Tell Us!

We welcome your comments and suggestions so TELL US what you think! We'll post your suggestion here along with our response.

 

August 2, 2009
Amy Tan's book The Bonesetter's Daughter should be returned by July 26 but it still hasn't returned. I need that book for a research paper, so could you tell the carrier to return the book soon? Thanks!

Response: You need to know about the Power of Recall! Students, faculty, and staff who need a book or other item that is checked out can recall it from whoever is borrowing it. To do this, you have to set up your account in Galileo by clicking on the "View your account" button at the top of the screen, then fill out the form. You need your VU ID and the barcode that is on the back of it. Once you have your account set up, then search Galileo for the book or item you need and click on the "Request" button. Fill in your account information and Galileo will automatically adjust the due date for the minimum two-week loan and print a recall notice on the following business day. This allows the original borrower the full length of the current loan, but prevents them from renewing the item. The item is set aside when it is returned and you are notified when it is available. You have seven days to pick it up before it is offered to the next person on the hold queue or returned to the shelves. If you no longer need it, you may cancel the request from Galileo by selecting "View Your Own Record."

April 7, 2009
This website (Galileo) is confusing when one puts items in a cart. It's unclear if that is actually putting those items on hold/reserved or just compiling a list of items of interest. Then when going back to the Galileo Catalog, there isn't a place to click on the saved cart, only to view your account (of which I don't have a password set up).

Response: Thank you for telling us about this problem. We are currently trying to come up with a way to make the Galileo book cart more intuitive. For now, just to let you and other users know, the cart is only a way to e-mail or print a list of books (or whatever you've found in Galileo) from the current Galileo session. It will not save the items in your cart once you leave the website or allow you to put items on hold or reserve.

January 28, 2009
Many of the black office-style chairs at the computers are broken. You cannot adjust the height on them. I have found that about 50% of them are like this. Also, I know this is not a matter for the library, but Valpo should put salt down on the sidewalks and roads to melt the ice. It is dangerous to walk on icy surfaces. Thanks.

Response: Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We know that the chairs are posing problems after five years of heavy use. We hope to replace a few each year.

As for the icy sidewalks, we are glad to tell Facilities Management your concerns as that department is in charge of snow/ice removal.
   

December 10, 2008
Intended for Christopher Center. It would be really nice if the collaboration rooms could be used SPECIFICALLY for groups of two or more. This is no the third time that I have need a room for a study group or a few friends and I would like to study together.

Response: The intent for these rooms is that they would be used for group study when groups need them but that individuals would be able to use them when they are vacant. The problem comes as you suggest when a group can’t find an empty room because individuals are using them all. As the “Rules for the Room” suggest (these are framed and mounted in each group study room) a group may ask an individual to vacate the room, but few students seem comfortable in doing so.

One solution might be to keep the rooms locked and then check out keys to groups who sign up to use the rooms. This seems like using a sledge hammer to swat a fly – way too much collateral damage to take care of a relatively small problem.

One thing we can do is to make bigger signs to indicate that individuals need to yield the room to groups, or that groups should ask a library staff person to help. We'll try to get new signs up during spring break.

We’re always open to helpful suggestions if this doesn’t work!

December 10, 2008
There is not one lamp in the lbirary that has a working light bulb. That is very annoying. I am not even sure why the lamps are there.

Response: Please let us know, either at the circulation desk on 2nd floor or by telling a staff member, when bulbs are missing or burned out. We will have the housekeeping staff replace them as soon as we know about the problem. We periodically ask our student assistants to check light bulbs, too.

December 10, 2008
On the 3rd and 4th floors, on the side of the library with the group study rooms, there are several small study areas with a table and a couple chairs. I really like the normal tables supported by a thin pole. The tables with the black top and big heavy dard wood base are next-to-useless. Please replace them with the pole-supported tables. Thanks

Response: While the Christopher Center furniture was selected to provide for a variety of uses, as the semester ends and space for studying gets tight, we know that every nook and cranny gets pressed into service. We will take your suggestion under advisement but the budget does not allow for the purchase of new tables at this time.

December 10, 2008
There is a giant mess of wires underneath every table in the library. It seems a bit unnecessary. Please try to find some way to make it a little more organized under there. Perhaps running the wires up inside the table legs or something. In any case, please do something about all those wires. Thanks.

Response: You are right – it is a giant mess! We are working with IT to try to get the wires under control and are hopeful that the problem will be cleared up soon.