About UNIC Library
University of Nicosia Library & Information Centre
The Library is a short walk away from the main campus building.
The Library’s main objectives are to provide quality resources that support the educational and research goals of the University community, to help students assume responsible roles in a changing society and to be of service to society through partnerships with business and civic institutions.
The Library holds approximately 100,000+ print books, a big number of E-books (600,000) and full text e-journals (30,000) from various publishers that cover all relevant areas of study and can be accessed through UNIC Primo, our new discovery search tool that enables you to search most of the library's full text resources (books and e-books, articles, journal and more) from a single search box.
All resources are available through the Library webpage. Online resources can be accessed on campus, whereas for off-campus access, a current Library account and proxy settings configuration is required before gaining access.
To make access easier and faster, the Library uses UNIC Primo, the new discovery search tool that enables you to search most of the library's full text resources (books and e-books, articles, journal and more) from a single search box.
In addition to the big number of resources, the Library provides a pleasant atmosphere for individual or group study, with a seating capacity of 200 seats, with networked PCs for electronic access and Wi-Fi access. Photocopy facilities are also available, TVs and tape recorders as well as dedicated terminals with Super Nova (a program for blind or visually impaired users).
Νo library can hold all the materials needed for research. In such cases a loaning and Interlibrary Loan Service is provided, which through collaboration with other state universities, or through the British Library Document Supply Centre, aims to satisfy all user needs. The Library is also part of a Cyprus Library Consortium (CALC), which has been created, along with other academic libraries, with the aim of sharing costs and resources for the benefit of all.
Our moto is “Service to all users”, and the Library staff is always on hand to assist in the search for any materials needed. The Library organizes regular training sessions to assist students in developing hands-on skills and is very active in organizing training workshops, user groups and annual updating on old and new e-resources, always aiming at providing the best service possible. Information Literacy is an integral part of the service given to students, with the aim to be assisted in gaining skills and critical thinking that can be transferred in the future, from the academic environment to their personal and professional success.
Service also extends to service to the community, and for this reason a Children’s Reading Room has been prepared, where authors and actors are invited to read stories to children (ages 4-12) and help them gain a pleasant experience as to what a Library is.
Finally, in the recent years, the Library has been selected to host the European Documentation Centre (EDC). The EDC receives and has access to official EU publications, documents and electronic databases, to make them available to academics and the public. The EDC, also, provides training and instruction for individuals and groups in finding EU information and using EU tools.
Our Objectives
The Library and Information Centre’s main objectives are to provide quality resources that support the educational and research goals of the University community, to help students assume responsible roles in a changing society and to be of service to society through partnerships with business and civic institutions.
What we Offer
- two campus libraries: Main Nicosia Campus Library and University of Nicosia Health Library.
- a pleasant environment conducive to study and learning, with individual study booths and areas for group study
- a seating capacity of 189 Seats (individual study booths and areas for group study)
- 20 networked PCs within the main library area and its Lab room, and Wi-Fi access
- photocopy facilities
- appropriate access, parking and accessible toilet facilities for physically impaired people
- regular training sessions and workshops to assist students in developing hands-on skills
- a UNIC-100 course for first year undergraduates, which focuses on cultivating information literacy and critical thinking skills that can be transferred from the academic environment to their personal and professional success
- an Interlibrary Loan Service that supplies material, print or electronic, that are not provided by the library but can be found through collaborating libraries in and out of Cyprus (SUBITO the German Libraries Consortium via UCY, Greek University libraries and the British Library)
- we are open six days a week during the academic year and during the exams period the Library opens on Sundays (term-time Monday-Friday between 8:00-20:00; Saturdays & Sundays between 09:00-17:00).
Resources
- Over 100,000 print books, in all relevant areas of study, accessed through PRIMO
- Over 600,000 electronic books
- Over 30,000 journals
- Over 100 databases providing access to various types of sources (articles, conference proceedings, chapters etc.)
- Access to RefWorks (reference management tool)
- Music scores and audiovisuals
- On and off-campus access to electronic resources via OpenAthens
Accessing our Resources
- All resources are available through the Library Webpage.
- Online resources can be accessed both on- and off-campus. The library provides two authentication methods for accessing online resources off-campus: OpenAthens and with proxy. With off-campus access, library users have access to the electronic resources 24/7 all year round.
Interlibrary Loan Service
An Interlibrary Loan Service is offered for resources that are not provided by the library, which are found through collaborations with public and private academic libraries, and municipal libraries in Cyprus; the British Library Document Supply Centre; and Subito (the German Consortium of libraries) via the University of Cyprus. The Library is, also, part of a Cyprus Library Consortium (CALC), which has been created, along with other academic libraries, with the aim of sharing costs and resources for the benefit of all.
Library Consortium & Associations
The library is a member of:
- The Cyprus Library Consortium (CALC), which has been created, along with other academic libraries, with the aim of sharing costs and resources for the benefit of all
- Association of European Research Libraries (LIBER),
- European Bureau of Library
- Information and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA),
- International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA),
- Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).
Distance Learning
A dedicated library section provides support and training for online faculty and students. Ongoing support, via email/ phone, or using tools, such as, Team Viewer for instantaneous support or live demonstrations, is provided. Dedicated instructions and tutorials are available on the library website and on Moodle. These aim to guide distance learners and show them how to access and use the library and other resources to cover their information needs.
For more information visit Distance Learning Services
Training Sessions
To provide the best service possible, the Library organises regular training sessions and workshops to assist students in developing hands-on skills. In addition, the library runs a module, which is part of the UNIC-100 course for first year undergraduates, which focuses on cultivating information literacy and critical thinking skills that can be transferred from the academic environment to their personal and professional success.
European Documentation Centre
Since 2012, the Library hosts the European Documentation Centre University of Nicosia (EDC-UNIC). EDC-UNIC, which is part of a European Commission initiative, is mandated to promote and develop teaching and research with regard to Europe. Part of its function, is to provide academia and the public with information, guidance and access to EU resources (official EU publications, documents and electronic databases), in-depth information and EU tools provided by the European Commission, Directorate Generals and related EU institutions. EDC-UNIC actively disseminates information through events, such as Citizens’ Dialogues with key note speakers from the European Commission, educational activities, career events and collaborating with UNIC departments and external organisations.
Our Contribution to Society
The library recognises that knowledge is not solely for academics but should be open to society. As such, it has developed specific strategies and tools that incorporate this principle for addressing the needs of society, regardless of ethnicity, economic or political standing, education level or age. These include educating children on philanagnosia and developing their imagination and develop critical thinking and literacy skills; assisting students and those seeking employment on using EU tools and educating them to make informed decisions when moving to another country.
Evaluation and Feedback
UNIC Library and Information Centre continually strives to ensure its resources and services are of the best quality and meets user needs, therefore, it regularly carries out an evaluation of its resources. The evaluation comprises of analysis of user problem reviews, user feedback, and usage statistics.