Page 47 - 2025 JCH Student Handbook

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The Verdon Library
The Verdon Library was established in 1897 by Lady Janet Clarke, who named it after her friend and
College benefactor, George Verdon, a prominent former member of the Victorian government
and manager of the English, Scottish and Australian Chartered Bank in Australia. Today, the Library
serves as a supplement to the University of Melbourne Library services and as a source of materials
for the tutorial system and beyond. Due to their importance to the academic life of the College,
the library resources are only available to current JCH students, Tutors and staff and should not be
taken off site by students without permission. From time-to-time, the library staff will offer special
programs and events related to books, culture and College history.

The Library’s collection currently comprises around 16,000 titles, approximately half of which are
housed onsite. The Main Collection, comprised of textbooks, current non-fiction and fiction
materials is organised by subject and is distributed between the Main Reading Room, the Betty
Wilmot, May Dunn, Bage Rooms, and Tutorial Room 1, which are all available around the clock for
private and group study.

Printing and desktop PCs are available for student use in the Main Reading Room, and textbooks
and required texts for subjects are purchased and made available for students to borrow each
semester.

Newspapers are delivered daily and are placed in the Dining Hall and SCR each morning (please
do not remove them!).

The Library also has a number of magazine subscriptions. Magazines do not need to be checked
out, but it is requested that they are returned to the Library once you are finished.

Rare books

The Library’s Rare Book Collection is housed in the Student Resource Centre and is comprised of
works from the personal collections of Dr. Alexander Leeper and several former Principals, as well
as donated works from former College alumni. Access and use of the Rare Book collection is
restricted. If you would like to view any of the items in the Rare Book Collection, please contact the
College Librarian at librarian@jch.unimelb.edu.au to make a time.

Ordering Textbooks
If you require academic resources for your studies that are not currently available at JCH’s Verdon
Library or that are in high demand, please send through a request to the Librarian using the JCH
Library Book Request Form found on the library catalogue’s homepage under the heading,
“Ordering a Textbook.” Depending on the resource and the time of year, textbook requests may
take several weeks to complete. Please do not delay ordering materials to the last moment. You
will be notified by email when your requested textbook arrives. Note that students are expected to
share College textbooks equitably among fellow students.

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Janet Clarke Hall Student Handbook 2025