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Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

What are the library's hours?

Please see http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/hours/index.htm for an up to date listing of the library's hours.

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Where can I find a map of the library?

For a map of the Library, please visit http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/directions/index.htm. You can also find local maps and directions to Oxy from this page.

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How can I check out a book?

Various library materials may be checked out from the Circulation Desk during posted library hours. Some items may be for Library Use Only. It is the borrower's responsibility to return items on time and in the same condition as when checked out.

Your Oxy ID acts are a library card. Please see http://departments.oxy.edu/library/services/borrowing.htm for more information on borrowing library materials.

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How can I reserve a study room/video viewing room?

Study rooms are no longer locked and do not require reservations. Study rooms are available for group study, only.

However, you still need to reserve video viewing rooms. See http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/facilities/studyrooms.htm for info.

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Where can I learn more about the library's collections?

Over 500,000 books, journals, magazines, newspapers, videos, audio recordings, CD-ROMs, microfiche collections, and other materials held by the library form an unusually rich resource for a small liberal arts college.

Please see http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/collections/index.htm for more information about our collections.

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What is Special Collections?

Housed on the third floor of the Mary Norton Clapp Library and in special rooms located throughout the library, Special Collections supports undergraduate, scholarly and public research with nearly 100,000 rare books, archival papers and manuscripts, visual media, paintings, prints and artifacts of unique significance in the arts, literature, theatre, book arts, and local, regional and cultural history.

Please visit http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/collections/special/ for details on resources within Special Collections.

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How can I access Special Collections?

Research tools, such as inventories or detailed finding aids, for many of the resources within Special Collections are available. Also, approximately 33,000 books from the collections are cataloged in OASys, the library's electronic catalog.

Please contact Dale Stieber, our Special Collections Librarian, via email or phone at (323) 259-2852 if you wish to set up an appointment or have inquiries regarding the department. She is available for in-depth reference service, and to help patrons locate items, manuscripts and other miscellaneous objects which may be useful for their research.

The reading room is open to all authorized library patrons Monday through Friday from 11 AM - 4 PM with extended hours on Thursday until 8 PM.

Please visit http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/collections/special/ for more details on our Special Collections.

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How can I contact the library?

Contact Circulation:  323-259-2640 or circdesk@oxy.edu  
    about hours, library cards, lending periods, renewals, fines, etc.

Contact Reference: 323-259-2818 or reference@oxy.edu
    for research appointments or reference assistance. 

Contact Library Administration:  323-259-2832 about  
    lockers, policies, purchasing library privileges,  etc.

Please visit our contact us page for additional contact info.

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I have a specific question. How can I find out who to contact?

Please visit our staff directory.

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How do I get a job in the library?

Please refer to the Occidental College Student Employment Opportunities web page http://www.oxy.edu/x3015.xml.

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How can I get help with research?

You can get research help in a variety of ways.

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What is OxyChatReference?

OxyChatReference is a new service provided by the Information Services Department of the library. You can use it to get research help online from any computer equipped with an internet connection. It is only one of several ways you can get research help at the library.

See http://departments.oxy.edu/library/research/help/chatref/index.htm for details on when the service is available and how to use OxyChatReference.

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How can I get off-campus access to the library's online resources?

The OASys and Link+ databases, along with many other resources, are publicly available to anyone on the Internet. However, many of our online databases are restricted to authorized patrons only.

If you are off campus and wish to use a restricted resource, you will be prompted to prove that you are an authorized Oxy user. You will be asked to type:

  • Your User name (what you use to log on to a campus computer)
  • Your Password
For further assistance in using this system, please contact John de La Fontaine, our Systems Librarian, via email or phone at 323-259-2914.

Note: Not all electronic resources are available for off-campus access.

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What online databases does the library have?

Please visit our comprehensive list or our list of databases arranged by topic.

See also our comprehensive list with detailed descriptions.

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Is there a list of periodicals at the library?

A list of the library's periodicals, both online and in print, is available at http://departments.oxy.edu/library/research/ejs/.

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What is OASys?

OASys (Occidental Automated System) is the electronic catalog of all resources in or licensed by the College's library.

To Log in at My OASys, you will need your Oxy User Name and Password. Logging in will allow you to renew library materials, view holds/LINK+ requests, and use preferred searches.

Please visit http://oasys.lib.oxy.edu/screens/help_index.html for hints on searching OASys.

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What is Link+?

Link+ is a catalog of contributed holdings from participating libraries in California and Nevada. Patrons from member libraries electronically request an item not available in their own library and it is delivered to them for check-out.

See http://departments.oxy.edu/library/services/users/Students/LINK+.htm for details on borrowing books through Link+.

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What is Interlibrary Loan (ILL)?

The Interlibrary Loan Service provides Oxy students, faculty and staff free retrieval of up to 40 items per term from sources outside Occidental College.

However, Interlibrary Loan should only be used after OASys and Link+ have been exhausted. See http://departments.oxy.edu/library/services/docdel/ for more details, please contact John de La Fontaine, our Systems Librarian, via email or phone at 323-259-2914.

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What are course reserves?

Course Reserves are specialty items available at the Circulation Desk located on the Main Floor of the Library.

Please see http://departments.oxy.edu/library/services/reserves/index.htm the length and restrictions of the item's check out term and other info. Electronic Reserve items may be viewed online anytime.

Contact Michael Kerwin, our Circulation and Reserves Manager, via email or phone at 323-259-2819 if you have further questions.

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What is the library's classification system? It seems different than what I'm used to...

The library uses the Library of Congress Classification system in the arrangement of most of its book, film and periodical collections.

See http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco/ for an outline of the Library of Congress Classification system.

Books in Special Collections are arranged using the Dewey Decimal System and other specialized systems.

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Does the library have copy machines?

Yes. Please check out the library's maps for locations.

Note: The library is not responsible for the copy machines. The Occidental Copy Center, located in Coons 120, maintains the machines.

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Are food and drink allowed in the library?

Food is only allowed outside on the patio and in the student lounge, located on the first floor of the library, in the old wing. However, drinks are allowed everywhere within the library except Special Collections.

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How can I find out about new books?

New books in Occidental's library are currently in the area behind the reference desk.

A list of each month’s new books is posted at http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/collections/newbooks/newbooks.asp.

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How can I recommend a book for the library to purchase?

Our library takes your requests to purchase materials for the library's collection seriously. If you would like to recommend materials for purchase, please fill out our Materials Request Form. Also please visit http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/collections/recommend.htm for more details.

For information about the collection development program, contact Emily Bergman, our Collection Development Facilitator, via email or by phone at 323-259-2935, or contact the appropriate subject liaison. 

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How can I learn about new events around the library?

See the notices located on the library’s homepage. These are updated on a regular basis.

Also see our programs and exhibitions page.

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Where is the Music Library?

It is located in Booth Hall Room 103.

Visit http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/collections/music/ for info.

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Where is the Occidental Slide Library?

The Occidental Slide Library, now called the Visual Resources Center, is located within the Department of Art History and the Visual Arts in Weingart 109. It consists of a collection of over 80,000 slides and 8,000 digital images which may be used by faculty and students for classroom teaching, presentations, research, and other educational purposes. The facility's primary purpose is to support the teaching needs of the faculty in the department, but the resources are available to all campus faculty and students. Specialized hardware available for use, by appointment, include an oversized flatbed scanner and a 35mm slide scanner.

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Oxy doesn't have the book or article I need. Where are nearby libraries?

You may use Link+ or ILL to have books sent here.

Also visit http://departments.oxy.edu/library/research/help/more/otherlibs.htm for a listing of libraries near Oxy.

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Can I borrow a laptop?

Yes. Students will be responsible for the laptop's safe and on time return. Library laptops are for academic computing only.

See http://departments.oxy.edu/library/services/users/Students/laptops-student.htm for conditions.

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Can alumni borrow materials from the library?

Yes. Your Tiger Alumni Access Card, produced by Campus Dining, serves as your Library card. The barcode on the back of the ID must be scanned into the Library's system before you can check out materials. 

Due to licensing restrictions imposed by the vendors, off-campus database access is not available to alumni.

See http://departments.oxy.edu/library/services/users/alumni/index.htm for library services available to alumni.

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Who should I contact if I have comments or suggestions regarding the library?

Please fill out the form at http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/contact/comments.asp. The library welcomes comments and suggestions from its patrons.

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Does the library have a lost and found?

Yes. It is located behind the circulation desk on the main floor of the library.

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Page Created by Nick Velkavrh.
Page last edited on 07/08/2008.
Reviewed by Nick Velkavrh on 04/03/2008.

We welcome your Comments and Suggestions.

 

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