Get Started

How do I get a library card?
STMU ID card is your library card. You can borrow the library materials through presenting your STMU ID card.

How do I borrow books?
Once you are registered, you may check out library books while presenting your valid STMU ID card at circulation desk.

I am not from STMU. Can I borrow books?
Outsiders are not eligible for the said facility. Availing of library facility is subject to the permission from the competent authority. (VC/Chief Librarian).

What should I do if I lose my ID card?
If your card is lost or stolen, be sure to let us know immediately. You will be held responsible for any items checked out on your card if you do not inform us that it is missing. Also report this to the Student Affairs Department and get a duplicate card.

Borrow Books

How many books can I borrow?
It varies for each category. See Borrowing Privileges for this. For how long may I keep a book? It also varies. See Borrowing Privileges to know about borrowing periods. All books are subject to recall, which may shorten loan periods. For Course Reserve borrowing, please see Course Reserves.

Can I renew my books?
Yes, you can renew a book for a further loan period, if someone has not reserved the same. You can renew the book(s) online as well.

How do I renew my books?
To keep a book for another borrowing period, visit the library circulation desk along with the book to be renewed. The staff on duty will re-issue the book to you if another user has not reserved it. Overdue books will not be renewed. To get the books renewed remotely, see Online Renewal.

How can I know about the due date?
On each checked out material, you will find a due date stamp on its date slip. If you renew the book online, you can see the due date on activity menu at i-Portal.

Can someone else check out books for me?
No. No one can check out books on someone else’s behalf.

How can I find out what I have checked out?
You can know about your library activity and about your library account through iPortal. Or you can come to the library and ask circulation staff about the item(s) checked out by you.

Hold Requests

How can I get a book that someone else has checked out?
Books already checked-out by some other user can be reserved. You can get them reserved online through i-Portal. See Online Renewal for details. You can also place a request for a checked-out item by visiting the library.

What happens when someone wants a book I have?
If a hold has been placed on one of your books, you may not renew it. Please return it by the due date. The library may recall any material issued to you. You must return the book by the shortened due date in order to avoid fines.

Return Books

Is it necessary to show ID card while returning the books?
No, you can return the library materials without showing the ID card.

Can someone else return my books for me?
Yes, books can be returned by anyone.

What happens if I return a book late?
A fine begins accruing as soon as the book is overdue. If you do not return a RECALLED book by the date requested, your borrowing privileges can be suspended.

What happens if I lose a book?
Report it immediately in black and white at the circulation desk so that your overdue fine can be stopped. Then you will be charged three times the current price of the book.

What happens if I damage library materials?
In case you damage library material, the policy for “Book Lost” will be implemented.

I like to use highlighters and pencils for notation. Is this "damage"?
Yes, it is. We understand the temptation to mark books in order to aid your studying or research, but keep in mind what might help you will most certainly make it more difficult for someone else to use the book. Besides, it is simply bad for the books. You will most definitely be fined a replacement charge for any books which have been damaged by underlining or highlighting.

Pay Fines

How much fine do I have to pay on an overdue item?
Rs. 5/- per book per day. On Course Reserve, Rs. 20/- per each extra hour.

How do I pay fines?
All library fines are handled by the STMU Accounts Office. You will receive the fine notice through emails. Take this notice to the Accounts Office and pay the fine. The Accounts Office will issue you a receipt of paid fines. You have to submit this receipt to the circulation desk for fine clearance.

What happens if I don’t pay my fines?
Your library account will be terminated if the fine exceeds Rs. 1000/-.

Course Reserves

What are course reserves?
“Course Reserve" refers to the Reserve Collection. This collection contains material chiefly intended for undergraduate students. The books are selected from those most essential for undergraduate study, and many are provided in multiple copies according to anticipated demand. Some lecture slides/files designated for specific class assignments by the faculty are also available in course reserve collection. Most materials in the reserve collection change from quarter to quarter based on class requirements.

Where are they located?
Course reserves are housed in the circulation desk area.

How do I check them out?
Simply come to the library circulation desk, ask for the specific course reserve, show your ID card and get your course reserve material.

For how long can they be checked out?
To ensure that as many readers as possible have the use of these high-demand books, they are issued for specific periods of 3-hours and overnight.

Can I get course reserves issued for overnight?
Yes, you can get it for overnight usually after 6:00 pm. Check circulation desk for exact timings.

Are fines for course reserves different from fines for general books?
Yes. Fines for course reserve material accrue at the rate of Rs. 20/- per each extra hour. So pay careful attention to the loan period for the course reserve materials you borrow.

Can I renew reserve books?
You can’t renew the same book. If another copy of the same course reserve is available, you can check it out.

Can I reserve the course reserve materials?
You can’t.

What should I do if I need a reading package of the previous quarter?
You can make a request by filling in the PASSIVE COURSE RESERVE FORM available at the circulation desk.

Cite Sources

How do I cite sources?
Use the Citation Tools option mentioned in the Research Tools link.
How do I compare citation tools?
Use the Compare Citation Tools option mentioned in the Research Tools link.

Mobile Web Interface (MWI)

What is Mobile Web Interface?
Mobile Web Interface is the library new application which provides a specialized facility to the patrons to access the library online catalog using their smart phones. Now the library portal is accessable through all mobile devices. Find books, journals, view the details of your library account like total checked out items, accumulated fine for the overdue items, check out dates, and due dates.

How Do I access Mobile Web Interface?
Simply set your mobile device browser to http://libraryportal.stmu.edu.pk/mobileweb.html.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

What is VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. VPN allows you to make a secure, encrypted connection to the University network. When you have started the VPN client, a secure connection is created between your computer and the University network. Although they often use public networks, VPNs inherit the characteristics of a private network, thus the "Virtual" Private Network.

Why should I use VPN?
The most common reasons to use a VPN are:
• It gives you a secure interface to access the library e-resources while off-campus.
• Don't need to visit the library. Just log on to https://vpn.stmu.edu.pk using your campus ID/password and start using full text resources.
• Don't come to the library as the library will come to you.

How does it work?
VPNs create "virtual" point-to-point connections using a technique called tunneling. As the name suggests, tunneling acts like a "pipe" which penetrates through a network to connect two points. Normally activated by remote users, tunneling encrypts data into standard TCP/IP packets and encapsulates it for safe transmission across the Internet. VPN ensures the confidentiality and integrity of information as it travels over the public internet because it requires:
• Remote user identity authentication.
• Secure private transmission of data (no unauthorized listeners).
• Verification of unadulterated data transmission.

The VPN connection behaves like this:
• You connect to the Internet in the normal manner, through your ISP.
• The VPN client software on your computer initiates a connection with the VPN server.
• The VPN server encrypts the data on the connection so it cannot be read by others while it is in transit.
• The VPN server decrypts the data and passes it on to other servers and resources.

How do I Change my VPN Password
Use the User Changeable Password Interface to change your VPN password online.

Miscellaneous

How Do I Pay the Library Dues Online
Please go to http://pay.stmu.edu.pk and use the Library Payments Options to pay Disciplinary/Over Due Fine, Text Book(s) Purchase from Bookshop, VPN/Smart Card Charges, New Membership charges (For External Memebers), External Membership Renewal Charges and other charges through credit card.