Borrowing Books
Students and faculty need their Maria College ID cards to check out library materials. Books may be checked out for 28 days. Items are renewable by phone, if there is no reserve. There may be restrictions on ILL books. No overdue charges occur on library books.
Reserves
Reserves are held behind the reference desk. Please speak with the librarian if you wish to see a reserve. Reserves cannot leave the library.
Patron Belongings
Maria College Library is not responsible for students belonging left unattended. Please make sure you watch your own belongings.
Quiet Study Space
A quiet study space is available in the back room of the library, past the stacks. Please let library staff know if this space becomes noisy.
Collection Development
The goal of Maria College Library is to develop and maintain a collection that supports and enhances the curriculum and instruction programs of the College and the needs of students, faculty, and staff. Library resources should include a variety of general information resources in subject areas not covered by classroom instruction, but generally supportive of a learning environment. For those members of the College whose scholarly or research needs are beyond the scope of the Library collection, the librarian will help to identify, locate, and borrow such materials through interlibrary loan.
With the use of available funds, the Library will acquire and make available materials, evaluate existing collections, and develop policies and procedures to maintain the quality of collections and information services. The Library is involved in a variety of resource sharing that expands range of accessible materials.
Guidelines for Selection of Materials
The following guidelines are used to assist library staff in selecting quality materials for inclusion in the Library collection:
As noted above, the primary goal of the library’s collection is to enhance the program of instruction. Textbooks adopted for class use will not normally be purchased for the collection. Occasionally instructors will place textbooks on reserve in the library for students to use. The library will not purchase consumable materials such as workbooks or tests.
Gifts
The Library welcomes gifts of materials that are consistent with the collection development policy provided there are no restrictions attached as to their disposition. Gifts are accepted with the understanding that materials not added to the collection will be disposed of in ways that are advantageous to the Library.
Weeding
Weeding, or the removal of materials to be discarded, is an important part of the total collection development process. Building a viable collection of materials to serve the College community is a process that includes assessment and the removal of materials that are obsolete, damaged beyond repair, or no longer relevant to the curriculum. The Library and its staff are primarily responsible for weeding the collection. In recent years, we have had the help of various departments in advising us of weeding materials. The weeding process is administered yearly.
Guidelines for Weeding the Collection
The following categories of materials will be considered for weeding from the collection: