The VSMU library offers its readers the following services:
Online Library Help
There is an online help service "Ask a librarian" on the library website. It enables our readers to:
get information about the availability of a certain publication in the library fund (book, electronic resource, journal, newspaper);
clarify the elements of the bibliographic description of the document - title, author, year of publication, etc.;
find out specific factual information: the meaning of the term; decoding of the abbreviation; clarification of specific concepts, facts, people, etc.;
leave a request on the topic that interests you.
organization of personal photo exhibitions
We organize photo exhibitions in a suspended gallery system in the hall on the 2nd floor at the request of university staff and students.
For all questions, contact the head of the library, Krasikova Elena Grigorievna (room 302, tel. 33 90 22).
interlibrary exchange system and Electronic document delivery
University staff and students have an opportunity to use inter-library loan enabling to request the items that are not available in the University Library. Books can be obtained from leading science and special libraries of Republic of Belarus: National Library of Belarus, Republican Science Medical Library, Central Science Library named after Ya. Kolas of National Academy of Science, Belarus Agricultural Library named after I. S. Lupinovich of National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.
E-copy of an article from magazines and conferences unavailable in the library can be obtained via Electronic document delivery (EDD).
Inter-library loans and EDD can be issued in the room 201.
organization of library excursions
We conducts excursions of the library for everyone. 1st year students of Faculty of Overseas Students Training actively use this service.
Contact person - head of the service department Kozlova Natalya Gennadievna (room 301)
Printing, copying of documents
We offer our readers paid services for printing and copying documents.
To provide these services, contact the room 204
Opening hours: Mo-Fr from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., lunch break from 1.00 to 1.30 p.m.
1.2. These Regulations govern the general procedure in setting up the library and information service for users in the library and the rights and responsibilities of the Library and its users.
1.3. The Library’s collection, its premises, technical devices are the property of the University. The library fund is available through the system of reading rooms, delivery desks, departments’ libraries; digital information resources are available through a digital repository. The library collections can be used free of charge by university students, graduate students, medical residents, interns, students of career guidance and pre-university training, advanced training and retraining departments, post-graduate students, faculty members, competitors, researchers and other categories of university readers, as well as practical health care workers of the city.
1.4. Basic types of library services provided are free.
1.5. Additional services (copying, reproduction, etc.) are provided for a fee.
2.1. In order to be registered and given the University Library membership cards, faculty members and other members of university staff need to bring their passports and references from personnel department (HR department). Students are granted a university library membership according to order of admission to the university (using their plastic students’ ID cards). Distant students (“Listeners”) are granted university library membership according to order of admission to the university (with valid Listener’s card).
2.2. University Library membership cards are issued for the whole working period in the university. The copy of the lost University Library membership card is given in a month’s time after applying the established form. University students and distant students use their plastic students’ ID cards and Listener’s cards (with a barcode) as University Library membership cards.
2.3. Freelance and temporarily teachers and staff, applicants, trainees, interns, job seekers and other categories of citizens who are not employees and students of the university are allowed to library collections in the reading rooms only. These types of users are provided with literature giving their identity document in pledge.
2.4. When being registered, all users must read and observe the Library regulations having signed the approved library form.
2.5. The Library users get re-registered annually and should show all the library items borrowed and listed on their library E-account within the period stated by the Library. Those users who haven’t been re-registered are not admitted to use the Library services.
3.1. Students must produce their student’s ID cards to the librarian to borrow books in the library. Other users need to produce their university library membership cards or listener’s cards with a unique barcode to identify a user and open his/her library E-account with a barcode or card–reader.
3.2. Books borrowed are registered and listed in the personal library E-account. The bar-code scanner reads the unique bar-code of a borrowed book and it is attached to the E-account. On return, the book barcode scanner reads the unique barcode of a returned book and automatically removes it from user’s E-account.
Note. If a user returns a library item without a unique book bar-code or inventory number, a librarian takes back an item without removing the record in the user’s E-account.
3.3. The record in the user’s E-Account, proving the fact of lending books, is a (digital) document to confirm books borrowed by the user. The agreement for library E-Account service is justified by user’s personal signature in a register card while registering/re-registering in the library. While lending the items, after being registered in an E-account, the librarian informs the user on their amount, authors and titles enabling the user to control his/her E-account content. The library provides the users with the ability to check their E-accounts.
3.4. Upon receiving an item, the user must check its condition and inform the librarian on his/her remarks. All items borrowed by a user are deemed to be responsibility of that user while on loan, so he or she has to eliminate defects that were revealed on returning library items.
3.5. Each item from the delivery desks and reading-rooms collections is given to users in a single copy of one title after oral, written and electronic requests, and from the book storage - after an electronic request only.
3.6. Loan time and the amount of items lent to different types of readers are determined by the administration of the library. As for items issued during vacations, the terms are set by the library staff.
3.7. In the open library collections, the users are permitted to select books on their own and handle them to the librarian to be registered.
3.8. At delivery desks the books are allowed to be taken home.
3.8.1. Academic literature is lent out for a month in following quantities: 10-15 items are for faculty members, researches, doctoral and graduate students; up to 10 items are given to graduates; up to 5 items to other users.
3.8.2. Educational literature for an academic circle, semester and academic year or for exams is given in numbers in accordance with educational plans and programs.
3.8.3. Fiction literature is lent out in following quantities: no more than 3 items for 15 days, the most requested books – 1-2 items for 7 days.
3.8.4. The users are able to extend the loan-time of the literature taken home, if it’s not recalled by other users.
3.8.5. Academic literature can be lent out to teachers and research associates in some cases up to 3 months, and if it’s not requested by others, the loan time can be extended, but no more than 1 year under condition the items on loan can be returned on library’s demand.
3.9. Reading rooms:
3.9.1. Users may not take home any item out of the reading rooms. On leaving the reading room the user must return all books and other materials borrowed in the reading room. If the photocopy of an item is needed, the user has to ask for permission to take it out of the reading room. If the rule is violated, the user can be deprived of/suspended the right to use the library for a period determined by the Library Administration.
3.9.2. Encyclopedias and other reference editions, rare and valuable books, and the books that are in a single copy are available in the reading-rooms only (and may not be removed from the area in which they are kept).
3.9.3. Unpublished materials (theses, research reports, abstracts) are given in the reading room under prescribed manner.
3.9.4. The items unavailable in the Library can be obtained from other libraries via Interlibrary loan to work in the reading-room. The articles from unavailable journals and conference proceedings in the University Library can be obtained via Electronic Document Delivery (Electronic Article Delivery) (paid service).
3.9.5. The items lent out to the reading room from the main book storage can be assigned to the user for the acquired period. In case the user doesn’t call for the requested items within 3 days, the items are returned to the book storage.
3.9.6. The number of items to borrow in the reading-rooms is not limited.
3.10. The items from department’s Library are not lent out home.
4.1. Library users have the right:
To get full information on Library collections and all necessary literature on loan;
To use library, reference and other types of services, including the paid ones, that are provided by the Library;
To elect and to be elected into the Library Public Authorities;
To get documents and their copies via Interlibrary loan and Electronic Document Delivery from other libraries’ collections on condition of their participating in the book exchange;
To take part in social and cultural activities conducted by the Library for its users;
To have access to all information media and equipment provided for the individual use;
To use personal portable devices (mobile phones, laptops, tablets) without disturbing other users, at low volume or switched to silent-mode, no photo- and video-coping of the Library collections’ documents is allowed;
To talk on mobile phones out of the library service zones;
To render to Library administrative staff own suggestions, comments, and complaints on all matters relating to the maintenance, acquisition and organization of information resources and services;
4.2. Library user must:
Follow the Library Regulations and observe the opening hours of the Library;
Take good care of items from the Library’s collections;
Avoid damaging Library’s items, equipment, furniture or premises;
Examine the books and other items thoroughly at receiving, any mismatch with registration must be noted in E-account, and any marking or damage found must be reported to the Librarian;
Return the items by the date and time specified by the Library;
Get re-registered by the time and according to procedures specified by the Library. The users who are not re-registered will be deprived of/suspended the Library services;
When expelled from the university, all the items registered and listed in the library E-account must be brought back;
Compensate for damaged library facilities (computers, electrical equipment, furniture etc.) in accordance with legislation of the Republic of Belarus;
Keep oneself neat;
Comply with public order and cleanness on library premises; keep oneself tidy; fulfill the rules of social behavior and respect the rights of other users;
In case of emergency (fire, glitch, the threat of a terror attack, etc.) follow the guidance of the Library personnel, the bodies of internal affairs agencies and department for emergency situations.
4.3. The Library users are forbidden/may not:
(to) visit the library in alcoholic, toxic, or narcotic intoxication state;
(to) take any item out of the Library without completing the appropriate borrowing procedures;
(to) transfer library membership cards/students IDs/Listener’ cards to other user or to use other user’s document;
(to) violate social norms in Library premises and to abuse the staff;
(to) bring and use any kind of copying devices (scanners, audio-, photo or video equipment);
(to) use mobile phones in service premises to take video or photocopying the library collections documents;
(To) visit the Library premises in outerwear.
5.1. The Library has the right:
To determine the procedure to lend the items, terms to use the borrowed books in service premises for different types of items and users;
To obtain the information from relevant university divisions about enrolled and expelled full-time and distant students, faculty members and others;
To claim damages, financial or moral/emotional, caused by the user according to the legislation of The Republic of Belarus;
To suspend the user who violates the Library Regulations up to two months;
Not to service the user who is not re-registered;
Not to lend the Library items to the user who fails to return an item on time until the full compensation (or paying the cost of replacing it);
To handle materials on violation of the Library Regulations to the dean’s office and to the University Administration;
To apply to court if the user inflicts damage on library property or staff, financial or moral/ emotional.
5.2. The Library has:
To maintain library and reference service, to inform the users about all kinds of library services, to explore and fully meet their information demands;
To monitor timely return of borrowed items; to provide other lending procedure only after obtaining previously borrowed items from users when their loan time is over;
To take measures (for example, impose financial penalties on users) if any marking or damage is detected in any library item on return;
To promote users’ reading culture, to create necessary conditions for work in the library and to provide high service culture.
1.1. The following regulations of the Library of Vitebsk State Order of People’s Friendship Medical University (further The Library) were worked out according to “Educational Codex of Republic of Belarus”, the law “About the Library Science in Republic Of Belarus” on March 22, 1995, № 3680-ХII (amended and revised), “Model Library Regulation in Republic of Belarus” as approved by a decision of the Minister of Culture of Republic of Belarus on August 5, 2008, № 28 (amended and revised), “Estimated library regulations of higher education institution of Republic of Belarus” as approved by decision of the Ministry of Education and Science of Republic of Belarus on November 30, 1994, № 335.
1.2. These Regulations govern the general procedure in setting up the library and information service for users in the library and the rights and responsibilities of the Library and its users.
1.3. The Library’s collection, its premises, technical devices are the property of the University. The library fund is available through the system of reading rooms, delivery desks, departments’ libraries; digital information resources are available through a digital repository. The library collections can be used free of charge by university students, graduate students, medical residents, interns, students of career guidance and pre-university training, advanced training and retraining departments, post-graduate students, faculty members, competitors, researchers and other categories of university readers, as well as practical health care workers of the city.
1.4. Basic types of library services provided are free.
1.5. Additional services (copying, reproduction, etc.) are provided for a fee.
2.1. In order to be registered and given the University Library membership cards, faculty members and other members of university staff need to bring their passports and references from personnel department (HR department). Students are granted a university library membership according to order of admission to the university (using their plastic students’ ID cards). Distant students (“Listeners”) are granted university library membership according to order of admission to the university (with valid Listener’s card).
2.2. University Library membership cards are issued for the whole working period in the university. The copy of the lost University Library membership card is given in a month’s time after applying the established form. University students and distant students use their plastic students’ ID cards and Listener’s cards (with a barcode) as University Library membership cards.
2.3. Freelance and temporarily teachers and staff, applicants, trainees, interns, job seekers and other categories of citizens who are not employees and students of the university are allowed to library collections in the reading rooms only. These types of users are provided with literature giving their identity document in pledge.
2.4. When being registered, all users must read and observe the Library regulations having signed the approved library form.
2.5. The Library users get re-registered annually and should show all the library items borrowed and listed on their library E-account within the period stated by the Library. Those users who haven’t been re-registered are not admitted to use the Library services.
3.1. Students must produce their student’s ID cards to the librarian to borrow books in the library. Other users need to produce their university library membership cards or listener’s cards with a unique barcode to identify a user and open his/her library E-account with a barcode or card–reader.
3.2. Books borrowed are registered and listed in the personal library E-account. The bar-code scanner reads the unique bar-code of a borrowed book and it is attached to the E-account. On return, the book barcode scanner reads the unique barcode of a returned book and automatically removes it from user’s E-account.
Note. If a user returns a library item without a unique book bar-code or inventory number, a librarian takes back an item without removing the record in the user’s E-account.
3.3. The record in the user’s E-Account, proving the fact of lending books, is a (digital) document to confirm books borrowed by the user. The agreement for library E-Account service is justified by user’s personal signature in a register card while registering/re-registering in the library. While lending the items, after being registered in an E-account, the librarian informs the user on their amount, authors and titles enabling the user to control his/her E-account content. The library provides the users with the ability to check their E-accounts.
3.4. Upon receiving an item, the user must check its condition and inform the librarian on his/her remarks. All items borrowed by a user are deemed to be responsibility of that user while on loan, so he or she has to eliminate defects that were revealed on returning library items.
3.5. Each item from the delivery desks and reading-rooms collections is given to users in a single copy of one title after oral, written and electronic requests, and from the book storage - after an electronic request only.
3.6. Loan time and the amount of items lent to different types of readers are determined by the administration of the library. As for items issued during vacations, the terms are set by the library staff.
3.7. In the open library collections, the users are permitted to select books on their own and handle them to the librarian to be registered.
3.8. At delivery desks the books are allowed to be taken home.
3.8.1. Academic literature is lent out for a month in following quantities: 10-15 items are for faculty members, researches, doctoral and graduate students; up to 10 items are given to graduates; up to 5 items to other users.
3.8.2. Educational literature for an academic circle, semester and academic year or for exams is given in numbers in accordance with educational plans and programs.
3.8.3. Fiction literature is lent out in following quantities: no more than 3 items for 15 days, the most requested books – 1-2 items for 7 days.
3.8.4. The users are able to extend the loan-time of the literature taken home, if it’s not recalled by other users.
3.8.5. Academic literature can be lent out to teachers and research associates in some cases up to 3 months, and if it’s not requested by others, the loan time can be extended, but no more than 1 year under condition the items on loan can be returned on library’s demand.
3.9. Reading rooms:
3.9.1. Users may not take home any item out of the reading rooms. On leaving the reading room the user must return all books and other materials borrowed in the reading room. If the photocopy of an item is needed, the user has to ask for permission to take it out of the reading room. If the rule is violated, the user can be deprived of/suspended the right to use the library for a period determined by the Library Administration.
3.9.2. Encyclopedias and other reference editions, rare and valuable books, and the books that are in a single copy are available in the reading-rooms only (and may not be removed from the area in which they are kept).
3.9.3. Unpublished materials (theses, research reports, abstracts) are given in the reading room under prescribed manner.
3.9.4. The items unavailable in the Library can be obtained from other libraries via Interlibrary loan to work in the reading-room. The articles from unavailable journals and conference proceedings in the University Library can be obtained via Electronic Document Delivery (Electronic Article Delivery) (paid service).
3.9.5. The items lent out to the reading room from the main book storage can be assigned to the user for the acquired period. In case the user doesn’t call for the requested items within 3 days, the items are returned to the book storage.
3.9.6. The number of items to borrow in the reading-rooms is not limited.
3.10. The items from department’s Library are not lent out home.
To get full information on Library collections and all necessary literature on loan;
To use library, reference and other types of services, including the paid ones, that are provided by the Library;
To elect and to be elected into the Library Public Authorities;
To get documents and their copies via Interlibrary loan and Electronic Document Delivery from other libraries’ collections on condition of their participating in the book exchange;
To take part in social and cultural activities conducted by the Library for its users;
To have access to all information media and equipment provided for the individual use;
To use personal portable devices (mobile phones, laptops, tablets) without disturbing other users, at low volume or switched to silent-mode, no photo- and video-coping of the Library collections’ documents is allowed;
To talk on mobile phones out of the library service zones;
To render to Library administrative staff own suggestions, comments, and complaints on all matters relating to the maintenance, acquisition and organization of information resources and services;
4.2. Library user must:
Follow the Library Regulations and observe the opening hours of the Library;
Take good care of items from the Library’s collections;
Avoid damaging Library’s items, equipment, furniture or premises;
Examine the books and other items thoroughly at receiving, any mismatch with registration must be noted in E-account, and any marking or damage found must be reported to the Librarian;
Return the items by the date and time specified by the Library;
Get re-registered by the time and according to procedures specified by the Library. The users who are not re-registered will be deprived of/suspended the Library services;
When expelled from the university, all the items registered and listed in the library E-account must be brought back;
Compensate for damaged library facilities (computers, electrical equipment, furniture etc.) in accordance with legislation of the Republic of Belarus;
Keep oneself neat;
Comply with public order and cleanness on library premises; keep oneself tidy; fulfill the rules of social behavior and respect the rights of other users;
In case of emergency (fire, glitch, the threat of a terror attack, etc.) follow the guidance of the Library personnel, the bodies of internal affairs agencies and department for emergency situations.
4.3. The Library users are forbidden/may not:
(to) visit the library in alcoholic, toxic, or narcotic intoxication state;
(to) take any item out of the Library without completing the appropriate borrowing procedures;
(to) transfer library membership cards/students IDs/Listener’ cards to other user or to use other user’s document;
(to) violate social norms in Library premises and to abuse the staff;
(to) bring and use any kind of copying devices (scanners, audio-, photo or video equipment);
(to) use mobile phones in service premises to take video or photocopying the library collections documents;
To determine the procedure to lend the items, terms to use the borrowed books in service premises for different types of items and users;
To obtain the information from relevant university divisions about enrolled and expelled full-time and distant students, faculty members and others;
To claim damages, financial or moral/emotional, caused by the user according to the legislation of The Republic of Belarus;
To suspend the user who violates the Library Regulations up to two months;
Not to service the user who is not re-registered;
Not to lend the Library items to the user who fails to return an item on time until the full compensation (or paying the cost of replacing it);
To handle materials on violation of the Library Regulations to the dean’s office and to the University Administration;
To apply to court if the user inflicts damage on library property or staff, financial or moral/ emotional.
5.2. The Library has:
To maintain library and reference service, to inform the users about all kinds of library services, to explore and fully meet their information demands;
To monitor timely return of borrowed items; to provide other lending procedure only after obtaining previously borrowed items from users when their loan time is over;
To take measures (for example, impose financial penalties on users) if any marking or damage is detected in any library item on return;
To promote users’ reading culture, to create necessary conditions for work in the library and to provide high service culture.
Repository is an electronic archive of documents. In VSMU Repostory there are documents that were published in our university (textbooks, manuals, journals, newspapers etc.)
If there were disputing issues between a reader and a librarian you can refer to the Head of the Library (Medical library building, 3rd floor, room 301)
A reader can get a set of books at the delivery desk for educational literature according to his/her department (laboratory-theoretical building, 1st floor. Only after presenting (showing) by a student ID card or temporary reader’s card with a barcode!
If a student ID card is a bit damaged, unreadable or is lost, a student can refer to a delivery desk for scientific literature (Medical library building, 2nd floor, room 201) for a temporary reader’s card with a barcode to use the library services.
No, a student can’t get new books before you cover your library debts. The system of electronic library e-account won’t let give you the books. If you hasn’t brought back the whole set of textbooks until July 15 but brought it during autumn semester books delivery, then the books can be admitted but a set of books a student get later as a “fine” (punishment).
You can extend the terms of using literature at this delivery desk if there is no demand or request for the book from other readers. Refer to a delivery desk for scientific literature (Medical library building, 2nd floor, room 201). Mo – Fr: 8.30 - 17.00.
Refer to Information and Bibliographic Service Room (Medical library building, 3d floor, room 303) or use online service “Ask a librarian” at our site.
Re-registration is required! Re-registration is carried out with the presentation of all listed literature within the terms fixed by the library. Users who have not passed re-registration can’t use library service.
Readers who lost the books should cover the loss. To make it they should refer to Acquisition department in the library (Medical Library building, 1st floor, room 107) Mo- Fr: 8.30 – 17.00
You can work with electronic catalog at Information and Bibliographic Service Room (Medical Library building, 3rd floor, room 303) or in the internet by the link.
If a student is lacking books published in VSMU than he/she can access electronic variant in VSMU repository http://elib.vsmu.by
If the book is of another publishing house than maybe it can be found in one of the electronic resources in the subscribtion (Student’s Consultant), so the student can refer to the Sector for information and databases (Medical Library building, 3rd floor, room 303) to get access.