Alma Library System Go-Live

As a means to enhance user experience in locating and obtaining library resources in all formats for teaching, learning and research purposes, the Library initiated a system migration project in January 2022.

Following the successful launch of an advanced, cloud-based system known as Alma on 29 June 2022, new loan rules and recall services have been implemented. A borrowed item will now be recalled and its due date may be shortened if it is requested by another user. Any recalled item cannot be renewed and must be returned within 14 days or by the original due date, whichever is earlier. Such new arrangements can speed up the circulation of high-demand titles.

When you use the shelf-check station at the CBCC Library or the Learning Commons to check out a print item, please make sure you have your institutional card on hand. You have to tap your card and then verify your personal details on the screen before checking out the item.

If you encounter any difficulty, please do not hesitate to seek assistance from us.

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Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Service

The Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service provides easy access to materials beyond our own collections. We are pleased to inform you that the ILL network has been expanded to include local UGC-funded university libraries. Eligible users can now make requests for printed books, book chapters and journal articles housed in these institutions. Please visit our webpage (Interlibrary Loan ILL) for more details.

The Library will strive to enhance user experience through an integrated ILL system with growing partnerships.

You are always welcome to approach us for enquiries or assistance.

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Relocation of the Reserve Collection

As some of you may be aware, the Reserve Collection has been relocated to a room inside the Language Centre at the CBCC Library. From now on, you can easily find all the principal readings and key references for your study programmes.

The original Reserve Collection has been repurposed and has become the New Book Display area. Do feel free to come and borrow the new books you are interested in. You can also browse New Arrivals for the list of titles.

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Orientation for New Students and Staff

Same as previous years, the library orientation sessions were held at the beginning of this academic year in September 2022 to introduce new students to key services and to equip them with essential information literacy skills for identifying print and electronic resources.

In collaboration with the Institute Secretariat, the Librarian conducted a staff orientation tour with the aim of highlighting the library history, the main services as well as the development plans.

Moreover, the Library has organized theme-based workshops on information searching and APA referencing instructions for students upon request. Other workshops on topics such as the use of EndNote and the search for news articles in specific e-databases will also be open for registration in the coming months and next semester. Please stay tuned for the announcements on the library website and e-mail notices.

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New Projectors and Interactive Whiteboards

To upgrade our electronic equipment, the Library has replaced all the projectors in the e-Learning Laboratory with more advanced models.

The new projectors have an excellent quality and enable us to display orientation and workshop materials in high-resolution graphics.

Two interactive whiteboards were installed in the group discussion rooms during the summer, meaning that all four rooms in the Learning Commons are now equipped with the whiteboards (each with a screen size of 75 inches). Students are welcome to request the use of the whiteboards, either directly or via any portable devices, when the room booking service resumes.

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Provision of Health Protection Items

To better protect all library users, alcohol-based handrubs and masks are made available at the CBCC Library counter and at the entrance to the Learning Commons.

Infrared thermometers and hand sanitizers are also in place for visitors to check their own temperatures and clean their hands upon entering the Library.

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Enhancement of E-Resources

The Library strives to provide a wider variety of e-resources to meet the learning, teaching and research needs of users in different subject disciplines. Recently, the Library has subscribed to the following e-databases:

E-Databases	Introduction
The Belt and Road	A new collection of the CSMAR Solution which provides macro data on the socio-economic development of countries along the Belt and Road, and information about international cooperation and competitiveness, Renminbi internationalization, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, security information, and cultural exchanges
eBook Central Academic Complete	An enhanced version of the EBook Central Social Sciences Collection which provides access to over 200,000 titles not only in Social Sciences, but also in other subject disciplines including Business Management, Computer Sciences, Humanities and Languages, Psychology as well as Medicine and Nursing
EBSCOhost eBook Academic Collection	An e-book collection offering comprehensive access to over 200,000 titles in multi-disciplinary subjects, including Business Management, Corporate Governance, Computer Sciences, Education, Psychology, Translation, Music, Film Production, Design, Medicine, Health Sciences and Social Sciences
PressReader	A digital magazine platform which contains both the current and past issues of over 7,000 magazines and newspapers from more than 100 countries worldwide in full-colour, full page format
端傳媒 Initium Media	An online media platform providing in-depth Chinese-language news content and data covering Greater China and the globe

Users can now have access to more than 170 e-databases in different subjects on the Database List of the Library Guides both on and off campus.