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CTR Library FAQ

Borrowing Privileges & Library Materials

How can I contact the Library?

You may contact the Library by phone, fax, or email.

Who may check out Library materials?

The University of Texas faculty, staff, and students, as well as Texas Department of Transportation staff may borrow materials. Other patrons may borrow materials by special arrangement.

How long can I keep borrowed Library materials?

Do I have to come to the Library to retrieve materials?

No. You may contact the library and have your materials sent to you via state inter-agency mail or campus mail.

Can Library materials be renewed beyond the initial loan period?

Yes. Please contact library staff for a renewal.

How do I renew the materials I have checked out?

Materials can be renewed online, by phone, or in person.

What are the policies regarding fines.

There are no fines for overdue materials at the CTR library.

What if the Library's collection doesn't have what I'm looking for?

We may be able to locate an item for you through our Interlibrary Loan service. We also welcome your suggestions for books, CDs, or magazines the library should purchase to add to the collection.

Are CTR Library records confidential?

Yes. The CTR Library may not release the names or social security numbers of individuals who have used library materials or services. The Texas Public Records Act (amended, 1999) section 552.124 exempts library records from disclosure.

Online Services

Does the Library have an on-line catalog?

Yes. It may be found on our home page at http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/index.html Use the Search the Catalog function.

Can I download copies of research reports?

Yes. Many recent reference materials as well as CTR reports are available in a PDF format. PDF files are linked directly through our catalog.

Can I send a request by email?

Yes. Please send your request to ctrlib@uts.cc.utexas.edu

Can I use computers in the Library?

Yes. We have a public access computer in the library that may be used for research related work.

Facilities Questions

Where is the Library located?

The CTR Library is located at 3208 Red River, Room 115, Austin Texas, 78705-2650. The Library is on the first floor.

When is the Library open?

The Library is open from 8:00 AM-12:00PM and 1:00 PM-5:00PM, Monday through Friday. The Library is not open in the evenings or on weekends.

On which holidays does the Library close?

The CTR Library follows the holiday schedule for the University of Texas. Please view the calendar at http://www.utexas.edu/hr/holiday/holiday.html

Does the Library have meeting rooms available for public use?

Yes.† The Center for Transportation Research has three conference rooms that may be reserved. Please visit our site at http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/intranet/confres.html

The library also has several study tables and reading areas that seat 4-6 people.

Reference Services

What is the mission of the CTR Library?

The CTR library mission is to support transportation research by providing for the information needs of all students, researchers, agencies and the public, by developing long-term partnerships in both print-based and electronic resource sharing.

How many books does the Library have?

The CTR library has nearly 30,000 volumes of transportation-related reading and reference materials.

Are staff available to help with reference questions?

Yes. CTR Library staff are available to provide answers to reference questions received from patrons. Due to the sometimes heavy volume or in-depth nature of the questions, please allow for a reasonable amount of time for a response. Our goal is to answer questions within the same day.

Visitors to the CTR Library may use public access Internet terminals to download materials for transportation research purposes. Photocopying of journal articles and sections of reports is allowed provided the amount is not voluminous. In accordance with national copyright laws, only one copy of a journal article or book/report section is allowed for research purposes only, and may not be resold or reused for profit or other reasons.

What materials do you have?

The CTR library holdings include copies of research materials-reports generated by the Center, as well as materials from the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) at Texas A&M. We also have materials from the Southwest Regional Transportation Center, the University of Houston, Texas Tech, and The University of Texas at El Paso. We have a complete set of materials from the Transportation Research Board, as well as the US DOT and FHWA materials. We have a collection of materials from state departments of Transportation.

Do you have materials from the Texas Department of Transportation?

Yes. The CTR library acts as the official depository for the TxDOT research program. Reports generated by TxDOT funded research may be found at the Library. The CTR Library also acts as an archive for TxDOT materials.

Can I find your material through the University of Texas Libraries catalog?

No. The CTR Library is not a part of the University of Texas Libraries cataloging system. Our materials will not be found in UTNet catalog. Our catalog is available on-line at http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/index.html

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