INFORMATION
The LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CENTRE (LIC) provides library and information services primarily to the Faculty of Civil Engineering’s students and employees, but also to other individuals with an interest in the library’s collections, including students and staff from Brno University of Technology and other universities, and specialist members of the public. Students and staff gain entrance to the library using their university identity card.
Our BOOK COLLECTION is thematically focused on technical fields, particularly civil engineering, the natural sciences, economics and computing. It contains 57 426 individual library items, of which 18 800 items are available for use in the LIC study rooms (situation as of 2021).
Our JOURNALS COLLECTION contains both foreign and Czech titles in print and electronic form.
ELECTRONIC INFORMATION RESOURCES: access to specialist databases, and electronic books and journals.
THE LIC PROVIDES THESE LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES:
- access to printed and electronic information resources
- information, consultation, reference and research services
- loans of documents for reference use only (within the LIC’s study rooms)
- external borrowing of documents (these documents may be borrowed from the LIC for a period stated in the Library and Operating Rules – borrowers can either ask a librarian to issue the items at the front desk, or check out the items themselves using the library’s SelfCheck machine)
- interlibrary loan services covering the collections of Czech and foreign libraries
- electronic services – access to the internet and to electronic information resources (specialist databases, electronic books and journals, library catalogues)
- the provision of courses to 1st year students on the use of information resources
- reprographic services – copying, printing, scanning of select information resources in accordance with the Copyright Act, the printing of students’ work in the following formats: A4, A3, A0
ROOMS AND COMPUTER FACILITIES
The LIC currently has 9 study rooms (3 standard, 3 computer, 2 group and 1 individual) containing a total of 287 study spaces. The relaxing room name´s POKEC has 13 study spaces. The computer rooms and entrance hall contain a total of 84 computers.
DESCRIPTION OF ROOMS AND THEIR EQUIPMENT:
GROUND FLOOR
ENTRANCE HALL – information and lending services, SelfCheck self-service machine for borrowers, 5 multifunctional copiers Xerox Versalink C7020, 6 computers.
THREE COMPUTER ROOMS (RED, BLUE, YELLOW) – a total of 120 study spaces and 74 computers, access to information resources.
- RED COMPUTER ROOM – 20 computers and 2 computers with access to Czech technical standards via ČSN, and 2 large-format printers for the printing of technical drawings. Shelves contain current editions of Czech and foreign journals to which the library subscribes.
- BLUE COMPUTER ROOM – 30 computers and 3 scanners.
- YELLOW COMPUTER ROOM – 21 computers.
TWO GROUP STUDY ROOMS for self-study or teamwork – a total of 32 study spaces (12+20),
in the corridor 1 large-format scanner (A0).
ONE INDIVIDUAL STUDY ROOM – 2 computers, a total of 1 – 2 study spaces, (it was opened in 2022).
ONE CHILL ZONE name´s POKEC – a total of 13 study spaces, (it was opened in 2022).
TWO REPOSITORIES for items in the library collection which are rarely borrowed, and for the storage of university theses.
1ST FLOOR
THREE STANDARD STUDY ROOMS with freely accessible books and textbooks – a total of 125 study spaces, 1 scanner, 2 computers, 1 book scanner.
It is possible to connect notebooks to the internet via WiFi in all areas of the LIC.
THE LIC: THEN AND NOW
The Faculty of Civil Engineering’s library was opened in 1997 as the Faculty Library and Study Rooms. Library and information services were gradually introduced and extended in accordance with contemporary trends in the development of university libraries and the provision of access to information sources. In 2000 the faculty library was transformed and renamed to the Library and Information Centre (LIC).
The increase in interest in using the services provided by the LIC soon necessitated its extension, as did its insufficient number of study spaces. The opportunity to make improvements arose during the first reconstruction of the Faculty of Civil Engineering between 2002 and 2003, when the study areas were expanded and modified. The LIC gained space previously used for storage by the Czech Technical University, and built the Blue Computer Room there. The original steel structure of the storage room and its glass floor were preserved during the conversion.
The project “Completion and reconstruction of the premises of the Faculty of Civil Engineering on Veveří St. and Žižkova St.”, which was implemented from 2011-2013, saw the Faculty of Civil Engineering undergo final refurbishment to reach its current state. The LIC was extended to include new rooms in the right wing of Building A, the faculty’s main building. These were fitted out with a new computer room, group study rooms and a repository for the storage of university theses. The university theses were again relocated in 2019 due to high humidity to the Multifunctional Center FAST of building C and the BUT Archive.
In 2018, two of the ground floor study rooms were modernised with the aid of a grant from the Operational Programme Research, Development and Education – Support for the development of the study environment in universities. The study rooms were equipped with new tables, chairs, bookshelves and floor coverings. The new study spaces are arranged so that they provide students with more privacy for self-study, as well as with the option of engaging in group work. The study spaces have electrical sockets so that students can plug in their own notebooks.
At the end of 2021, in cooperation with the Student Chamber of the FAST Academic Senate, a relaxation room called „POKEC“ was created at the KIC. It provides a space where students can relax, read, play board games, watch television, show presentations, and of course also study. Furthermore, an individual study room for 1-2 users was created. Both rooms were put into operation at the beginning of 2022.