Users

Group 1: Working, retired and Sessional Faculty members of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
Group 2: The students of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in different educational levels
Group 3: All working and retired staff of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
Group 4: The patrons from outside of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad including experts and researchers of other universities, organizations, institutions, libraries, governmental and non-governmental sector upon agreement with Information Center and Central Library

Working hours

• All sections Saturday to Thursday 8 am to 14 pm
• All section Thursday 8 am to 11.30
• Reading halls all days 8 am to 22:45

Library services

• Renewing and reserving the resources through the Portal
• instructional programs and workshops
• Ghadir Project (resource sharing)
• Amin Project (Interlibrary loan)
• book Request for purchase through the Portal
• Article provision in Persian and English
• Reference and information services
• Outreach services
• information Consultation services
• services to patrons with special needs
• Ask a Librarian
• Thesis Services
• Internship services for the students of Information Science and Knowledge Studies
• Copying, printing, bookbinding and other services
• Library Buffet

Communications Office and Instruction Services

Communications and Instruction Services Office was founded in 2013 in Information Center and Central Library at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The aim of this office is to increase the knowledge of users in regard to the information and information sources available in the Library and around the world and to help them learn how to have access to this information. The main aim of this office is to support two important roles of the university. That is, to support the achievement of the educational and research activities of university members.

In this regard, Communications and Instruction Services Office hold training sessions at various levels for students (graduate students in particular), faculty members and staff. The main objective of such training is to increase the use in the Information Center and Central Library and the scientific productivity of users and also increase the effectiveness and efficiency of scientific activities in the Universities.

Duties

• Providing instruction programs for:
• Faculty members
• Instructional librarians
• students at different educational levels
• Communicating with faculty members, students and university staff with the aim to identify their instructional needs
• Cooperating with other sessions for holding Library tours and Information Literacy sessions
• Interacting with other libraries and information centers, national, professional and local associations to identify their resources and specialized services and to provide referral services
• Communicating with faculty authorities to identify specific events, activities and programs (such as Book Week, Research Week, etc.) in which The Information Center and Central Library can participate

The Office of Information Services

The Office of Information Services is one of the critical parts of the Information Center and Central Library which was established in 1999 at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. This office follows the following objectives:

• Identifying the needs of academic community and trying to meet these needs
• Updating the services in-line with the developments of the society, changes in information production and the diverse needs of the community of users
• Providing quick and easy access to information resources to support educational and research purposes

Activities

• To provide conventional and distance information services to users
• To hold Information Literacy programs, orientation Library tours and one to one training sessions
• To prepare manuals, handbooks and training packages
• To train the interns of Information Science and Knowledge Studies
• To cooperate with the committee of electronic resources of the Central Library
• To manage and support the website of Information Center and Central Library
• To selectively disseminate the current information and awareness services through the publication of an electronic newsletter and posting on the site of Central Library and ...
• To provide electronic resources services (including electronic journals, electronic books, electronic and Internet information, …)
• To provide services on databases

Circulation Services

Circulation Services Section was established at Information Center and Central Library of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Holding over 160 thousand volume of books in Persian and 94 thousand volume in Latin, this section provides services to more than 30 thousand members.

Book stack is open access and users have unrestricted access to the resources. The arrangement of the materials of the Library is subject based. The classification of library resources is according to the Library of Congress Classification System.

Making the most efficient use of the library materials in Circulation Services Section, the patrons should consider the points mentioned below

• Circulation Services are provided just to the owner of the valid "student card"
• Borrowers can renew their books either through the Portal (student / faculty / staff) or in person
• Rental Book Return Deadline is provided in the portal
• Any borrower who fails to return an item in time will be fined 1000 Rials for each day

Thesis and Dissertation Services Section

Thesis & Dissertation Services Section was founded in 1971 at Information Center and Central Library of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. This section is stocked with a great number of Theses in Persian, English, French and Arabic from different disciplines available in the University. In addition, the reports of university research projects are organized and preserved in Thesis & Dissertation Services Section. According to amalgamation Plan in 2012, the postgraduate theses which were preserved in faculty libraries have been transferred to this Library. Following this event, a considerable number of both internal and external patrons refer to this section to make use of these resources.

Users of this section should follow the following regulations

• Theses are not available for loan, either to individuals or via interlibrary loan
• Making photocopies of theses is limited to table of contents, Persian abstract, Latin abstract, references, questionnaire and attachments
• Scanning and taking a photo of the thesis (even the permitted sections) is prohibited. In case of being detected, the case will be reported to the University Security
  
• In order to protect the theses, no drink is allowed in the this hall

Audio-visual Services Section

Audio-visual Services Section was established in 2008 at Information Center and Central Library of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. This section aims to collect applications software and as well as educational videos and the like. Organizing these resources, Audio-visual Services Section to facilitate borrowing these items and their searching process through library software. Currently, more than 7,000 Compact Discs are available in this section.

Duties

• Providing teachers and students and academic users with the needed audio visual and electronic resources
• Preparing electronic version of the available videos
• Cataloging the audiovisual resources
• Preparing the resources for loan through Circulation Services System of the library and the Sadaf System of the University
• Providing Online Search Service
• Providing instructional services to users in the form of instructional compact discs.
• Providing SDI services for new arrivals
  
• Organizing educational Compact Discs on various topics
• Helping users install available software
• Purchase and install all needed software on library computers

Technical Services Section

Technical Services Section was established in 1971 at Information Center and Central Library of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The main aim of this section is to provide systematic arrangement for library materials and to facilitate access to these information sources through searching in the comprehensive Library System as well as and reviewing them in library stack. Cataloging process also make possible Circulation Services. In this regard, Technical Services Section conducted all activities needed to make accessible the resources of the Libraries of the  Ferdowsi University.

Activities

• Organizing the available resources of the Libraries of the Ferdowsi University
• Providing Cataloging In Publication (CIP) Services for all books published by active publishers in the Khorasan Razavi Province
• Preparing the Library resources for loan

Study Halls and Computer Room

Study Halls & Computer Room were founded in 2012 at Information Center and Central Library of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The objective of establishing these spaces was to provide a calm and relaxed places for study and scientific research of students of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. In this building, four separate halls are dedicated for the study of ladies and gents with a capacity of 500 people. There exists a computer site with a capacity of 180 computers beside the study hall.

Wi-Fi services is available in Study hall and computer room for all applicants.

Acquisition & Collection Development Section

Acquisition & Collection Development Section was established in 1971 at Information Center and Central Library of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Benefiting from experienced and educated librarians and experts this section tries to provide the resources needed for an academic library. Establishing consulting committee for purchasing and providing library materials help build an effective and efficient library collection.

Duties

• Identifying the resources ordered and needed by faculty members, students, and researchers
• Preparing Persian and Latin resources including books, periodicals, audio-visual materials, and database with the help of subject specialists (representatives of educational departments)
• Providing software needed by users of the library
• Adding records and updating the databases of Persian and Latin periodicals of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
• Participating in National Book Exhibitions to purchase library materials
• Holding Book Exhibitions inside the University
• Training Librarians of other universities and interns students of Department of Information Science and Knowledge Studies
• Providing consulting services to applicants from other universities in person or through different communication media (i.e., the Internet, telephone or snail mail)
• Weeding library materials annually

Donated Collections Section

• Donated Collections Section was founded in 2004 at Information Center and Central Library of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. With regard to the spiritual value of donation and endowment, professors and researchers who have an exquisite and valuable collection are invited to participate in this matter
• Currently, the library contains one collection endowed and two donated
• The Prof. Kazem Modir-shanechi endowed collection: Contains 7 hundred thousands printed books and 1500 Lithographs and Manuscripts that are in the field of Fiqh and Islamic sciences and Islamic history
• The donated Collection of Researcher Ahmed Mohades Khorasani: Includes 5 thousand printed books and one hundred Lithographs and Manuscripts that are in the field of Fiqh and Islamic sciences and Islamic history
• The donated Collection of Scholar Mohammad Hossein Farzin – Alieh Ghaffari: Covers 8 thousand new and old printed books in the field of the literary history of Iran and the world
• All these collections are preserved in the Donated collections of the Central Library of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. All library users can have access to these valuable collections within the library

Reference Services Section

Reference Services Section was founded in 1996 at Information Center and Central Library of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. This section, includes a variety of outstanding reference sources. The information sources are prepared according to the education and research needs of different disciplines of the Ferdowsi University. Reference Services Section is located in an area of 740 square meters in two halls and is cover 12104 Persian and Latin reference books.

Activities

• Answering different kinds of questions including referential, fact based, thematic, and specific search questions
• Providing reference services via phone, chat and e-mail
• Consulting and helping the students in selecting research topics according to the reference and non-reference resources
• Accompanying and helping users to perform subject searches
• Training the patrons how to use the reference materials
• Cooperating with lecturers in running part of research method classes in the Library and introducing subject information sources to the class
• Holding reference services instruction to individuals and groups
• Training Librarians of other universities and interns students of Department of Information Science and Knowledge Studies (ISKS)
• Helping ISKS students in doing Reference assignments
• Preparing educational pamphlets and guides to show the patrons how to use the reference materials
• Helping the researchers find "information sources and reference materials" to conduct their research
• providing consultation and guidance services on supplying the reference sources for other libraries and information centers
• Receiving purchase requests for new resources needed by patrons in person, by phone, chat or e-mail

Blind and Low-Vision Services Section

Blind and Low-Vision Services Section was established in 2013 at Information Center and Central Library of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. This section, provides services to Blind and Low-Vision students of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. A collection of information and research resources in hard copy and electronically has been prepared for these users with special need.

• Braille Library includes 1210 Braille books on various thematic areas
• Audio Library contains 370 audio books on literary and scientific fields. This library intends to complete the full collection of audio books in the near future
• Recording studio: Recording Studio is in fact a subset of Audio Library containing a room being used to record and produce audio books

Duties

• To provide required hardware and software
• To collect the resources needed by the Blind and Low-Vision users
• To provide library services to Blind and Low-Vision users

Periodical/Series Services Section

Periodical/Series Services Section was founded in 1993 at Information Center and Central Library of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The main aim of this section is acquisition, archiving periodicals and providing related services to the academic community. Collecting current and retrospective journals, Periodical Services Section has managed to provide a relatively rich collection, so that it meets the research needs of the academic members of the University. Access to the full text and abstracts of more than 6,000 Latin and Persian journals is provided through the periodical databases. This section, however, consists of two parts namely current periodicals and retrospective periodicals. In current collection there are 558 Persian and 326 Latin periodical. In retrospective part there over 7344 bounded volume which covers 140 Persian journals as well as 30,000 bounded volume which covers more than 1200 Latin journals. The retrospective Farsi periodicals collected from 1951 and in Latin periodicals from 1930.

Duties

• Providing publications needed to foster education and further research at the university
• Preparing and making accessible the periodicals
• Providing services to the users
• Training the interns
• Identifying and providing the basic and core journals of each educational discipline
• Distinguishing and preparing the missing issues of journal
• Collaborating with Acquisition & Collection Development Services in the evaluation of publications and databases
• Providing manuals, brochures and educational packages
• Holding instructional tours and sessions
• Shelf-reading and weeding of periodicals
• Searching in the databases
• Preparing a requested copies of the articles
• Helping the users to find the articles available in Iran and other libraries, etc.
• Adding records of journal articles in the journal databases  More

Map of the Information Center and Central Library (ICCL)