Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When is the library open?
How can I contact the library?
What are the driving directions to get to the library?
Do I need a library card to use the library?
How do I search for books? What is SamCat?
How many books can I borrow, for how long, and what are the late fees?
How do I renew my books?
What are Reserves?
Can I access library databases from off-campus?
Why can't I access a database?
Can I borrow books and articles from other libraries?
How do I disable pop-ups to use online resources?
How do I learn about TurnItIn.com?
How do I create a NetLibrary account?
What is One-to-One?
What is a Refereed Journal?
What is a Boolean Operator?
When is the Library open?
For detailed, current information about library hours, refer to the Library Hours page.
How can I contact the Library?
Reference Desk (Questions & Information)
--> Ask-a-Librarian: Live online chat!
Email: lib_ref@shsu.edu
(936) 294-1599 or 1-866-NGL-INFO (toll free)
Contact Other Departments
Faculty and Staff Directory
How do I get to the Library?
Do I need a library card to use the Library?
Your Bearkat One Card serves as your library card to check out books and materials. You must present your Card at checkout. If you do not have a Bearkat One Card, go to Academic Building 3, Room 217, or call (936) 294-CARD.
If you are not SHSU faculty, staff, or a student, you can use all library resources on-site. You can borrow some materials through the use of an NGL Courtesy Card or a TexShare card. Get more details about these cards on our Circulation Policies page.
How do I search for books? What is SamCat?
SamCat is the Newton Gresham Library online catalog. You can use it to search for items like books and journals. Find it in the library's main menu at http://library.shsu.edu/.
How many books can I borrow, for how long, and what are the late fees?
View our Circulation Policies.
How do I renew my books?
Electronic Online Renewal: Use the online renewal form.
Onsite Renewal: Present the item for renewal at the Circulation/Reserves Desk inside the library.
Materials will be renewed if they are not on recall. Loan periods and checkout limits as described in Circulation Policies apply to renewed materials.
ILL Renewal Policy:
Since the lending library sets the due date, books received through InterLibrary Loan cannot be renewed without the consent of the lending library. If you need an extension, use your ILLiad account to request a renewal at least 48 hours before the due date. Generally, the longest renewal time granted is for 2 weeks.
Please note the new due date for your materials.
For any other questions regarding renewals, contact the Circulation/Reserves Desk (936) 294-1618.
What are Reserves?
Reserve items are materials that have been placed on reserve by a faculty member. Reserve materials are housed in Reserves behind the Circulation Desk. Reserve materials may include books, book chapters, journal articles, class notes, tests, etc. There are two general types of reserves: print and electronic.
Print reserves includes books, CDs, and files containing book chapters, class notes, articles, tests, etc. These materials have checkout times that are specified by the faculty member who has placed them on reserve. Most reserve items are in-building use only for 2 hours. Only 3 reserve items may be checked out at one time. Reserve materials cannot be renewed. An SHSU I.D. is required in order to check out reserve materials.
Electronic reserves includes book chapters, articles, class notes, tests, etc. Although some are also located in print reserves, most are not. Electronic reserves are accessed via the Library's Web page. There is a link that says, "Electronic Reserves Readings". Click on that link then follow the instructions. You must be an enrolled student, faculty or staff to access this material.
Can I access Library databases from off-campus?
SHSU-affiliated users may access library databases from off-campus. When accessing a database from off-campus, you will be prompted for your SHSU computer account username and password.
Why can't I access a database?
1) Are you on campus or off campus?
2) If off, are you at work? If at work, is it a state or government entity (most typical scenario, but some businesses do this also) which utilizes a proxy server to manage internet traffic. If so, you will be unable to access the databases from your workplace as proxy servers cannot be strung together. You can request from your work IT people an un-proxied connection, but that is your responsibility, we have no control over that at all.
3) From which page are you clicking on a link? From our site, the database list, one of the subject pages, etc.? Check that link to make sure it looks right, has the proxy prefix (https://unx1.shsu.edu:9443/login?url=), etc. If the link is incorrect, contact Eric Elmore.
4) Are you receiving the normal SHSU off campus login screen? If not, check the link on our pages to make sure it includes the proxy string.
Proper database urls should look like this:
"https://unx1.shsu.edu:9443/login?url=http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?prod=OMNIFT", where everything after the "login?url=" is the database url. If a url is placed on our website incorrectly, you will have to add the proxy string to the front of the database url. It is easiest if you copy another database link into notepad, delete everything after "url=" and paste the database url you want after the proxy string, and then paste the whole thing into the browser address window. Then contact Eric Elmore and he will correct the link on the page.
5) If you are off campus and getting the proxy login screen, but it does NOT take your password then you need to check with Computing Services to check on your password.
6) If you get an error message from ezproxy saying something is missing or the server administrator needs to add something, it means the proxy settings for that database are incorrect. When vendors update their servers or rename them, even when products get bought out and change urls, we need to update the settings and we usually don't know something has changed until it stops working.
7) Do you have some form of internet blocking software running? For whatever reason some of these types of software block some of our database urls and content. You should disable the software and be able to access things normally.
8) If all things from our end seem to be working, it means that you are having a problem of some sort with your ISP. Although most ISPs are pretty good nowadays, occasionally someone has an ISP that doesn't allow proxying because they use their own proxy for Internet traffic.
Can I borrow books and articles from other libraries?
You can borrow many materials from other libraries by either or both of these methods:
Interlibrary Services
If Newton Gresham Library does not own or have access to a book or journal article that you need, you may request a copy from Interlibrary Services. Newton Gresham Library will borrow a copy from another library. For more about this service, go to the Interlibrary Services website.TexShare
TexShare is a cooperative program designed to improve library service to students, faculty, and staff of Texas institutions of higher education. This program allows SHSU students, faculty and staff to have direct, personal access to library materials that are not available in the Newton Gresham Library. Learn more on our TexShare page.
How do I disable pop-ups to use online resources?
In order to use Ask-A-Librarian and many other tools provided by the Newton Gresham Library, your Internet browser needs to be configured to accept pop-ups. Here is a list of sites that explain how to turn OFF built-in pop-up blockers :
Source of pop-up blocker:
- Apple Safari - open the preferences and un-check the 'Block pop-up windows' check box under the 'Advanced' menu.
- Google Toolbar
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 7
- Microsoft Windows XP
- Mozilla Firefox - To change Mozilla's Pop-up Blocker preferences,
select Tools > Popup Manager > Allow popups from this site.- Netscape Browser
- Norton Personal Firewall
- Opera Browser Pop-Up Blocker
- SBC Yahoo Browser Pop-Up Blocker
- StopZilla
- Yahoo! Toolbar
- Zone Labs
How do I learn about TurnItIn.com?
Turnitin.com is a web-based resource for detecting plagarism. The library subscribes to this resource and provides information about how to use.
How do I create a NetLibrary account?
NetLibrary is a database containing the full-text of over 20,000 electronic books, also known as eBooks.
If you find a NetLibrary record for an eBook listed in SamCat, the library catalog, you must first sign up for a free account to access the eBook.
To create an account:
1. Go to the Library webpage at http://library.shsu.edu/
2. Click on "Databases and Indexes" (in the gray, left-hand column under "Research").
3. Select "Alphabetical List of All Databases".
4. Click on the letter "N".
5. Select "NetLibrary".
6. From the "NetLibrary" homepage, locate the link marked "Create a free account." (in the upper right-hand corner of the window).
7. Fill in the required information. Choose a username and password that is easy to remember. Click on "Submit."
8. You may now begin to search and access NetLibrary eBooks.
What is One-to-One?
One to One is a program designed to provide individual assistance to doctoral students (and master’s students engaged in thesis research) in utilizing library resources at Sam Houston State University. Learn more.
What is a Refereed Journal?
A refereed journal, also known as academic, scholarly, or peer-reviewed, is a periodical publication written by specialists in a given field of study. The articles in the journal are reviewed or "refereed", before publication by other specialists in the same field to ensure that the articles are correct in their methodology and justified in their conclusions.
As a result of this peer-review process, scholarly journals are considered far more reliable than popular periodicals such as Time or Newsweek or The New York Times wherein the articles are reviewed only by an editor who may not be a specialist in the area the article is discussing.
What is a Boolean Operator?
A Boolean operator is a word that is used to define the relationship between terms used in constructing a search in a database. There are three common Boolean operators, AND, OR, and NOT.
AND tells the database to return results that include both (or all) terms connected by the AND. And example would be "government AND politics AND voters". This search will return only those items that include all three terms; government, politics, and voters.
AND is used to narrow or reduce your search results. The more terms you AND into your search, the fewer results you will get because you will be putting more restrictions on what the database is to look for.
OR will return any items that include either (or any) term you use in your search. OR is used to increase, or expand, your search results.
NOT will exclude any search results that include the term or terms entered after the NOT. This can eliminate search results that you might have wanted to see, so be careful about using NOT.