About the Library

The University of Bahrain Central Library empowers students with information literacy skills and supports educational and research programs. Further, it is open to the public*and serves the local community through the services it provides along with its digital portal.

The University of Bahrain has also several college-specialized libraries, as listed below:

  • The Central Library
  • The Science & IT Library (SITL)
  • The Law library
  • The Engineering Library
  • The BTC Library
  • The College of Health Sciences Library (CHSL)
  • One electronic library: http://www.ac-knowledge.net/uobv3/
  • There are also a number of smaller libraries at the English Learning Centre, the French Studies Centre, the American Studies Centre, and the Centre for Traffic and Road Studies (CTRS).

Our Work

The University of Bahrain Library aims to become a center of excellence that supports and promotes high academic standards in undergraduate and postgraduate courses and in research. It makes a full contribution to the life of the university by providing the necessary information to support learning, teaching, and research programs. It participates actively in building a knowledge society in line with the aims of the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.

The UOB Library’s collections are accessible to users directly within the library premises and remotely via its digital library portal discovery system. It endeavors to empower students through its established information literacy programs. It continuously conducts quality assessment exercises in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of its services.

Even though it faces important challenges, with regard to budget and staff-expertise, the UOB Library endeavors to provide high-value services to its users, while at the same time, it makes every effort to enhance the skills and professionalism of its staff.

Library Services

The Collections

A collection constituted of over 310,000 print books, 170,000 e-books, 27,000 e-journals and One Million and a half e-theses. This collection is constantly growing and you are welcome to suggest a new title by completing the electronic book recommendation form:

http://library.uob.edu.bh/en/Forms/prq/form.php

Special Collections

These collections consist of local and international publications of a number of organizations for whom the UOB Library was designated as a publications depository counterpart in Bahrain. They include the United Nations, the World Bank, WHO, ESCWA and UNESCO. Theses and dissertations completed at the UOB are also part of this collection and listed in the Kingdom of Bahrain Database.

http://library.uob.edu.bh/Assets/Databases/KOB.aspx

The Digital Library & Catalogue

All collections that are held by the library can be searched and many can be accessed online via the Digital Library Portal:

http://www.ac-knowledge.net/uobv3/

Book Loans

Print books can be borrowed by faculty and students who hold a valid UOB card and as per the following:

Faculty can borrow up to 25 books for a whole semester; Post Graduate students can borrow 10 books for 4 weeks; and undergraduate students can borrow 5 books for 4 weeks. Book loans can be renewed by using the self-check machines available at the library or remotely via the online catalogue, or by using the mobile phone App ‘Bookmyne’. See the following instructions or request help from a member of the library staff:
http://library.uob.edu.bh/en/Forms_new/reqpinstd.asp

Please avoid late returns as fines for overdue books will be charged. As a courtesy, the system will send you an automatic email message 5 days before the item is due, to remind you that books are due for return. It is your responsibility to return all the books on time. Non-compliance will result in an automatic block. Non-returned or lost books will need to be replaced or paid for as per the Circulation Rules and Regulations.

Holds

If the item you need is on loan, you may place an automatic hold via the online catalogue or ask a member of staff to place a hold for you. You will be notified by email as soon as the item becomes available. The item will be held for you for 5 days.

Reserve Books

Reserve materials are those high-use items that faculty require to be read by groups of UOB students, i.e. REQUIRED READING. These books are taken out of regular circulation and placed at the Circulation Desk in the Library. Materials that have been placed on Reserve are located at the Circulation Desk and may be borrowed for 2 hours, as long as the item is returned half an hour before closing time. Reserve books may also be borrowed overnight and must be returned before 8.00 the next morning. Faculty wishing to place material on reserve should provide copies of the documents along with the course information and indicate the period the materials should be located on Reserve. Faculty members may provide electronic materials to be made available to students from the digital library.

Inter-Library Loan & Document Delivery

Books or articles that the library does not hold and that are needed for research can be sourced via our document delivery system by using this form: http://library.uob.edu.bh/en/Forms/ILL/form.php The service is for UOB students and faculty only.

Computing in the Library

Library users have access to computers via the library’s computer labs located in all libraries.  The computer labs allow students and faculty members to search the UOB catalogue and full-text databases from the digital library portal; to access resources on the World Wide Web; to access lecturers’ notes, assignments and distance learning programs; and to use word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and other specialized programs. There are dedicated PAC workstations in each library providing access to the library’s catalogue. Students may reserve a workplace with advanced booking for a period of one hour. From the computer lab, students can print documents in the Copy Centre.

Copy Center

In partnership with Al-Moayyed Commercial Services, the University libraries now have two newly equipped Copy Centres where users can have access to a number of services like photocopying, binding, laminating, and scanning.
The photocopiers are card-operated. The rechargeable copy cards can be purchased at the Copy Centres.
The Copy Centre also takes care of the printing services for the PC Lab for the students. They have dedicated high resolution printers at each campus which are run on a prepaid mode directly from each computer at the PC Lab.

Library Orientation and Instruction

Students, faculty and staff interested in learning about the library are invited to attend various tours and user information classes about the library and its resources.  The library offers a host of programs that are intended to educate users on the resources available in the library.

These classes aim to empower students in developing independent learning skills and adopting an analytical, creative and innovative approach to learning. New students and faculty would benefit from attending a library orientation program. A session can be arranged with two days’ notice. Sessions are short and can be tailored to the needs of the group or the individual.

Faculty members with classes requiring student research can arrange sessions that provide students with instruction on the resources available in their field and teach them referencing methods and ways of avoiding plagiarism, by completing the request form: http://library.uob.edu.bh/en/

User Guides (How Do I?)

The library provides a number of guides in how to use library resources. These guides can be accessed online from the Digital Library portal

http://library.uob.edu.bh/en/LibraryCatalogue/usegui.htm

Liaison Librarians

The Liaison Librarians liaise with the colleges and academic departments with regard to information literacy programs and collection development. They design and present course-related library instructional sessions as requested by faculty; develop online guides and bibliographies; offer one-on-one research consultations for students and work with faculty to provide additional services and develop the collections.  They also participate in running the Orientation Program for the Foundation Year.

List of Liaison Librarians
Mrs.Hayat A. Kareem Qarooni Liaison Librarian for the College of Business Administration, College of Law, BTC, English Language Centre, and Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures
Mr. Syed Fadhil Hayder Liaison Librarian for the College of Arts
Ms. Sadikka Shah Liaison Librarian for the College of Science
Ms. Hayam Mohamed Ali Al Siddiqi Liaison Librarian for the College of Engineering
Mrs. Dina J. Fernandes Liaison Librarian for the College of Information Technology
Mrs. Suchita N. D’Silva Liaison Librarian for the College of Health Sciences

http://library.uob.edu.bh/en/LibServices/sublibs.htm