), PR (English literature), PS (American literature), and PZ (Fictions). We encourage you to go up there and browse the books. In addition, new acquisitions are briefly displayed at the entrance. We are also purchasing more leisure readings and placing them by the daily newspapers on the 2nd/main floor of the library.
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12. Where do I find books in foreign languages?
Because our focus is to support the foreign language classes, we actively purchase titles in Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese. They are shelved in our Circulating Collection on the 3rd floor, call number PL (Chinese and Japanese) and PQ (Spanish). We are also purchasing more novels in those languages and placing them by the daily newspapers on the 2nd/main floor of the library.
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13. Do you subscribe to newspapers in foreign languages?
We used to subscribe to newspapers from other countries, but we stopped the subscriptions because we were receiving them weeks or sometimes months after the issue date. To accommodate your needs in reading newspapers in other languages, we created this online newspaper page. You will find about a dozen of newspapers written in the foreign language that are taught at SUA. The newspapers were recommended by our language and cultural study professors. For more newspapers from other countries, you can try WorldNewspapers.com.
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14. How many library items can I check out?
There is no limit to how many items you can check out. However, the overdue fine is $1 per day per item. Please consider that you must return everything on time to avoid large amount of fines.
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15. How can I find print magazines or journals? Can I check them out?
Print periodicals are located on the 1st floor of the Ikeda Library. They are shelved by call number, and you can get the exact location by doing a title search with "Periodicals" chosen as the location. Only SUA faculty members may check out the periodicals at the Circulation Desk. Copiers are available for all patrons to make copies.
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16. How do I find journal articles for my research papers?
To find newspaper, journal, and magazine articles, use one of the databases available through the library website. In addition, you may use e-Journal finder to search and browse electronic journals.
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17. Is it possible to access library databases off-campus?
Yes. A new Remote Access Service (RAS) is now available from the IT department. Please contact the helpdesk (x4357) or helpdesk@soka.edu for a CD with the required software and instructions. If you are unable to access the CD, please email Library@soka.edu and tell us which databases you would like to use. We will give you the username and password if available.
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18. Is there wireless internet access in the library?
Yes, wireless connection is available in the library. An Internet cable may be borrowed at the Circulation Desk.
Patrons are required to provide an SUA ID or a driver's license card to a library staff member in exchange for a cable.
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19. Do you have scanners / microfilm reader?
Yes. The microfilm reader and scanner are available on the 2nd floor of the library. Please see a library staff at the Circulation Desk if you have any questions.
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20. Can I suggest an item for purchase by the library?
If you are a current SUA student or employees, you may use the book suggestion form. If the title meets the library collection development criteria, it'll be purchased for the library.
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21. How can I reserve the reading room 400 or the grand reading room on the 4th floor?
The reading room on the 4th floor is only available to the SUA community. Please fill out the reserve request form and bring it to Circulation Desk to make a reservation. The same library policies apply to these rooms; no food and drink is allowed in these rooms. After the event is over, all chairs and tables must be put back to the original setting.
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22. How can I borrow books in the grand reading room 400?
The room 400 keeps Ikeda Collection, a collection of books donated by the Founder Daisaku Ikeda. They may be retrieved by submitting the retrieval request form.
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23. Where do I get a copy card?
Community members may purchase a copy card for $5 at Circulation Desk. More credit can be added with the dispenser in the 24-hour study room on the 2nd/main floor. SUA students can also add credit to their One Card with the same machine. The library does not give any refund for the balance on the card.
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24. How do I find items my professor has put on reserve?
Reserve items are accessible from the circulation desk in the Library. To find out what material has been placed on reserve for you class, search the catalog. Journal articles are usually uploaded to ANGEL.
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25. What is the library policy for overdue materials? Lost items?
You are responsible for returning materials or renewing them by the due date.
For more information about overdue fines or lost-item fees, please
visit the circulation page.
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26. What if I want a book that someone else has checked out?
A hold can be placed on a title that is checked out by another patron. To do this online, click the “Request” icon on top of the specific title record. A hold request also may be made at the Circulation Desk. Once the item is returned and ready for check out, you will receive an email notification. The item will be held at the Circulation Desk for 3 days, and after that, it will be shelved back on the stacks for others to use.
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27. Can you just tell me who has the book?
No. Library staff follow very strict privacy guidelines. We do not give out any information about our borrowers for any reason.
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28. How can I reserve a group study room in the library?
Study rooms are available on a first-come, first-serve basis for the current SUA students and employees. Use by the general public is limited to the group study room on the 1st floor, and limited to an hour if others are waiting to use the room.
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29. Can I get an SUA Library Card? I'm not an SUA student or employee. What services are available to me?
At this time, only the current SUA students and employees have the borrowing privileges with their ID card. The services available to the general public are listed at the visitor information page.
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30. How can I donate materials to the library?
The Ikeda Library welcomes donations that enhance our ability to serve our community. For more information see the donation page or contact Hiroko Tomono.
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31. Which printer do I choose to print in the library?
Printer Location
|
Printer Names |
24-Hour Study Room, Copy/Printer Room
(Library 24 Hour Room)
|
Library 24 Hour Room HP LJ4015 |
2nd/Main Floor, Reference Collection area
(Library Referene Area)
Default printer from library terminals
|
LibraryReferenceHPLJ4105 |
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32. How do I access the SUA MA theses/projects and Undergraduate capstones?
The SUA MA theses/projects approved by the Dean's office are available on the 3rd floor of the library. You may simply borrow them just as other circulating books. Undergraduate capstones are on reserve at the Circulation Desk. They are only accessible to SUA students who have the signed request form. They may be checked out for 4 hours.
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