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Library

Updates

Book returns can be made anytime  through the outdoor bookdrop, located on the side of the building closest to the Iona castle building

American Theological Library Association (Atla) posted “Three Methods to Search For Biblical Scripture Citations” online tutorial to help users use powerful Scripture Citation feature that allows a user to find articles on a specific verse, chapter, and book of the Bible. The tutorial is available in Watch tutorials in English, French, German, Italian, Korean, and Spanish. (November 16th).

UBC Library has started a Materials Pick-Up Service to provide access to its physical collection including books, journals, DVDs and CDs. Up to 10 items per person per week can be requested. This includes scans of journal articles and book chapters adhering to Canadian Copyright requirements. You can find more information on this service and request materials here. You need a valid UBC library account and provide either your UBCcard or another piece of photo ID (if you were not issued a UBCcard) when you collect your material at the library. (July 28th).

VST library is pleased to offer contactless curb-side book pick up service. Please take the following steps to reserve and pick up your books. Please keep in mind that non-current VST student, faculty and staff (this includes reciprocal borrowing partners such as Regent, UBC, VST, St. Mark’s, Carey, and TWU students/staff/faculty) has a loan limit of 10 books in total.

  1. Check the library catalog, THEOLOG to search for a book(s) and make sure that the item(s) is in the library. For the books checked out, please send an email to circ@vst.edu to place hold(s) on the item(s).
  2. Make a pick-up appointment through VST Library book curbside pickup reservation online calendar.
    up to 7 days in advance. List your books under the “Provide additional information” section. There are seven pick up slots on the hour starting from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m from Monday to Friday. No pickup is available after 4:15 p.m.
  3. A library staff will find the books on the shelf and use gloves to put them in a new paper bag. A label with user’s name and pick up date and time will be attached to the bag.
  4. Books will be checked out on your account and an email receipt will be sent to you. Please come to the building for a pick up only after receiving confirmation by the library. If you do not receive any checkout message a few days after submitting your request, contact library staff.
  5. A library staff will put the book bags on a chair in front of the front entrance at the west side of the building on the day of your pick up. 
  6. Call the library front desk at 604-822-9382 or knock at the front entrance to notify us of your arrival. For health and safety reasons, please do not enter the building.
  7. Please check that the bag you pick up has your name on it.
  8. When done with the books, library users can return the book through the book drop on the east side of the building. (July 14th).

New to VST and wondering about default citation style at VST? Turabian/Chicago style is the standard citation style at VST. UBC library’s How to Cite guide provides a good introduction to citation for academic paper writing in general. Useful handy guides to Turabian/Chicago style include Chicago Citation Style Guide created by Okanagan College Library. (July 10th). If you are in a regular VST student, you can access Chicago Manual of Style through UBC with your CWL credential. We also recommend that you purchase a copy of A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations : Chicago Style for students and researchers if you could. (July 10th)

We are pleased to resume VST library’s  book scanning  services to the VST Community on a more regular basis. You can request up to 20% of a book (up to 25% of a book when a single chapter is being reproduced), or one article from an issue of a periodical to be scanned and sent to you in PDF(s).

    • This is limited to VST students, faculty and staff.
    • Use the  VST Library Scan Request Form for your request. The processing might take up to a week.
    • Please be specific about your request.
    • You can always submit purchase suggestions including eBooks through the  Library Book Purchase Suggestion Form. In case you need help finding resources, please contact us anytime. (July 9th).

Research support through live online session: library staff can provide online research support sessions through Zoom, Google Meet & Hangouts and Skype in addition to phone and email. If you would  like to have a live online research help session, send an email  to dbaek@vst.edu to arrange a session. (June 19th).

eBook “Turn Away”

You might get an error message such as  “Sorry, this eBook is in use” when you try to access an eBook. This is due to a limited usage license of the book. This might happen with  EBSCO eBooks more often. For EBSCO eBooks, we strongly recommend that you download the chapters you need and close the browser instead of viewing the book online (streaming) to free up the book for other students. Depending upon the title , it is also possible to purchase more licenses. (July 9th).

Fines will not be posted for the books checked out before the closure. You do not need to renew your books. Please disregard any system generated due date or overdue notice. If you want to return books, please use the bookdrop on the east side of the building (the side closest to The Iona Castle building)

VST Library Online Resource Guide

VST library online resource guide-2020 – library website provides information on how to access VST & UBC online resources

 

 

 

EBooks
COVID 19 updates
About the Library
Library Hours
Library catalog and databases
Joining the Library
My Account
Policies & Privileges
Late Fees & Lost Items
Special Collections
Online Resources
eBooks
Book purchase suggestion
Computers & Technology
Contact us

EBooks

 

COVID 19 updates

Free academic online resources during the COVID-19 crisis

Project Muse decided to provide free access to its electronic resources during COVID-19. You might find its Liturgical Press eBooks with Wisdom Commentary as well as Berit Olam Commentary relevant for your research.

Library Services during the school closure

VST Library is closed until further notice.

The library staff will continue to provide library support VST students, faculty and staff as follows;

  1. You can contact the library staff through;
      • Email: Daniel Baek at dbaek@vst.edu 
      • Phone: 604-827-3763 (8:00 to 3:00, leave message if not answered)
      • Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Skype: email to arrange
  2.  You can request a section of a book to be scanned and emailed to you as an attachment. Under copyright law, the maximum length of reproduction is 20% of a book (up to 25% of a book when a single chapter is being reproduced), or one article from an issue of a periodical. More information about copyright is available here: https://www.accesscopyright.ca/media/1039/access_premium_poster.pdf
    • This is limited to VST students, faculty and staff only.
    • Use VST Library Scan Request Form for your request. Due to current situation, it might take up to a week to process your request.
    • Please be specific about your request.

3. The library has purchased most of your required readings as eBooks if available. If you need any other books that you want us to purchase,

3. UBC and VST library databases are always available. If you need any help in choosing or accessing to these databases, please let us know. 

4. Use other libraries with reciprocal library borrowing agreement with VST

    • In Lower Mainland: UBC, SFU, Trinity Western University as well as Regent College
    • Libraries in Other Canadian provinces and the States: Atla Reciprocal Borrowing Program
    • Please check their library websites for possible closure.

Q&A & Suggestions

Q:How do I access a particular theology journal such as Expository Times?

A: You can access a particular theology journal online by

    • Go to the lbirary website at https://vst.edu/library/
    • Click on LIBRARY CATALOG AND DATABASES on your left
    • Click on EBSCO Databases on your right
    • Provide your login in credential. If you do not remember, send an email to dbaek@vst.edu
    • Click on the Publication Finder Interface
    • Put your journal name in the search box, e.g. Expository Times, Novum testamentum, etc. You can also browse available online journals in alphabetical order by clicking on Publications on the upper left corner of the page
    • The search result will show you coverage and links to full text

Q: I forgot my library card number and/or password

A: For your library card, please contact us. For your password, you need to reset it yourself as our system does not allow the library to reset it for you. To do this, visit THEOLOG’s password recovery web-page, and enter your library card number and click on “REQUEST NEW PASSWORD” at the bottom. You will get an email that you provided to the library to reset your password.

Suggestion: choosing a manageable research topic

While helping student research, I often encounter an ongoing issue of choosing a topic that is neither too broad or narrow to fit into a term paper. I found UBC library’s 3 minute Broad & Narrow Topics YouTube video tutorial very helpful. Before deciding on your research topic, I strongly encourage you to run a search with your keywords on our library catalog (THEOLOG).

 

 

 

About the Library

The H.R. MacMillan Library was founded in 1971 when the Anglican Theological College and Union College of British Columbia amalgamated to form the Vancouver School of Theology.

Today, the library serves students, faculty, staff of the VST, adjoining theological colleges and UBC, as well as members of the Anglican Church of Canada, the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and the United Church of Canada. It offers access to a collection of over 35,000 physical items including books, journals, DVDs, a growing collection of e-books, and 350 e-journals. Located on the ground floor of VST’s new building, the H.R. MacMillan Library provides a quiet space for individual study and the use of the library’s resources.

Library Hours

 

VST Library is closed until further notice.

Library catalog and databases

VST Library Catalog

  • Theolog 2.0
  • St. Mark’s College library catalog is also accessible from this site.

Online Databases, eJournals and eBooks

Joining the Library

Library Cards

Current students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the Vancouver School of Theology can obtain a free library card. Free borrowing is also available to clergy and members of our sponsoring churches who are working on a church project. Our sponsoring churches are: The Anglican Church of Canada, The Presbyterian Church in Canada, and The United Church of Canada.

Students, faculty, and staff of the following institutions may also obtain a library card without charge:

  • University of British Columbia
  • Simon Fraser University
  • Trinity Western University
  • Regent College

St. Mark’s students, faculty, and staff can use their library cards to borrow items from the H.R. MacMillan Library.

Please visit the Circulation Desk at the library to receive your library card. The barcode number on your library card is your access number and is required for all library transactions. Please note that the Circulation Desk closes five minutes before the library closing.

Members of the wider community are welcome to use the library’s resources  onsite. Those wishing to borrow titles from The VST Library collection would contact either their university library or branch of their public library to submit an interlibrary loan request. Regardless of the size of the branch, the library is searching libraries worldwide to retrieve your request. There is normally no charge for this service.

 

Borrower Responsibilities

Your responsibilities as a borrower are to:

  • Return or renew items promptly.
  • Renew items:
  • Treat all materials with care – there is a charge for lost or damaged items.
  • Ensure the library receives timely updates of your contact information.

Need Help?

If you need help using computers, finding information, or locating a particular book or article, please do not hesitate to ask any staff member.

My Account

Accessing Your Library Account

  • To view your library account, you will need a user ID (barcode number on your library card) and password.
  • To obtain a password, go to Theolog, click Sign in, and then choose the Set/Reset Password option. Please note that VST library staff cannot do this for you.
  • Enter your library barcode/user ID in the box when prompted, and click Request New Password.
  • You will then receive an email with instructions for creating a new password, the link for which will expire after 24 hours.

Renewing an Item

  • You can renew your items online through your library account; you can also email the Circulation Desk (dbaek@vst.edu), call 604-822-9382, or visit the library.
  • If you do not have an online library account, you can create one by following the instructions in the section above.
  • Once you have your password, sign in to Theolog.
  • You will see the items you have checked out with a Renew button next to each.
  • Click on the button beside the title of the checked-out item to renew it.

Placing Holds

  • Holds can only be placed by library staff on items owned by the VST library, and only on items that are checked out.
  • If you would like to place a hold on an item that has been checked out, please email the Circulation Desk (dbaek@vst.edu), call 604-822-9382, or visit the library in person.
  • If the requested item is required for reserves or has gone missing, you will receive an email informing you of this and the hold will be dropped.
  • Once a hold becomes available, you will receive an email notifying you that the item is available at the Circulation Desk.
  • Items held by VST can only be picked up at the VST library; holds cannot be routed to our partner libraries.
  • The hold will be kept at the Circulation Desk for 7 days.
  • If the hold is not picked up within a week, the item will be re-shelved and available for general use. You will be sent an email informing you that the hold has expired, and the item has been re-shelved.

Policies & Privileges

UBC Campus Libraries Reciprocal Borrowing Privileges

Students, faculty, and staff of the Vancouver School of Theology have borrowing privileges at the UBC library, Dr. John Micallef Memorial Library (St. Mark’s College), and the John Richard Allison Library (Regent College). They may access both print and electronic resources through the University of British Columbia libraries. All three libraries are within walking distance of the school and provide important resources for theological and religious studies. Their holdings can be searched using our online catalogue, Theolog 2.0.

ATLA Reciprocal Borrowing Program

Current VST students, faculty and staff can get a library card to borrow print books (no eBooks) from almost 130 theological libraries in Canada and the States while you are there. Participating libraries are listed on a Google map  as well as spreadsheet. Participating Canadian theological libraries are;
    • Concordia Lutheran Seminary, Edmonton AB
    • Ambrose Seminary, Calgary AB
    • Providence University College and Seminary Otterburne MB
    • Knox College Caven Library, Toronto ON
    • Tyndale University College & Seminary Toronto ON
    • Atlantic School of Theology, Halifax NB

How to use this program

When you visit one of the participating institution, please let the library staff know that you would like to get a library card under ATLA’s reciprocal borrowing program. Most likely, you will be asked to verify your identity by presenting your photo ID and proof of current status by logging into Canvas, etc. You can also ask them to call us for verification. You will have to return to the books to the owning library. You are also required to abide by rules and regulations including fine of the host library.

Alum & Sponsoring Churches

As a VST alumnus, you have free access to the Atla Religion Database.

  • The database is the preeminent tool for theological research and ministry providing full-text access to journal articles, essays and book reviews from over 1,000 theological publications.
  • For easy access please contact the library at dbaek@vst.edu, or by calling 604-822-9382.

Free print book borrowing privileges for VST Alumni and members of Canadian Anglican, Presbyterian and United Churches.

  • You will have access to the 35,000 curated items of the VST Library,
  • We add hundreds of new items annually
  • Browse our catalogue here: https://theolog.on.worldcat.org
  • To borrow from the Library, visit us during open hours to sign up for a library card.

Late Fees & Lost Items

Reminders

  • Three days before a book or media item is due, patrons receive an automated email message reminding them of the due date.
  • A second notice will be sent out on the day the item is due.
  • Overdue notices will be sent out one, two, and seven days after that.

The library sends email reminders as a courtesy to patrons. It is the patron’s responsibility to ensure that the library has the correct email address. Failure to receive email notices will not exempt patrons from the requirement to return materials by their due date.

Late Fees

  • Loans become overdue the day after the due date.
  • The overdue charge for all items is $0.50 per day.
  • Overdue charges in excess of $10.00 will result in the patron’s account being blocked and borrowing privileges suspended.
  • Once the fine has been paid, borrowing privileges will be reinstated.

Lost Items

  • After seven days, an item will be deemed lost and the borrower will be billed for replacement and processing costs.
  • Borrowing privileges will be suspended until the item is returned, or the replacement and processing fees have been paid.

Circulation Policies

The circulation policies of the library differ according to the type of item, its location, and the category of the borrower.

Books from the Stacks

  • The loan period for most books is 4 weeks. (For summer school faculty and students, the loan period is two weeks; permanent faculty have a fixed due date of April 30 each year).
  • If a hold is placed on a checked-out book, the loan period is reduced to 1 week.
  • Books may be renewed 3 times after which they should be returned to the library. (Neither summer school faculty, students, or regular faculty can renew books).
  • Patrons may borrow up to 40 items from the library at any given time.

Course Reserves

Reserve materials are shelved behind the Circulation Desk.

  • There are two loan periods for items on reserve: 2 hours and 1 day.
  • Reserve items may not leave the library: they are for in-library use only.
  • They should be returned to the Circulation Desk after the 2-hour period, or at the end of the day in the case of 1-day reserves.
  • Holds and renewals cannot be done on reserved items.

Media Items

  • DVDs and videos can be borrowed for 1 week and cannot be renewed.
  • If a hold is placed on a checked-out media item, the loan period is reduced to 4 days.

Print Journals

  • Bound and current journals are for in-library use only.
  • Users can photocopy or scan library materials, provided the limits of Canadian copyright law are observed. Please ask library staff for help with our photocopier if you have not used it before.

In-Library Use Only Materials

The following items can be used within the library only: bound and current journals, reference books, atlases, rare books, and all items in the Thomas Merton Reading Room.

Special Collections

Thomas Merton Collection

In partnership with the Thomas Merton Society of Canada, the library houses the second largest collection of Mertonalia in North America. Books, journals, media, and theses by and about Thomas Merton may be found in the library’s Thomas Merton Reading Room. Items in the Merton Room itself do not circulate, but copies of select titles are available in the library’s stacks for circulation.

Rare Books Collection

The library’s Rare Book Collection consists of Bibles published as early as the fifteenth century, prayer books from the seventeenth century onwards, and realia from the latter period. Items from the Rare Book Collection are retrievable upon request and must be handled according to archival protocols.

Online Resources

Book/Article Scanning Requests

Note: This service is limited to current VST community (students, faculty and staff) due to copyright regulations.

You can request a periodical article or a section of a book be scanned and emailed to you as an email attachment. Under copyright law, the maximum length of reproduction is 20% of a book (up to 25% of a book when a single chapter is being reproduced), or one article from an issue of a periodical. More information about copyright is available here: https://www.accesscopyright.ca/media/1039/access_premium_poster.pdf

Scanning Request Form

Online Libraries

Tutorials & Links

Weblinks

eBooks

In addition to our current EBSCO eBook platform, The VST Library will also be offering book access through ProQuest eBook Central. You will not need a ProQuest eBook Central account to read ProQuest eBooks on campus. However, you will need to have a ProQuest ID in order to download chapters and to access these eBooks off campus. VST students will receive an email with directions for opening a ProQuest account. If you need any help with VST’s EBSCO or ProQuest eBooks, feel free to contact the library at any time at dbaek@vst.edu. The VST Library always welcomes book (print & eBook) purchase recommendations from students, faculty and staff. Please use the Book purchase request form.

Need help in using eBooks, please visit the online tutorial section.

Via The VST Library catalogue, current VST Students and Faculty have access to almost 800 ebook titles in philosophy and theology:

BROWSE VST E-BOOK TITLES

Book purchase suggestion

Computers & Technology

Print, Copy & Scan

VST library has a Konica Minolta Bizhub C308 multifunction printer/copier/scanner. This machine requires a code to operate. Please ask for the staff at the library service desk to enable the machine.

Photocopying is 10 cents per printed side; 25 cents for color. Printing can be done only through the library desktop computers. We can accept only cash at the service desk. If you do not have cash, you can add the cost to your library account.

Scanning is free. You can save your scan on a USB storage device or have it emailed to yourself.

HOW TO SCAN

Student Computers

The VST library has two Windows based desktop computers for student use. These computers have Microsoft Office installed on them as well as web browsers and Bible software.

Chargers & Charging cables

A portable charger and a charging cable for Android iOS phones and tablet including UBC-C input are available at the service desk for a 2 hour loan.

Bible Software

The VST Library has BibleWorks 10 and Accordance Bible Software installed on library desktop computers for in-library use. Please refer to this list for installed Accordance Bible Software modules.

Contact us

 

 

Daniel Baek (백봉근), Library Coordinator & Head of Technical Services

Email: dbaek@vst.edu, phone: 604-827-3763

Daniel (Bonggun) Baek Photo

Faye Chisholm, Coordinator of Library Public Services

Email: fchisholm@vst.edu, phone: 604-822-0675

Faye Chisholm Photo

Mailing address

H.R. MacMillan Library, Vancouver School of Theology 6015 Walter Gage Road, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1 Canada

Teleconferencing

Students can ask for reference support through Zoom and Google Hangouts sessions. Please contact either Daniel or Faye to set up an appointment.