Question to the Library

FAQ

Presentation

The Library of the University of Algarve, António Ramos Rosa, is a Functional Unit with administrative autonomy that includes all the libraries of the University of Algarve, having as main function managing its staff, resources, equipment and facilities in a coordinated and integrated manner. Its objectives include managing all activities related to bibliographic information and related documents, to support the learning, teaching and research objectives of the University and promote cultural activities in several areas of interest.

You can find UAlg’s Library on the campi of Gambelas, Penha and Portimão. Its structure is set on the Organic Regulation approved on May 21st, 2009.

Among the accessible information resources, the Library has printed and electronic resources. In addition to a collection of more than 200,000 printed items, the electronic resources available at the University provide the academic community access to documents from different fields of knowledge. We highlight the Online Knowledge Library (b-on), the bibliographic databases and eBooks.

Gambelas Campus Library

Biblioteca do Campus de Gambelas

The Foundation Committee of the University of Algarve has created, in 1982, the Documentation and Information Services (then located in Faro – in the current building of the Regional Coordination and Development Committee of the Algarve). In 1987 with the construction in Gambelas Campus of temporary facilities for the University, the library’s collections and services were accommodated there.

In 2000 the construction of a new building for the library was completed, the services and collections were moved and on 31st March it opened to the public. The characteristics and conditions of this building gave the Library a perspective of development and improvement of the services offered to the academic community.

Here one can find areas for individual or group reading or studying, suitable storage for the collection in its various supports, borrowing and interlibrary loan, computers for preparing papers and searches on the internet, facilities for self-service printing, photocopying and scanning, an access point to Portugal Statistics (INE) and the European Documentation Centre.

In Gambelas Campus Library the reading room has approximately 3300 m2, 410 seats and 26 study rooms and a training and conference room.

 

Penha Campus Library

Biblioteca do Campus da Penha

The library on Penha Campus, a space suitable for study and reflection, opened to the public on October 1st, 2009 and is located in the west building of the Pedagogical Complex. It was created from the merging of the three Higher Schools libraries existing on Penha Campus: School of Education and Communication (ESEC), School of Management, Hospitality and Tourism (ESGHT) and Institute of Engineering (ISE), aiming to provide better facilities, new services and optimize resources. It has received all the documents from those three libraries. It is a library with modern facilities, including 2 reading rooms, 160 seats, 8 private study rooms for group work, a computer room and a training room.

 

Portimão Campus Library

Biblioteca do Campus de Portimão

The library on Portimão Campus was created in September 1992. It is located on the premises of the University of Algarve, in Largo Eng. Sárrea Prado, near the train station in Portimão.

It has an area of 72,5 m², divided into two reading rooms, with a capacity of 20 seats. Its collection consists mainly of bibliography that supports the courses lectured in Portimão, in the areas of Tourism and Management. The Portimão Campus Library also has access to all UAlg’s Library online resources.

 

Compliance with the Library Regulation guarantees better services to its users, namely the correct and equitable sharing of existing bibliographic resources.

Consult here or request a printed copy from the counter.

The Library aims to serve students, teachers and employees of UAlg. However, it is open to all interested parties, in order to serve the community in which it operates. It is necessary to be registered as a reader and present the respective card (members of the academic community use the UAlg identification card), to take advantage of the loan services.

UAlg libraries have free access reading rooms. Users must make good use of the facilities and information resources provided, respecting the provisions in the Regulation (respect the silence rule, turn off the sound of mobile phones, do not eat, do not cause damage to documents).

The Library operates under free access to the shelves, although some documents have to be requested at the counter, such as the oldest issues of periodicals, some gray literature or audiovisual resources. After use, the books or magazines must be placed on the work tables or delivered to the counter.

Collections: great diversity of books, scientific or information magazines, newspapers, cartography and multimedia documents.

Online catalog: all available documents can be searched on local computers or via the Internet at www.ualg.pt.   

Electronic resources: 

  • Access to free access resources (RCAAP, SAPIENTIA…)
  • eBooks' and several bibliographic databases, covering different areas of knowledge, access to the full text of international scientific publications, through the b-on consortium (which includes Web of Science, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, Springer, SIAM, Sage, Nature, IEEE, Elsevier, among other publishers).

 

Access to online resources acquired by UAlg is restricted to recognition by IP. If you are registered as a member of UAlg, you must also configure your laptop and use it by accessing the Eduroam wireless network.

The Library provides a Research Guide, to facilitate access to electronic resources by thematic areas.

The books are arranged on the shelves, according to the Universal Decimal Classification (CDU), by 10 thematic areas, each number corresponding to a number. This number (dimension) is placed on the shelves and on a label on the spine of the documents that allows them to be quickly located.

0 General. Science. Knowledge. Information.

1   Philosophy. Psychology.

2 Religion. Theology.

3 Social Sciences.

4 [Reserved for future development]

5   Mathematics. Natural Sciences.

6   Applied sciences. Medicine. Technology.

7 Art. Sport.

8 Language. Linguistics. Literature.

9 Geography. Biography. History

 

Periodical publications are on shelves with lockers and are organized in alphabetical order of titles.

 

There are documents that, due to their specificity, rarity or diminished demand, are stored in the deposits, but that can be requested at the service desk (doctoral and master's theses, bookings, older editions, audiovisual documents, etc.)

Before going to the shelves, consult the Catalog (Library database) to more easily locate the documents.

Number of documents and loan terms

Students and staff: maximum of 5 documents, from each library, for 7 days.

Teachers: maximum of 10 documents from each library, for 15 days.

External readers: maximum of 2 documents per 7 days.

It is possible to make two renewals of the loan period if there is no request from another reader for the same book.

 

Renewals can be made here as long as you are authenticated, through the email bibrenova@ualg.pt or at the counter of each library.

 

Conditioned loan

Some works, due to their high demand, have their home loan conditioned. Inquire at each service desk.

 

Self-evolution in the library in Gambelas and Penha

It consists of a mailbox, existing on the right side of the library entrance, where documents are inserted allowing the return of documents outside normal opening hours, from Monday to Saturday.

 

Loan-excluded documents

  • Reference works: Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Atlas, etc.
  • Periodicals: Newspapers and magazines
  • Cartographic materials
  • Reserved section works
  • Thesis and Internship Reports

 

Responsibility

The reader is always solely responsible for the documents entrusted to him. In case of damage or loss, you are obliged to indemnify UAlg and replace the documents in the Library, under the terms of the Regulation.

 

Penalties

Failure to comply with the loan rules will be penalized.

Delays in the return of the works will imply the payment of a fine of 0.25 Euros, per day and for a delayed document.

The reader with late payments is prevented from requesting documents until the full payment of the debt and may have limited his right to pass certificates and diplomas through the Academic Services of UAlg.

To use this service you must access here

1. Insert UAlg login and password

2. Access the Personal Area (at the bottom of the page)

3. Make sure the data presented is correct: name, student number and choose Consult Loans in Progress

4. On the left side of the table click on the arrow to renew the loan of the document.

If you are unable to renew loans, please contact the Library desk or email bibrenova@ualg.pt

The library offers the Inter-Library Loan (EIB) service, through which it is possible to request documents or their reproduction, from national or foreign libraries.

UAlg Library Users

Send e-mail with the request and personal data to bibeib@ualg.pt or at the service desk complete the "EIB Request" form.

These orders are subject to delivery times and variable costs, depending on the supplier institution and the type of user. When the work enters the Library, the requester receives an e-mail message.

External users

The EIB Service also makes it possible to send documents to national and foreign libraries. The requesting library must send requests to bibeib@ualg.pt

Documents searched on the Library's computers can be printed on the pre-configured multifunction for this purpose. They must be requested at the service counter, where they await the final printing order and the respective payment.

You can also use the scanner functions to scan and print, or send documents by e-mail.

The photocopying service is also available, provided that the legislation governing Copyright is observed.

There are study offices adjacent to the reading rooms (except in the library on the Campus of Portimão), preferably intended for group work, which do not require prior appointment.

They must be occupied according to their size and the occupants must avoid disturbing other users.

(Conditional access, while the restrictions motivated by CoViD-19 last)

The Library on the Campus da Penha provides, by appointment, the multipurpose room for students who want to train the presentations of their academic work.

Room equipment: PC, video projector, Internet access, tables, chairs.

Reservations for biblioteca@ualg.pt

 

Rules for the use of the multipurpose room

  • The room is only available for groups (2 to 5 students)
  • The group should contact the Library 3 days in advance to book the date and time of the session
  • The room will be available for a period of 2h/2h30
  • The group is responsible for the integrity of the equipment in the room
  • The group will designate one element, who will sign a term of responsibility about the equipment of the room
  • After the opening of the room a member of the library staff will turn on the equipment; these must not be turned off at the end of the rehearsal; before the group leaves a member of the library staff will check that they are working
  • The initial arrangement of the tables and chairs of the room can be changed, but at the end the group must leave the room with the initial arrangement
Cartaz com informação sobre o novo Serviços na Biblioteca da Penha

Computers for research and work are available, with Internet access, Office programs and SPSS.

The Library offers several types of training each month, aimed at different audiences.

See the Training menu

Interested people (individually or in groups), new or former students of UAlg or classes in schools in the region accompanied by a teacher, can take advantage of guided visits to UAlg libraries.

To do so, simply request the visit through the email Biblioteca@ualg.pt.

European Documentation Centre

The European Documentation Centre of the University of Algarve (EDC) is a Centre for the dissemination of European Union (EU) documents and information, created in 1995 through a protocol signed with the European Commission.

Its main goal is to support the University in promoting and developing studies and research in community matters and promoting dissemination actions on the policies of the European Union. It has a collection of around 6,000 publications on the European Union, mostly documents that can be borrowed by users.

Every year the EDC organizes several events related to its aims as a vehicle for disseminating EU information: lectures, seminars, open courses, exhibitions, book presentations and participates in joint initiatives with other European bodies. The EDC is located on the ground floor in Gambelas Campus Library and has the same opening hours.

Documentos

Regulamento da Biblioteca da UAlg
Relatório de Atividades da Biblioteca da UAlg