MCCC’s library has several resources that are available to students.
Barbara McNamee, the director of learning resources, praises the usefulness of the databases.
“The biggest resource the library has to offer are the databases. They provide 24 hour access to library from home. It’s really beneficial. Students aren’t as dependent on us being open as students were 15 years ago,” McNamee said.
Around two dozen databases are accessible to students. Whether it be on campus or from home, so long as a student has an active library card and is enrolled for classes that semester, the databases offer a wide range of information.
One database that is useful for school projects is CQ Researcher, which stands for Congress Quarterly. Articles found in this database are originally written for members of Congress and have very detailed components, such as sub categories for timelines, facts and quotes.
Reference books are also very useful materials. The college’s collection is as extensive as it can be, and new books are added to meet the curriculum as it changes and grows.
“There is this perspective that you can get everything online. The reference books allows students to get at things quickly. We’d like to see students use them more often,” McNamee said.
Another service offered by the library is interlibrary loan. If a student cannot find a certain book or academic reference, the library can find a copy at another location, such as Eastern Michigan University or any other community college, and set it up so that the student would be able to receive the book as if it were part of MCCC’s collection. Students seeking this service would have to fill out a form at the circulation desk and when the book came in, standard borrowing periods would apply.
The library also has more than 300 periodicals available for students to view and copy for research. Located in the room designated for quiet study, current issues are displayed on racks.
Many of the magazines are selected because they support the curriculum and can be referenced in assignments. Issues dating as far back as fifteen years can also be requested since the library keeps them on file. In order to access back issues, a student must fill out a slip and a library employee will pull the magazines.
The librarians are there to help the students, according McNamee.
“We’d like you to think of us as your expert helpers,” McNamee said.
