Behind the Books: APU Libraries Go Online

June 25, 2008 | Written By Lauren Vroom '09

Azusa Pacific University Libraries introduced an exciting software upgrade with the addition of powerful online self-service features. This update will improve catalog searching functionality and will give APU students, faculty, and staff the ability to access personal library accounts online, renew checked-out items, save catalog searches, rate and review books, view library fines, and subscribe to RSS feeds of library account activity.

Head of Library User Services Shelley Harrell is looking forward to the new system. "This will allow the APU community to have more control over their library account and will encourage more library use by giving that control to patrons."

The rate and review section will be especially helpful to students, as professors will be able to recommend books to students appropriate to certain classes or areas of study.

"I'm looking forward to these new features," marketing major Grace Eleyae said. "As a senior working on extensive seminar papers, I'm excited for the library to be easier to use. Being able to renew checked-out items online is a huge plus for me."

APU libraries offer extensive resources for users with more than 215,000 books, media items, and 1,800 periodical titles in the libraries' print collections. More than 630,000 microforms include the Library of American Civilization, Library of American Literature, New York Times, and Educational Resources Information Center collections. The university network also provides access to more than 100 online databases, which include more than 12,000 full-text periodical titles and 23,000 electronic books.

The transition to the updated interface will be seamless, accessed through visiting the APU Libraries page and clicking the Library Catalog-APOLIS2 link. A shaded box appears on the right side of the page with the links to viewing personal library accounts. An APU NetID and password will be required to access the accounts.

The APU libraries include the William V. Marshburn Library (East Campus), the Hugh and Hazel Darling Library (West Campus), the James L. Stamps Theological Library (West Campus), and six off-campus libraries supporting academic programs at APU regional centers in the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Murrieta, and Ventura.