Explore the gems of SUN Library – Go on an academic quest and unravel its best kept secrets: learning support, extensive collections, quality study spaces and flexible access.
The SUN Library is an important place for students and teachers at Stellenbosch University. This article will give you all the information you need to use the library. We will talk about when the library is open, what services it offers, how to access it, how to find books, borrowing books, and making copies.
Hours and Locations
The SUN Library has different sections that are open at different times:
- Learning Commons
- Research Commons
- Makerspace
- Special Collections
- Engineering & Forestry
- Medicine & Health Sciences
- Music
- Theology
- USBL (Bellville Park Campus Library)
The library is active on weekdays. Mostly the operations and the activities of the library start from Monday to Thursday from 8:00 to 22:00 hours and also on Friday from 8:00 to 16:30 hours. The library sometimes operates on Saturdays and Sundays as well.
You must check the hours and locations on the library website before your visit. The different sections have the books and services for students in those subjects. The library is closed on weekends and holidays.
Services Offered
The SUN Library gives many useful services to help students and teachers:
Research Help – Librarians can help you find books and articles for your projects. They can also help you use the computers to search.
- Loans – You can borrow books and materials to take home for a period of time. There are rules on how many items and for how long.
- Training – The library provides lessons on how to best use the library catalog to find books. And how to look for articles on the computers.
- E-Books and Online Journals – The library has many ebooks and articles you can read on the computer. No need to visit. You can log into the online Stellenbosch University library from the My SUN Menu.
- Requests – You can ask the library to order or borrow a book or article from another library. Very useful service!
There are many ways the helpful library staff can support your learning and research. Make sure to ask them if you ever need assistance! There are Stellenbosch University Vacancies available for those who even want to become library staff.
How to access SUN Library
Who Can Use SUN Library?
The Stellenbosch University Library is available only for students and teachers of Stellenbosch University. Outsiders cannot access without special permission.
Getting Access
Before using the library, new students and teachers must attend an orientation session. This will teach you the library rules. You will also learn how to find and borrow materials.
After training, you get access by showing your Stellenbosch student/staff card when entering the library.
Online Account
Students and staff should also activate something called “My Library Account” on the library website.
With your online account you can:
- Request books or articles
- See what books you currently have borrowed
- Renew your loans to avoid late fees
This online system makes using the library much more convenient.
How to Finding Books
The SUN Library organizes all its books using something called the Dewey Decimal System. This gives every book a number to make shelving and finding books easier.
On the Shelf
To find a book on the shelves in the library:
- Search the library catalog by title, author, keyword
- The catalog entry will display a call number
- The call number corresponds to the book’s location on a specific shelf
- Consult the library maps to locate the shelf area
This may seem complicated at first but gets easier with some practice. Librarians can also assist you.
Online
Many books and articles today can be read directly online from the library website without visiting the physical building.
The process is quite simple:
- Go to the library website (https://sun.primo.exlibrisgroup.com)
- Search using the online catalog
- When you find an ebook or article, click to open and read
Ebooks and online journals make accessing library materials very convenient.
How to borrow books
The SUN Library allows students and staff to borrow books and materials to take home. But there are policies and rules to follow and the table below contains the privilleges.
| Number of Loans | 6 items |
| Period | 14 days |
| Renewals | 2 per item |
| Fine Limit | R30.00 |
| Fine for the overdue time | R1.00 |
These rules help keep library resources available for everyone.
Fines and Penalties
If you do not follow the lending rules, some penalties apply:
- R10 per book late fee per day
- If very late, library access gets blocked
- Lost book charges to replace it
So make sure to return or renew items on time!
Interlibrary Loans
If the Stellenbosch University Library does not own a book you want, they can request it from another library. This useful service makes more resources available to you.
Printing, Copying and Scanning
The SUN Library provides machines and services to print, photocopy, and scan documents and pages. This helps students and teachers with their studies and research.
To use these machines:
- Go to the Maties Copy & Print Shop at the Neelsie Student Centre
- Show your Stellenbosch University student/staff card
- Pay the listed price per page
Printing: For printing documents from library computers and your laptop Photocopying: For making copies of pages from books and articles Scanning: For digitizing important page content
These services save time versus doing it yourself elsewhere.
The print shop has staff on hand to answer usage questions. But the machines themselves are designed to be easy to operate solo in a few simple steps.
Conclusion
The SUN Library aims to provide all the resources and support Stellenbosch students and faculty need for their studies. By knowing the policies and using the available tools, you can maximize the value of this premier campus facility.
If you have any questions or suggestions, kindly leave them in the comment section. You should also do well to read about an earlier article we wrote about the Stellenbosch University webmail. It is a comprehensive guide that will help you do more with your institutional email address.