Librarian in Charge : Sandra Ricketts
Telephone : 02 9372 4814 (direct line to the library)
Fax: 02 9372 4880
E-mail: LIB@aaoepp.aao.gov.au

INFORMATION RESOURCES

The AAO is well equipped with current information resources for the staff and visitors. The main research library is at Epping in Sydney and small reference collections exist in the telescope buildings of the AAT and UKST on Siding Spring Mountain. All are welcome to use the library facilities and if a loan is made then it would be appreciated if the loan record were written legibly and a telephone number included if the borrower is not an AAO staff member.

LIBRARY HOURS

There are no restrictions for staff using the AAO library. Visitors should request permission by phone if they are not CSIRO Radiophysics Lab/ATNF staff or visiting scientists. The librarian is on duty during normal business hours Monday to Friday except when visiting the telescope library.

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY

A collection development policy has been drawn up for the AAO libraries. Anyone who would like a copy should apply to the AAO librarian for either a hardcopy or an e-mail version.

LOANS POLICY

All staff may borrow from the AAO libraries. Special permission may be obtained from the librarian for scientists and students from other institutions to become a borrower - conditions apply.

Many resources are available for loan except for REFERENCE BOOKS which include: bound and loose journals, catalogues, atlases, microfiche and any item with a Reference or Not for Loan sticker on the front.

There is no set period for staff loans but it would be appreciated if items were returned within a reasonable time. An itemised list of loans is sent out on a quarterly basis to borrowers as a reminder. The librarian should be notified of any items already returned or passed on to another staff member.

THE AAO - CSIRO RADIOPHYSICS LAB RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT

The AAO library is situated within the grounds of the CSIRO Division of Telecommunications and Industrial Physics at Epping. Since there are two well stocked libraries on the same site, a reciprocal agreement exists which allows the staff of both establishments to use the library resources. It would be appreciated if visitors made themselves known to the librarian on the first visit. Please note the loans policy and instructions for filling out loan records. Photocopying facilities are available for library patrons.

SPECIAL INFORMATION RESOURCES and facilities include:

• THE HISTORICAL RADCLIFFE COLLECTION


The AAO is fortunate to have many books, journals and observatory publications originally from the Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, England and later moved to Pretoria, South Africa. The collection was acquired in 1974 when the AAO was newly established and it is a handsome addition to the currently resources available. The library has many journal titles from Vol 1, No 1 as well as many rare catalogues, atlases and observatory publications.
 

• USE OF NETWORKS AND COMMERCIAL DATABASES


Use of networks and online databases are vital to the operation of the modern Observatory library.
Several large databases can be accessed for information.
They include:

SIMBAD - The object orientated database from the Stellar Data Centre in Strasbourg.

NED - The NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database from Caltech. This is another object orientated database using a menu driven windows interface. Please contact the AAO Librarian if you need assistance connecting with this system.

ABN - The Australian Bibliographic Network for resources held in Australia.
 

• LISTS OF NEWLY ACQUIRED PREPRINTS AND BOOKS

A weekly list of scientific preprints and a quarterly list of newly acquired books is emailed to interested staff members. If you wish to be added to the list of recipients, please contact the librarian. Preprints received in the last six months are listed here.
 
• ILANET (Australian Information and Libraries Access Network) The AAO library is a member of the Australian library network system which provides all the following services quickly and efficiently:

Inter-library loans, orders, claims for journals, electronic mail, database access (local, national and international), document delivery and research enquiries.
 
• The AAO library is a member of the Physics-Astronomy-Maths Division of the Special Libraries Association of the USA and subscribes to the e-mail network of the same. In addition, the AAO librarian sends and receives e-mail via the Astrolib network maintained by NRAO in Charlottesville, Va. USA, and the EGAL network maintained in the UK. With access to these vital networks help with reference enquiries is always available.
  
  
• World Wide Web (WWW) library files (Online Public Access Catalogues)

 To  search the monograph collection, use the search engine. Alternatively the AAO library catalogues are available on the library PC at each site. Instructions for searching the library catalogue are on a sheet next to the PC.
 
• TELESCOPE LIBRARY Siding Spring Mountain - Information Resources

The AAT and UK Schmidt telescopes have comprehensive collections of monographs and journals as well as catalogues and atlases for the visiting scientific staff. While the resources are not as complete as the main library at Epping, scientists will find most of their needs will be met. There is no librarian on duty at the telescope libraries although the receptionist is familiar with the collections and can assist users. Loans are on an honour system so visitors are requested to fill in the LOANS Book for all items borrowed. E-mail, telephone and fax requests can be sent to the Epping library for items not available on the Mountain. Regular courier services are available for items which can't be sent via electronic services.
 
• The AUSTRALIANA COLLECTION in the Telescope library

A small collection of books on Australia have been made available for the international visitor. The collection covers a wide range of topics including flora, fauna, art, folklore and history. Some tourist information has been provided covering the local district for those wanting to venture off the Mountain in their spare time.
 
• AAO MANUALS

Some stock of observing manuals is kept at Epping and at the telescope. Please contact the AAO librarian or the AAT receptionist if you would like a personal copy of any manual. Where stock has been exhausted an online version may be available, requesters will be informed of the availability of titles.
 
• AAO NEWSLETTERS

There is stock of most copies of the AAO Newsletter issued since 1977. If you would like to be placed on our mailing list or receive back issues please contact the AAO librarian. Newsletters since 1994 are also available on the web.
 
• AAO PREPRINTS

The AAO is no longer distributing preprints. Instead we publish a quarterly Abstracts of the Anglo-Australian Observatory, containing abstracts of papers by AAO authors which are in press or recently submitted. This publication is mailed out to those who were on the preprint distribution list. Preprints may be obtained via the AAO electronic preprints page.
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THE ASTRONOMY THESAURUS and Multi-Lingual Supplement

The AAO library has copies of the thesaurus published in 1993 on behalf of the International Astronomical Union. Libraries are supplied free of charge but other interested persons will be required to purchase it at a cost of $25 plus mailing costs. There is an ftp version available of the main thesaurus and the newly released multi-lingual supplement in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. Please contact the AAO librarian if you have any queries regarding obtaining a copy. See also the files available via WWW.