Library Guide

Yamagata University Agricultural Library

1-23 Wakaba-machi, Tsuruoka-shi, Yamagata, 997-8555 JAPAN
TEL: 0235-28-2810
e-mail: yu-notosyo@jm.kj.yamagata-u.ac.jp

(Update: Nov. 8, 2023)

Library Hours and Days Closed

Library opening hours may be subject to change.
We encourage you to check the monthly calendar* in the left column prior to visiting.
*From smartphone, scroll to the bottom of the page for the monthly calendar.

	Regular Hours (Semester)	Break Hours**
Mon. – Fri.	8:45-19:00	8:45-17:00
Sat., Sun. and National holidays	Check the monthly calendar on our website.	CLOSED

**See also YU Academic Calendar
Spring break Feb.21 – Apr.8
Summer break Aug.4 – Oct.1
Winter break Dec.25 – Jan.10

The Library is closed on the following days:

Saturday, Sunday and National holidays (During break)
The year-end and New Year’s holidays.
University Foundation Day Oct.15

Circulation Service

You can check out books at the service desk on the 2nd floor.
For checkout, your student ID serves as your library card.
Do not take books out of the library without completing necessary procedures.
If you pass through the exit gate with library material that has not been checked out, the security alarm will sound.
Then you will be asked by library staff to return to the service desk to determine why the alarm was set off.

Loan periods and limits

	Material Type	Loan Periods	Limits	Renewal
Undergraduates (including research students)	Books	2 weeks	5 items	once
Undergraduates (including research students)	Journals	3 days	3 items	N/A
Graduate students (including doctoral students)	Books	5 weeks	10 items	once
Graduate students (including doctoral students)	Journals	3 days	3 items	N/A

The newest issue of journals or magazines cannot be checked out from the library.
Books can be renewed once unless the book has been requested by someone else.

Returning

Return the borrowed books at the service desk.
When the library is closed, please return books to the book drop box.
Observe the due date.

Reference service

The reference service is offered to support studies, surveys, and researches.
Users are encouraged to ask such questions as the location of materials, the use of reference materials, and information retrieval.
If you have a question, please inquire at the service desk.

How to find library materials

Search the OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) for books, journals, e-books, and other materials in the YU Libraries.
Make a note of the location and the call mark. The call mark indicates the position of the book on the shelf. Itʼs based on Nippon Decimal Classification (NDC).

000: General works
100: Philosophy
200: History
300: Social Sciences
400: Natural science
500: Technology, Engineering
700: The Art, Fine Art
800: Language
900: Literature

Every book in our collection (except periodicals) has its call mark printed on a label on its spine.
(Some journals also have call marks, but they are shelved in alphabetical order by title.)
Materials of any field in open-shelves and stack room can be used freely.
After using the materials, put them back in the same place where you found them.
If the materials are put in different shelves, they are unable to be found.

How to find a specific article

You can search the OPAC by the book/journal title, instead of the article title. And check the holding volume.
If the book/journal you are searching for does not come up in the search results, try using the Publication Finder which searches for e-journals and e-books.
When you don’t have the citation, you need to use databases like CiNii research and Web of Science .

Reading Room Collections

2F	Newly arrived Japanese magazines Newly arrived books Paperbacks
1F	Open-shelves (books) Newly arrived periodicals Reference books Academic journal (Nature, Science) Undergraduate/Master’s theses and Doctoral Dissertations Stack room entrance

Stack Room Collections

The entrance to the stack room is on the 1st floor. Please enter the stack room with caution, as some parts of the room have low ceilings, and there is a bump on the floor on the 3rd floor. Books and journals are shelved according to the classification below, and therefore, after use, please check carefully and put them back to their original place.

3F	Japanese books (in call number order) Japanese academic journals (title starting with S–Z)
2F	Foreign books (in call number order) Foreign academic journals (in alphabetical order by title)
1F	Japanese academic journals (Title starting with A– S)

Facilities and equipment in the library

	Section	Facilities and equipment
2F	Hall Service desk Reading room	PCs(7 seats) Reading desks(48 seats)
1F	Reading room	Reading desks(72 seats) An OPAC terminal A copy machine(for faculty and staff) Stack room entrance

Book Delivery Service (YU Library’s materials)

If you want to borrow books in the other YU Libraries, you can request to have books delivered to the Agricultural Library.
When you request this service, please fill in the application form and make a request at the service desk.
This service is charge-free.
It takes several days for you to receive the book.

Inter-library loan

If the library does not have the book, article or other information you need, materials may be borrowed from other institutions. (only for the YU faculty and students)

Other rules to be observed

Keep quiet in the library. Whispering and any actions that might disturb others are not allowed.
Handle the library materials with care to avoid any damage.
Patrons are responsible for replacement of lost or severely damaged library materials.
The library exit has a security system. If it beeps while you are going out, please step back and you will be assisted by a library staff.
Except bottled water and non-sugared tea in the spill-proof container, food and drinks are not allowed in the library.
Do NOT leave your personal belongings unattended.
No smoking in the library.
Do NOT talk or video call on your cell phone, and turn ringer off in the library.
Failure to comply with the library rules or instructions of a library staff can cause suspension or cancellation of library privileges.