YES. The Moraine Valley Community College Library has 80 computers, and 15 laptops available for use by students, faculty, staff, and the general public.
Moraine Valley Community College students, faculty, and staff may use the computers, upon showing their current MVCC ID cards, at a variety of other campus computer labs.
Yes. Students can check out laptops (see the next question), or they can reserve the computers in Study Room A, which are designated for group use.
Yes, there is wireless access on campus. Wireless access using 802.11 (b) 802.11 (g) is available:
YES. Printing is available in the Library for 10 cents per page for black and white and 50 cents per page for color. You can pay with cash or coins. Or, you must purchase a Moraine Valley Community College Cash Card. There is a vending machine on the 2nd floor of the Library that sells the reusable plastic cash card for $1 with 50 cents of value on the card. Add values of $1, $5, $10, or $20 to the card at the vending machine.
You can also print, using the Cash Card, at the following two locations on campus:
YES. A black-and-white copier is available for general use at the Library. Copies cost 10 cents per page. The Moraine Valley Cash Card (available for purchase in the Library) may be used to pay for copies. The copy machine also takes cash and change.
The copy machine does not collate, staple, enlarge or reduce documents, or produce color copies.
Do I need an ID to use the Library's collections?
Students, faculty, and staff need to have a valid Moraine Valley Community College ID in order to access the Library's online databases from off-campus, to check out books and other materials, and to order items through interlibrary loan. Bring your current Moraine ID to the Library Circulation Desk to have the barcode scanned into the Library's computers. The barcode must be rescanned at the Library each semester.
People who are not directly affiliated with the College may be able to access the Library's collections. Learn more about the Library's various patron types and borrowing privileges.
No ID is required to use the Library's resources within the Library.
How can I access the Library's online databases from off-campus?
You must be a current Moraine Valley Community College student, staff, or faculty member AND have registered your Moraine Valley Community College ID card (with current semester indicated on the back) in person, at the Library.
1. Select a database from the Article Database List.
2. Enter your name and bar code number from your Moraine Valley Community College ID.
3. You should now be in the database you selected.
How can distance education students access the Library's collection?
If you are enrolled in online courses only, you can access the Library's collections by completing this process:
- Call Photo ID Services at 708-974-5620 to obtain a barcode.
- Call Barb Rys, Head of Circulation, at 708-974-5467 to have the barcode entered into the Library's system.
Students who are enrolled in on- or off-campus courses must register their IDs in person at the Library's Circulation Desk.
How do I find books and other materials in the Library?
Use the online Catalog to find items in the Library's collections, including books, magazines, videos and more.
Where are the books and other materials located?
Circulating books (books that can be checked out and taken home) can be found on the 1st floor (lower level) of the Library.
Reference books (books that can be used in the Library only) can be found on the 2nd floor (upper level) of the Library.
Reserve items are kept at the Circulation desk on the main (2nd) floor.
Where is a particular book located?
The catalog record for a particular item contains a unique call number, which indicates where the item is shelved. See the map for the location of call numbers for circulating items.
Where are the magazines, newspapers, and journals? Can I check them out?
Print versions of magazines, newspapers and journals (also known as periodicals) can be found on the main (2nd) floor of the Library. Current issues of periodicals cannot be checked out, but older issues may be checked out for two days. Articles in periodicals on microfilm can be viewed and printed in the Library.
Many articles from magazines, newspapers, and journals are available through the Library's online databases.
Where are the audiovisual materials (videocassettes, DVDs, slides, etc.) located?
Audiovisual materials are shelved with the books by call number.
Can I check out audiovisual materials?
Most videocassettes, DVDs, slides, and other audiovisual materials may be checked out or viewed/listened to on the equipment on the 2nd floor of the Library.
Is there a due date for books? How long can you keep a book?
Yes. Different items have different due dates. See Lending Policies for more information.
Where can I find something my instructor put on reserve?
Print reserve items (books, videos, articles) are available at the circulation desk. To find out what item(s) your instructor reserved for your class, search the catalog for Reserve Items by Course or Instructor.
Electronic reserve items are be searchable through the Reserve Items of the catalog either by Instructor or Course. When an electronic reserve item is clicked there will be a prompt for a password. Contact your instructor for the password.
How do I know what items I have currently checked out?
You can view your library account by logging in with your student ID (click here).
Who do I see to check out or return materials, or with questions about overdue items, renewals, or I.D. cards?
Staff at the Circulation desk can assist with these questions during normal library hours. If you are off campus, call (708) 974-5235 for assistance.
How can I check on the status of an interlibrary loan request?
Contact Susan Yach at (708) 974-5297 or yach@morainevalley.edu for an update.
How can I request to borrow a book or article that is not in the Moraine Valley Library?
Click on Order Items from Another Library to request books and articles from other libraries. To do this, you must be a current MVCC student, staff, or faculty member AND have registered your MVCC ID card (with current semester indicated on the back) in person, at the Library.
How can I find out if libraries other than Moraine Valley have materials I need? Can I check out books at these libraries?
Search other library catalogs, including I-Share, SWAN's 75 local libraries, and Chicago Public Library. While you are free to search these libraries' catalogs, some of the libraries listed do not honor MVCC ID cards. Contact the specific library to find out about their borrowing privileges.
The Library has borrowing privileges at 12 other local college libraries. You must have a Moraine Valley ID with the current sticker in order to borrow materials directly from these academic libraries.
Research Help
How can I find articles on a particular topic?
To find articles, search the Article Databases. These databases index articles from thousands of publications. Many of the articles are available in full text in the databases, or you may need to find the article in another database, in print, or at another library through interlibrary loan. For help using the databases, see the Finding Journal and Magazine Articles Guide or Ask a Librarian.
How can I tell which is the best database to search for information on my topic?
Go to the Article Database List and click on the subject of your choice in the gray bar on the left. If your specific subject is not listed, select Multiple Subject Databases or simply choose a database from the list of All Databases. Each database listing includes a brief description of the subjects covered and types of resources included.
What is the difference between searching in an Internet search engine (Google, Yahoo, etc.) and the Article Databases?
Internet search engines crawl the visible or the World Wide Web for results. The information in the Article Databases comes from published sources. Like the Web, the Article Databases are Internet-based. If your source requirements for an assignment restrict the use of Internet sources, your instructor is probably referring to the free World Wide Web. Articles included in the databases are considered equivalent to print sources.
While some databases include links to web sites, the majority of the records in online databases pertain to magazine, journal, and newspaper articles. (Some of these articles are also available in print, while others are only accessible electronically.) Most of the information in the databases is credible, but you need to evaluate all information carefully to determine if it meets your needs.
What are some good electronic resources to find basic background information on a topic?
Try looking in the Library's Online Encyclopedias and Dictionaries.
Sometimes when I search for articles in the databases I get too many results and don't have time to read them all. How can I sort through them to find the good information?
The best strategy is to refine your search to get results that are more targeted to your needs.
When using the databases, consider limiting your searches by date, format, publication type or the full-text option. Many databases also allow searchers to sort their results by relevancy or date. Developing a sound search strategy, including using appropriate keywords, will help improve your search results.
Ask a Librarian for help if you're not finding the information you need.
What is a scholarly journal?
Scholarly journals (also known as academic, peer-reviewed or refereed journals) are written for experts in a particular field, such as medicine, education, literature, and psychology. They contain articles that report on original research or findings in that field. The articles have been reviewed by other experts in the field to make sure that the information is accurate. The articles will probably have an abstract (summary), foot- or end-notes, a bibliography. Often, the articles are long and use vocabulary specific to that field of study. Many scholarly articles have several authors, and will list the credentials of at least one author.
How can I find scholarly journal articles?
Many of the article databases allow you to limit the results to scholarly journals. In Academic Search Premier, for example, check the box marked Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals.
How do I cite a book or article or Web site?
The Citing Sources Guide can help you with citations. Ask a Librarian if you need more help.
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