TAFE NSW Hunter Institute

• 15 libraries including one joint TAFE/University and one joint TAFE/school library. Contact your local campus library for more information.
• 32 TAFE Library staff including 25 professional librarians and 7 paraprofessionals.
• approximately 330 personal computers for student use, supporting a wide range of programs and applications on a Windows XP platform.
• the Hunter Institute Library website which provides:
• 'Ask a Librarian' reference service
• Access to the TAFE NSW Library Network catalogue 
• Over 1000 eBooks
• Research Skills tutorials
• Access to the TAFE Studylinks subject directory
• eResources Framework where teaching staff can publish student material to the web
• A large range of high quality online and electronic databases which include access to over 78000 electronic journals, available remotely via our website.These include:

Journal and Newspaper Databases
Some with access to full text articles

Other Online Databases

• approximately 207,000 books, 23,000 audio visual items, 1000 print serial subscriptions. The Collection Development Policy sets out principles and guidelines that provide the foundation for developing the Hunter Institute Libraries collections.
• an extensive range of multimedia products and audio-visual equipment.

• There were more than 735,000 visits to Hunter Institute libraries over the past year.
• Over 174,000 items were borrowed.
• Approximately 12,000 students and staff attended library orientation sessions.
• Over 4,000 students participated in specialist sessions such as assignment based classes, or sessions aimed at improving information retrieval skills.

• The Hunter Institute Library online website provides links to:

Ø  Copyright and Plagiarism information

Ø  Database guides

Ø  Research Skills Tutorials

Ø  Library Information Request forms

Ø  Referencing guides

Ø  Useful Links:

Library Staff have engaged in a number of activities and contributed to a number of forums, at both an Institute level, and TAFE state-wide.

Representatives contribute to:

Policy and Advisory Groups:

• Learning Support Team
• Library Managers Team
• Library Strategy Group - a state-wide group
• TAFE Online Library Information System group
• TAFE Library Collection Services group
• Hunter Valley Central Coast Library Network

Other Institute and Statewide Groups:

• Occupational Health and Safety Groups
• Environmental Group
• Innovative groups and projects, including e-learning
• eResources framework
• TAFE Studylinks
• Hunter Library Web site and online learning
• Library Liaison teams
• Various Learnscope Projects