Off-Campus Library Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Using Off-Campus Library Services
When is the Off-Campus Library Services office open?
How do I get a library card?
Do I need to apply for a library
card every semester?
I have a library card from another UM
System campus. Do I need another one?
I lost my library card. How do I get
a new one?
Can I use my library card at all
of the University of Maine System campuses?
My barcode doesn't work anymore. How
can I fix it?
Do you issue courtesy library cards
for non-students or the general public?
How do I view my library record?
How do I pay overdue fines?
Library Books
Where do I look for books?
How do I order or request a book
in URSUS?
Where do I pick up my interlibrary
loan books from URSUS?
How long can I keep my loan books
and can I get a renewal?
I tried to renew my books online, but
I couldn't. What do I do now?
Can I renew my checked out items
over the phone?
How do I return books when taking
classes at a University Center or Site?
What is MaineCat?
Magazine and Periodical Articles
Where do I find articles?
How do I access journal, magazine, or newspaper
articles in Mariner?
What is the difference between
scholarly / peer reviewed articles & popular articles?
What are peer reviewed articles?
What does "full-text" mean?
When I find an article in a database
and it says "full text" what do I do?
What is ArticleLinker and ILLiad?
How long does it take to obtain
an article that I have ordered?
When is the Off-Campus Library Services office open?
The Off-Campus Library Services office is open from 8-5, M-F (Eastern Time).
Hours may be abbreviated for holidays.
You can leave us a voice mail after hours at:
1-800-339-7323 (Maine only)
1-888-266-4950 (National toll free)
Or leave us an e-mail at Ask a Librarian
Students with a University ID card from their campus should have their the barcode number in their ID activated for library access. This may be done in person at any campus library or by calling Off-Campus Library Services. You can also use our online library card application to request that your ID barcode be activated, it is the number that starts with 250...It may take a few days for your number to be activated to use to access the Indexed and databases. However, you may order books through our URSUS catalog right away. Students taking classes on a University campus should obtain library cards from their campus library. For all students enrolled in classes off-campus at one of the University of Maine System's centers or sites or online, you can obtain a card by:
1. Calling 1-800-339-7323 (Maine toll-free) or 1-888-266-4950
(National toll-free)
2. Using the online Library Card Application
You only need one University of Maine System library card.
Do I need to apply for a library card every semester?
If you take classes for consecutive semesters without a break, you
do not need to apply for another library card. If you take a semester
off, you will need to reapply. If you have your old card, we can put
the number back on your record. You can give us the number by filling
out our online
Library Card Application form.
I have a library card
from another University of Maine System campus.
Do I need another one?
You only need one University of Maine System library card to borrow
books from all campuses or to use to access the online Indexes and Databases.
I lost my library card. How do I get a new one?
Call Off-Campus Library Services at 1-800-339-7323 (Maine toll-free)
or 1-888-266-4950 (National toll-free) or email
us and we'll send you a replacement card. You can also fill in an
online
Library Card Application. Just make sure to check off the box that
says you have lost your card and need a replacement.
Can I use my library card at all of the University of Maine System campuses?
Yes. The library card that is issued to you as a University of Maine System student, faculty, or staff is valid at all of the University libraries on any campus.
My barcode doesn't work anymore. How can I fix it?
Overdue material or unpaid fines on your record will block access to library services. Sometimes computer updates will add a block to some records. Please contact our office for assistance at:
1-800-339-7323 (Maine toll-free
1-888-266-4950 (National toll-free)
or e-mail Ask
a Librarian
Do you issue courtesy library cards for non-students or the general public?
The Off-Campus Library Services office does not issue courtesy cards. If you need a University of Maine System courtesy card, you need to visit your nearest campus's circulation desk for this service.
How do I view my library record?
You can view your library record by going to URSUS. Click on “View Your Record .” Have your library barcode ready as you will be asked for the number to access your record.
Overdue fines can be paid; 1) in person at any campus library, 2) checks can also be mailed to:
Off-Campus Library Services
46 University Drive, Augusta, Me 04330.
Make check out to: University of Maine System Libraries.
3) Credit card payments can be made by calling the Off-Campus
Library Services office at:1-800-339-7323 (Maine toll-free) or
1-888-266-4950 (National toll-free).
URSUS is the book catalog of the University of Maine System libraries. Books can be ordered with your university library card and delivered to the UM System campus, center, or site where you are taking your classes or nationally if you are an out-of-state student.
1. Go to the Off-Campus Library Services homepage at: www.learn.maine.edu/ocls
2. From the Quick Links on the left-hand side, click on Mariner (Books, articles, and more)
3. Search the URSUS box for books or click on URSUS in the Quick Links list.
How do
I order or request a book in URSUS?
For University of Maine System distance students, books found
in URSUS may be ordered directly with your library card using the
"Request" bar. See directions below.
1. From the list of titles, click on the title of the book
to see the complete description of the book.
2. At the top of the page is a bar with the word “Request”
on it. Click on it.
3. You will be prompted for:
-- your name
-- library barcode (put it in with no spaces)
-- Campus, Center, or Site where you will pick the material
up. (ex.
Sanford Center, Guilford Site) from the drop-down menu
4. Then click on the bar at the bottom that says: “Submit
above information”
5. Then click on the bar that says “Request Selected
Item.”
You will get a confirmation that says “Your request has been successful.”
Books are checked out to you for 28 days and mailed to the Center
/ Site that you indicated when ordering the book. You can renew
them for two more weeks by calling our toll-free number, via
our webpage (www.learn.maine.edu/ocls/), or from the URSUS home
page (http://ursus.maine.edu). Click on “User Services.”
The “Renew Materials” link is an option on the next
screen.
Fines are .50 per day per book.
Return books to your pick up location and the Center/Site will
return them for you at no charge.
Out-of-State students, please see the directions
for Out of State UMS Students.
Where do I pick up my books from URSUS?
Books are mailed from the lending campus library to the Maine University Centers or ITV site where you are attending classes. Online students may select a University outreach center nearby as their pickup location. Out-of-state students see directions for receiving your material.
How long can I keep my loan books and can I get a renewal?
Books are loaned for four weeks with one two-week renewal possible
if they have no other holds, have not been recalled, or have not
been billed.
Renewals may be done online.
Click on “View Your Record .”
Or, you can renew over the phone by giving your name, library barcode number, and list of titles needing renewals. The phone number is: 1-800-339-7323 (Maine only) or 1-888-266-4950 (National toll-free). After hours you can leave a phone message.
I tried to renew my books online, but I couldn't. What do I do now?
Some of the reasons that material cannot be renewed are:
1) On hold for another patron
2) Already overdue
3) Has already been renewed
Please call Off-Campus Library Services at 1-800-339-7323 (Maine toll-free) or 1-888-266-4950 (National toll-free) for assistance.
Can I renew my checked out items over the phone?
Absolutely! We can renew all of the books that you have from any of the University of Maine System libraries. Just call us between 8-5 Monday through Friday at:
1-800-339-7323 (Maine toll-free)
1-888-266-4950 (National toll-free)
How do I return the books I have when I am taking classes at a University Center or Site?
Books should be returned to staff at the University College Center or site on or before the due date for shipment back to the lending library. Staff there will return the books for you. There is no charge for this service.
MaineCat is a statewide catalogue that combines and links collections for most of Maine’s libraries. You can request materials outside of the University of Maine system with your University library card from the MaineCat libraries. They will be delivered to the University of Maine campus, Center, or site where you are taking your class.
1. Go to the Off-Campus Library Services homepage found at: www.learn.maine.edu/ocls
2. On the homepage, find the Quick Links on the left-hand side of
the page.
3. Click on "Mariner"
4. Then, "Indexes and Databases"
5. You will see a complete
alphabetical list.
6. You will need a valid University of Maine System library card if
you are accessing the databases from an off-campus location.
How do I access journal, magazine, or newspaper articles in Mariner?
1. Go to Mariner http://libraries.maine.edu/mariner
2. Click on “Indexes and Databases.”
3. You will see a complete
alphabetical list.
4. Click on the database name.
5. If you are accessing the database from an off-campus location,
you will be asked for your LAST NAME and your library card barcode
to password you into the database.
6. Type your search terms in the “find” box.
What is the difference between scholarly / peer reviewed articles and popular articles?
See the chart at the website below for a comparison of these types of articles:
http://library.umf.maine.edu/guides/periodicals_tables.html
What are peer reviewed articles?
An indicator of quality scholarship. An author's peers evaluate a manuscript and recommend rejection or publication. A peer-reviewed journal is sometimes referred to as "juried," "academic" or "scholarly."
Electronic, online version of text usually found in a periodical or book. These can be printed out in their entirety.
When I find an article in a database and it says "full text" what do I do?
When you find a citation that has the words " HTML full-text"
or "PDF full-text," you can print the article out by clicking
on the link.
For the PDF documents, you will need to have Adobe Reader (a free
software) on your computer to see and print the article. You can obtain
the free download at www.adobe.com.
What is ArticleLinker and ILLiad?
When do you use it? Whenever you are searching in a database and the full text is not available in that database, look for the following:
1. 
Click on the icon, then the link for your campus. If there is full-text available, click on the article link to get the full text.
2. If there is no full text available through any of these options, you can request the article through the Distance Learners submit an Interlibrary Loan request to Off-Campus Library Services link or go to the online form is available on our homepage at: www.learn.maine.edu/ocls
Article Request Form/ILLiad Document Delivery:
You will need to create an account the first time you use the ILLiad service. When setting up your account, your library barcode is your password. You also select the delivery method for your articles when registering – either electronic delivery or mailed to your home address.
Once you log into the system, you are able to request items, view your received articles and look at your request history.
There is no charge for this service for distance learners.
ArticleLinker provides access to the full-text of journal articles available in any of the library's databases. If the complete article is not available in the databases you are searching, ArticleLinker will tell you if full-text might be available in any of the other online resources. No more searching different databases to see if an article is available in full-text somewhere else!
How long does it take to obtain an article that I have ordered?
Articles are processed on a daily basis and may take a few days. You will be notified when your article is available.
University of Maine System
Copyright 2007 UMS. All right reserved.
Last revised: Thursday, December 13, 2007