The CGST Library is located on the 1st and 2nd floor of Devon Road Campus. Occupying the entire level, with an area of approximately 640 square meters (including 50 square meters for outdoor reading area), the Library provides about 64 study spaces for users. Our webpage is http://www.cgst.edu/library.

The Library has adopted the Dynix Automated Library System since 1996. The collection currently consists of approximately 67,000 books, more than 230 academic periodicals/magazines, and 200 newsletters from various Christian organisations. This includes the Special Collection, "Culture Collection", from the Christian Study Centre on Chinese Religion & Culture acquired in the year 2000, with over 10,000 volumes of books and over 300 titles of back issues of periodicals, which has enriched our collection in Chinese culture, history and religion. Since the Ph. D program in curriculum has been established, CGST Library has built up a collection of Foreign Books consisting of more than 1,700 volumes written in Germany, France or Dutch etc. Our Library also comprehensively collects more than 620 titles of the collected works and the related works of Karl Barth.

On the audiovisual front, the Library provides materials on microfilms and microfiches, and has a microfilm / microfiche combo reader for reading such media. On the electronic front, the Library has over 130 CD-ROM titles and 130 online journals available for users to choose from. On the database front, the Library has subscribed four online databases. The first two databases, "Religion & Philosophy (R&P) Collection Database" and the "ATLA Religion Database & ATLAS" via EBSCO host, contain more than 600 journal titles combined, of which 430 journals titles can be retrieved and downloaded in full-text. In addition to our journal titles index database, we continues to expand our collection of databases, EBSCO also offers the Old Testament Abstracts, New testament abstracts, Catholic Periodical and Literature Index, ERIC, LISA and GreenFile. The other two databases "Info Trac Religion & Social Science" via Gale Cengage and "SA e Publications - Religion Collection" via Sabinet from South Africa offer over 270 journal titles for indexing and 210 journal titles for full text articles. Our Library has also subscripted to a comprehensive database name "OCLC FirstSearch Service" via OCLC platform which covers eight various indexes and online databases including ArticleFirst, WilsonSelectPlus, ECO, WorldCat, ERIC, EBooks, MEDLINE and WorldCatDissertation. The WilsonSelectPlus alone contains more than two thousand and eight hundred full-text periodical articles, and WorldCat is a union catalogue for a vast group of libraries in the United States. This will serve as a complementary resource for our Library.

On the e-book front, the Library has subscribed to eleven sets of encyclopedias on various religious studies via "Gale Virtual Reference Library" of the Gale Cengage platform which can be retrieved the full text format and able to be downloaded. We also purchase more e-books via the Ebrary platform to facilitate the usage of e-resources for our readers. Last year our Library has subscribed more than 4,300 e-books from "Religion, Philosophy and Classics e-books" via Ebrary platform and more than 141 e-reference books from "The Cambridge Companions to Philosophy, Religion and Culture" via Cambridge University Press. Our Subscription to NetLibrary also provides access to 397 e-books from "The Religious and Theological e-books Collection" and more than 3400 e-books from "Publicly-Accessible E-Books Collection" All the online journal and e-books are searchable and accessible through our iPAC. This year we sign up for "RefWorks" trial, which is an online research management software, provides writing and collaboration tool for creating comprehensive footnotes and bibliographies for research.


In addition, the "Library Information Network" of CGST has been established for users to retrieve library resources, online periodicals, databases and other Internet resources via the "Intranet" and then "CGST Pulse".

CGST Library is one of the five members of the Ecumenical Information Network (EIN). Other EIN member libraries include:

EIN Library Union Catalogue is the largest theological library catalogue in Hong Kong. At present, EIN has 5 member libraries and the EIN Library Union Catalogue has over 370,000 records of which the Chinese theological library catalogue is the largest in the world. Inter-library loan and document delivery services are available to the users of EIN member libraries.


Library Floor Plans
Library 2nd Floor Plan Library 1st Floor Plan

Library Regulations

1. Opening Hours

1.1 Monday
Tuesday to Friday
Saturday, Sunday, Public Holidays and Special School Activities
2010 Sep 22(Wed) Mid-Autumn Festival
10:00a.m.-9:45p.m.
9:00a.m.-9:45p.m.
Closed

9:00a.m.-4:00p.m.
1.2 Public Holidays:
2010 Sep 23(Thu) The day following Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
2010 Oct 1(Fri) National Day

Closed

Closed

2. Application of Library Card & Rules for Users

2.1 Students of the School are eligible to apply for a Library card (student card) to borrow books from the Library. Special students who have the Library Cards are allowed to borrow books.
2.2 Alumni who have finished their degree or diploma, and have been awarded the corresponding certificates, are eligible to apply for Library Cards. The annual fee is HK$150. This can be renewed annually at a cost of HK$100.
2.3 Graduating students must return the Library Card (student card) to the academic department before the assigned date.
2.4 Library cards are not transferable and cannot be loaned.

3. Rules for Borrowing, Renewing and Holding Books

3.1

The normal loan period for books for all students, alumni and special readers is 14 days (effective from 3 Sep. 2007). Users can renew the item if no other users have requested it.

3.2 Except for the full time and part-time students self-renewing items for four times, all other users can renew items twice by themselves on the Internet.
3.3 Except for items held by other users, users may renew the checked out items by themselves via "Union Catalogue" on the Internet. If the self renewal limit is reached, users must bring the items and Library Cards to the library staff for processing any other renewals.
3.4 Self-renewal must be made on or before the due date of the initial loan period.
3.5 Users can place a hold (request) on a book that has already been checked out and the new books that are on display in the CGST Library via "Union Catalogue" on the Internet.
3.6 No due date will be stamped on the insider cover of the book. Please view the circulation record online at: http://einhip.gotdns.org:82/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=cgst
3.7 Library notices, including coming due alert, hold pick-ups, recalls and overdues, are sent to all students via your email address provided by CGST Information Technology Services Department. If you prefer to have the notices sent to other email address, you could either update it via iPAC or email to us.
3.8 Users are therefore reminded that it is their responsibility to check their emails often so as not to miss any important library notices. The responsibility of returning books on time lies with the borrower. When the loan period expires, an overdue notice is sent to all categories of borrowers.
3.9 The number of loan quota for Th. M and Ph. D students are 30 items, for other full time students are 15 items, for other part time students are 10 items. All of them can request holds for 5 items. For the other categories of users, please enquire the library staff.

4. Rules for Borrowing Reserve Book

4.1 Users are allowed to borrow no more than two reserve books for 2 hours at a time.
4.2 Users who borrow a reserve book after 7:45 p.m. must return it to the Library before 11:00a.m.on the following working day.
4.3 A fine of HK$1.00 per hour will be charged for each overdue reserve book.

5. Rules for Borrowing Other Materials

5.1 Current or bound issues of periodicals cannot be checked out from the Library.
5.2 CD-ROM can be used directly on the computer. Ask the on-duty staff for assistance if required.
5.3 Reference books and thesis can be used only in the Library.
5.4 Rare books, Close Stack books and Culture Periodicals cannot be checked out from the Library. For special requests, please enquire the Library staff.

6. Rules for Photocopying, Scanning and Online Printing Service

6.1 Insert the OCTOPUS card into the fee chargeable machine of the photocopiers.
6.2 Each photocopy costs HK$0.3 and HK$0.5 for online printing. Self help payment service shall be made and please put money on the collected box.
6.3 Users are not permitted to bring their own transparencies for photocopying. If transparencies are needed for photocopy, please purchase them from the Library, each one costs HK$2.00.
6.4 A photocopy machine with scanning function is located at 1st floor. Please store your image files on the relative paths of the computer assigned after scanning Please delete the images files after printing so as to avoid violating the copyright law.
6.5 Please observe the rules of the copyright law while you photocopy or scan the materials.

7. Fines & Compensation

7.1 All categories of borrowers who keep books / items beyond the loan period are subject to a fine of HK$1.00 per item per day. A fine of HK$1.00 per hour will be charged for each overdue reserve book. Borrowers who fail to return books or who return books damaged beyond repair will be charged the cost of replacement in addition to the processing cost of $100 and any accumulated fines. Borrowers cannot keep the damaged item after they paid for the replacement, as all materials, be they damaged or otherwise, belong permanently to the Library.
7.2 The loss of a Library Card must be reported to the Library immediately and is subject to a fine of HK$100. A duplicate card may be issued after the loss is reported and the fine paid.
7.3 A fine of HK$20 per day for each unit of personal items left behind without personal attendance on the carrels of the Library will be charged and HK$10 for each unit left behind in the library storing stacks. The Library will keep these items for 3 days only. Users cannot get back such items after 3 days.
7.4 Marking or scribbling on materials of the Library is strictly forbidden. Any full time faculties, staff or students who violate the regulation will not be allowed to enter the library for one week. For other library cardholders, the penalty is for one month.

8. Rules for Accessing《Library Information Network》

8.1 Please access CGST home page, the URL is: www.cgst.edu -> Intranet -> CGST Pulse -> Department Information -> Library -> Library Information Network (圖書館資訊網).
8.2 "CGST Pulse" is only accessible for faculties, staff or students. If your password cannot access the “Intranet” or “CGST Pulse”, please contact the Information Technology Section, tel: 27942340。
8.3 Please use your library barcode at the back of your smart card to access all the subscribed full text databases off campus.
8.4 To access the subscribed full text databases, e books, e journals, please access "Library Information Network" via CGST Intranet -> CGST Pulse or directly access the linkages via Union Catalogue.
8.5 Please observe the rules of the licence agreement of each database vendor / publisher. Users must follow the rules laid down within the particular database they are accessing. Don't undertake 'systematic' or 'excessive' downloading or reproduction. Legal action will be taken by the copyright owner for any infringement.
8.6 To learn more about how to use the Library and the databases, please access: "Library Information Network" -> "The Library" -> "User Instruction".

9. Rules for Using EIN Inter-Library Loan and Document Delivery service

9.1 User can request items via e form for Inter-Library Loan and Document Delivery Service. Please enter CGST Pulse (中神脈搏)-> Department Information (部門資訊)-> Library (圖書館)-> EIN Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Online request form (EIN館際互借及文獻遞送網上申請表).
9.2 Participant members are: Alliance Bible Seminary; China Graduate School of Theology; Evangel Seminary; Holy Spirit Seminary College of Theology and Philosophy and Lutheran Theological Seminary. (Users have to borrow and return books form Holy Spirit Seminary in person with ILL card (Yellow card) )
9.3 Users will be charged HK$10 per item for books and HK$1.00 per page for printed or e journal articles.
9.4 Application forms will be processed before Thursday at 11:00a.m. and the request items can then be picked up on Friday after 5:00p.m. or be available by email notification.
9.5. Only one renewal for book item may be made by telephone to our library staff.
9.6 A fine of HK$5/day/item will be imposed on any late return of book.
9.7 All the loaned or returned items will be processed via CGST Library. (Excluding Holy Spirit Seminary's)
9.8 Before submitting your requests, please check our catalogue to confirm that our library does not own the items. User can not request an item that is accessible (including reserve books, in process books, repairing books and loan out books) at CGST library.
9.9 To avoid waiting time, users can visit or borrow books in person directly from the other EIN libraries, please ask for an ILL card (Yellow card) at Circulation Counter.
9.10 Each user can borrow maximum 3 items of book and loans issued through this arrangement would be counted as part of the user’s loan quota.
9.11 It is because of the peak seasons of ILL usage, and to give all user optimum service and under the fair usage policy, limitation of loans applied during the months of April to May and November to December. Alumni are limited to 1 item of book and faculties, staff and students are limited to 2 items of books per person within above period.
9.12 The interlibrary loan & document delivery services are provided in accordance with the Hong Kong Copyright Ordinance Cap.528.

10. Conduct of Library Users

10.1 Only drinking water is permitted in the Library.
10.2 Silence must always be observed in the Library. Any discussion should be made outside the Library or the outdoor reading area at 1st floor.
10.3 Personal pagers and mobile phones must be turned off in the Library at all times.
10.4 Personal items on the carrels left unattended for over half hour will be confiscated by the Library.
10.5 Bags, handbags, recycle fabric bags, computer case and briefcases must be placed in the library storing stacks. The users themselves are advised to keep expensive and valuable property with them. The Library will not be responsible for any loss or damage of personal items.
10.6 Please don't bring books to the outdoor reading area while raining.
10.7 Please keep the door always closed at the entrance of the outdoor reading area (1st floor) so as to prevent the infiltration of large amount of air.
10.8 Please don't use the book dumb waiter (elevator) without permission from Library staff.

Phone: 2794 6794 Fax: 2794 6790 Email: Library@cgst.edu

 

© 1996-2010 中國神學研究院 - China Graduate School of Theology - webadmin@cgst.edu Last Update 2010-08-31