LIBRARY

Faculty Frequently Asked Questions

If the answer to your question is not here, please contact us and we'll be happy to help.

Should I set limits on my students' use of online sources?

During the last couple of years, students have been confused about what "online sources" mean. There are two types of "online sources" of which students should be aware. One is the Internet sources that are searchable through a free search engine, such as Google or Yahoo. Students need to carefully evaluate the authority and reliability of the information retrieved from search engines. It is advisable to set restrictions on the use of this type of information.

The other online sources are materials such as periodicals and books accessible through the library's proprietary databases such as EBSCOhost Academic Search Complete and Factiva. Material found in library databases are usually also in print, such as Time and Newsweek. Many of these online periodicals, especially scholarly journals, are only available through library databases. JSRCC Library subscribes to over 200 proprietary databases, with access to millions of full-text journal articles and hundreds of e-books. Please make sure that your students understand these databases are different from the free online sources and have the same authority as the printed original sources.

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How can I access library databases from off-campus?

Use your Blackboard username & password to access library databases. For more information, see VCCS's guide to Off-Campus Access.

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How I can recommend a purchase?

To recommend a purchase, fill out the Recommend a Purchase form.

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How can I request a Library Instruction Session?

To request a library instruction session, please fill out the Library Instruction Request form. There are separate request forms for each campus library. At least one week's notice is recommended and make sure you provide an alternative date. Please send us information about the assignment or a copy of the assignment so that we can provide a more effective instruction session. We will confirm the instruction through email.

Students can also register for open session workshops. Several workshops are offered at each campus every semester.

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Do I need to contact the reference librarian if I want to bring my class to the library?

Yes, we highly recommend that you contact the reference librarian in advance and provide the class assignment. This will give the librarians an opportunity to be better prepared to assist your students.

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Can I get assistance from the librarians in preparing an assignment?

Yes, we'll be very happy to work with you to craft an assignment that would involve the use of library resources. We can review your assignment, recommend library resources, suggest modifications if necessary, and provide instructions to your class. Feel free to make an appointment with a reference librarian. We would also be happy to reserve a selection of library materials on a short-term basis for the duration of the assignment, in case the whole class needs the same books.
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How can I find out if the library subscribes to a particular journal or magazine?

From the library's home page, search from the Journals tab. If you are having trouble, please ask a reference librarian.

How can I obtain an article or book that is not available in JSRCC libraries?

If an item is not available through JSRCC Libraries, please fill out an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) form and we'll borrow the item from another institution.

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Does the library provide any assistance on citation styles?

Yes, JSRCC librarians have compiled handouts for various citation styles that include example sheets, citation machines, tutorials & exercises.

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Should students back up their work on a USB thumb drive?

Yes - The public access library computers have Deep Freeze, a security application loaded on them that preserves baseline computer configurations setup by our IT people. No matter what changes a user makes to a workstation or documents saved to the hard drive, when the computer is restarted or rebooted, all changes are eradicated and documents created by users are deleted. Deep Freeze resets the computer’s hard drive to the original state set up by our IT people.

Since the computers can be quirky (also, you never know when we are going to have a brownout or blackout), users should make it a habit of saving their work on a USB thumb drive or online storage and back it up (save it) every so many minutes. Note: most of the computers no longer have floppy drive slots; if a student does not have a USB drive, they may email themselves the document. Students also have the option to save to a CD-RW.


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Is JSRCC's wireless network secure or require a password to login?

No. The wireless network on all campuses is not set up as a secure network and there is no password to login. Users will need to use the primary or first network listed on screen when their laptop prompts them to connect (which is JSRCC's "insecure" wireless network). If users want to use a secure network on campus, they need to use the wired computers in the labs or libraries (not the wireless network).
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