A Few Frequently Asked Questions about the Frank Lowy Library

I used to work in the AGSM building but now I’m in the Australian School of Business building, can I still use the Frank Lowy Library?
Yes, you certainly can!

Before the merger, I was in the Faculty of Commerce and Economics, can I use the Frank Lowy Library?
Yes you can. You'll need to register, please bring a form of ID and we can join you up on the spot. More details here.

Is there any way of borrowing or returning items that doesn’t involve making the trip to AGSM building?
The Frank Lowy Library is happy to send books to you via the internal mail. It is also possible to request that a book be set aside for a short time so that you can arrange for a representative to pick it up for you. Please contact us for further details.

Where is the Frank Lowy Library located?
On the first floor of the AGSM Building.

Why are some books on 2hr or 3 day loan, and where can I find them?

The books on 2hr loan are textbooks, course notes, worked exam papers or other high demand readings that your lecturer has asked to go on 'Closed Reserve'. In fact some are only able to be used in the Library.

3 day loan books are usually earlier editions of your textbooks or books recommended by your lecturer. Both types of books will appear as 'Reserve Desk' in the Library catalogue.

The shorter loan period ensures that as many of you as possible have access to these books over the term.

Where do I find reserve books & course notes?

The ‘Closed Reserve’ shelf is behind the Library’s Reference desk. The three day Reserve titles are shelved directly behind the ‘New Books’ Glass cabinet. Just ask your friendly Library staff at the desk for assistance.

Mergers and integration

There’s a difference between when a merger is announced and when it has been completed. The merger of the AGSM with the UNSW Faculty of Commerce and Economics to form the Australian School of Business at UNSW has been announced, but the integration process is still continuing.

The Frank Lowy Library is a good example of this. The Library’s user database is populated from the AGSM’s student and staff databases, but at the moment, it is not synchronized with the equivalent UNSW databases.

The Frank Lowy Library welcomes all faculty and staff and postgraduate students from the Australian School of Business who are interested in using the Library. Because the AGSM and UNSW databases are not integrated yet, the Library needs you to fill out a registration form so that you can be added into the Library’s database. This allows us to keep track of what books or DVDs you’ve borrowed, and any materials you have reserved.

The other difference is with using the Library’s electronic collection. Accessing databases and electronic journals is crucial to using a library these days. As things are today and for the immediate future, AGSM students can reach these things only through the Frank Lowy Library. Every other UNSW student, staff or faculty member needs to use the UNSW Library’s gateways for this – Sirius and the LRD (Library Resource Database).

The good news is that it doesn’t really matter whether you use the Frank Lowy Library or the UNSW Library interface to access the electronic collection, with only a few exceptions, the two collections have the same content.

As the integration process continues, it is expected that the registration forms and the different ways of accessing databases will eventually go away, but this process will take time.

If you have any questions about the merger and integration process or would like to give some feedback about it, feel free to send us a comment.

What's happening to the Library when the Australian School of Business moves to the Heffron building?

Starting on June 28 and continuing until late August, Australian School of Business faculty will be moving from the AGSM building to the Heffron building in the lower campus. A number of people have been asking us if the Library will also be moving and if it will continue to be able to serve faculty and students after the move to Heffron.

Here's what's going on:
1. The Library is not moving to the Heffron building
We are staying right where we are in the AGSM building. The Library is not alone in staying in the AGSM building: Awards Programs, Residential Programs, IT and Research Centres will also be staying in the AGSM building. There are no plans to move classes from the AGSM building - this means that the Library will still be conveniently located for students attending classes and for faculty who are teaching classes. For complete details about the moving process, read the Faculty of Business Moving Newsletter [pdf file].

2. The Frank Lowy Library will continue to support teaching and learning and research for AGSM programmes
The Frank Lowy Library is focused on just one thing - providing premium library services to postgraduate business students and faculty. The UNSW Library serves a broader body of students and a wider range of subject areas. Now that the Frank Lowy Library is a part of the UNSW Library system, there is an integration process underway. Changes are happening as part of the integration process, but the process is complicated - and so it's not possible to say right now what will happen and when it will take place.
In the mean time, the Frank Lowy Library is not moving. The Library will continue to serve the AGSM community by keeping its print collection up to date and relevant and by providing library staff who are uniquely experienced with the needs of business researchers. At the same time, the Library is developing new ways of serving users in the Australian School of Business.

Natalie McDonald Manager, Client Services Frank Lowy Library

a few Frequently Asked Questions about the Frank Lowy Library

When is the library open?
See the opening hours here.

What is a database?
A database, in the library context, is a powerful research tool. They contain articles and profiles and other documents from premium content providers. The content from databases typically is not available in search engines such as Google. For example, it is very difficult to find full-text articles from the Harvard Business Review in Google, because this content is not free and is available only in databases such as Business Premier. Some databases contain newspaper and journal articles, others have company information and financials, or industry and market information. Databases usually offer more sophisticated searching options. On the other hand, they are not as simple as Google and require some time and effort to learn.

Why bother with databases if everything is on Google?
As mentioned above, not everything is on Google. Most books have not been digitized, only a number of periodicals are freely available via Google. Even if one is looking for internet-only materials, not all of it is available via Google. It is always a good idea to try the other major search engines Ask.com, MSN and Yahoo, as there is not as much overlap between the search engines as most people believe.

How do I use the library's databases?
Once logged into the library, choose the databases page. If the database does not seem intuitive to you, take a moment to read the research guide or ask a librarian.

What fee-based and consultancy services does the library offer?
The Frank Lowy Library runs the Business Information Service.