Last updated November 4, 2024.
Library staff reserve the right to ask you to leave the library if your device usage becomes too loud and/or is disrupting others in the library.
5003 Visitors Policy (approved 3.19.12)
Visitors are welcome on campus. However, they are expected to abide by the same rules that apply to students, where applicable. Action, including expulsion, may be taken against any and all persons who loiter and have no proper or acceptable reason for presence on campus.
Community residents, high school students (16 years or older), and students from other colleges may have a total of five (5) items checked out at any one time.
The following limits, based on format, apply to ALL borrowers:
A valid MVCC library card must be presented to check out library materials or to use any reserve material. A card issued at the Utica Campus Library may be used at the Rome Campus Library and vice versa. Students, staff and faculty use the College's ID Card as their library card. You will need the card to borrow books, media, and reserve items. College ID cards are issued at Campus Safety on the Utica campus.
Members of the community may register for a library card at the Circulation desk; borrowers must present identification which includes a picture and a current address. You will need the card to borrow books, media, and reserve items.
The default loan periods for most materials are:
MVCC Students: Books due on last day of classes in current semester
MVCC Faculty & Staff: 16 Weeks
Community Borrowers: 30 days
The following exceptions exist for these other materials for all users:
Reserve items: 3 hours, in-library use only
Feature film DVDs: 7 days
Bestsellers: 30 days
Magazines & Newspapers: in-library use only
Ready-Reference books: in-library use only
The library has a photocopier and scanner available to copy articles.
Students and MVCC Faculty and Staff may borrow up to 25 items.
Community residents, high school students (16 years or older), and students from other colleges may have a total of 5 items checked out at any one time.
The following limits, based on format, apply to ALL borrowers:
Feature film DVDs: 4
Educational DVDs: 4
Books on CD: 4
Books can be requested from either campus. Please see the Reference Librarian or Clerk on duty to place the request. Allow up to 5 business days for delivery.
If you have any questions please feel free to call either of the libraries at 315-792-5561 (Utica) or 315-334-7728 (Rome) or send us an email at library@mvcc.edu.
All borrowed materials should be returned to the Circulation Desk at either the Utica or Rome Campus Libraries. A drop box is available outside the quad side of Payne Hall (Utica Campus) and outside the north end of the Plumley Complex (Rome Campus) for returning items when the libraries are closed.
In general, renewals are permitted, unless the item has been requested by another library user. No renewals are permitted for best sellers or feature film DVDs.
All items are subject to recall if needed for reserves. Notice of recall may be made by telephone or mail. Please return recalled material promptly.
You are financially responsible for all materials checked out on your library card. Should you lose an item, you will be charged a replacement fee.
Your borrowing privileges will be suspended if you owe fines or have overdue material. In addition you will not be permitted to register for classes, or receive copies of your grades or transcript, until all financial obligations to the Libraries have been met. Comments and questions can be directed to Shaina Stafford.
If our Libraries do not have the books or journal articles you need, we may be able to get them for you through Interlibrary Loan (ILL), a service where libraries cooperate to share their collections, ILL privileges are granted to current MVCC faculty, staff, and students who are enrolled at MVCC or those enrolled in transfer programs on the MVCC campuses.
Our goal is to obtain needed materials as quickly and efficiently as possible. Delivery time is determined by the type of material requested and its availability. In case we are unable to obtain the requested materials, we will notify you by email.
There are seldom any charges. If there is a charge, it is usually $5.00 or more. You will be contacted in advance if charges apply to your request.
Limitations
An interlibrary loan is made from one library to another for the use of an individual, not for class or reserve use. Among the materials not available on interlibrary loan are: textbooks, newly published books, "bestsellers," pre-1800 imprints, rare books, newspapers and manuscripts, audio-visual materials, genealogical materials, and entire issues of periodicals. We do not generally request through ILL materials owned by our libraries.
The loan period for books borrowed through ILL is determined by the lending library; for most books, it is three weeks. In most cases, the lending library will honor a request for a two week renewal. Overdue books cannot be renewed. ILL books are to be returned to the Circulation desks at either the Utica or Rome Campus Libraries.
The staff of the library will contact you by email when your material arrives and will tell you where to pick it up.
Materials borrowed through interlibrary loan for our users are the property of the lending library, not of MVCC. If materials are not returned within two weeks after the due date, a hold will be put on the student's grades, registration, and transcript. For ILL items that are lost, borrowers are responsible for the replacement cost, which is determined by the lending library.
The Collection Development Policy states the principles and procedures used in developing the MVCC Library collection. It provides the rationale for the selection, acquisition, evaluation, maintenance and deselection of materials and resources acquired and/or licensed by the Library in its efforts to fulfill the College’s mission.
The MVCC Library is committed to meeting the learning and instructional needs of the College community. This commitment underlies all decisions regarding the selection of materials and resources. Primary users of the Library are its students, faculty, and staff. Sole priority in collection development is given to providing access to resources meeting the information needs of these users. Secondary users, including community members and students from other institutions, are welcome to use the Library and access its collection. However, the library does not purchase materials specifically for them. The MVCC Library acquires library materials with the following priorities:
1. Materials that support the MVCC curriculum and have immediate educational value for undergraduate students.
2. Materials that are useful to students and faculty in areas within the educational scope of the College, but are not essential to support that area. This category includes materials of outstanding quality that are not concerned directly with the present curriculum.
3. Materials of merit that are not essential to the collection, either in support of the curriculum or in related subject areas. These items are purchased only if funds are available.
The Director of College Libraries has overall responsibility for library services, including collection development.
The collection development librarian, who reports to the Director of College Libraries, has lead responsibility for collection development matters. Each librarian has collection development responsibilities for assigned academic disciplines, including reviewing and selecting print and media materials, participating in e-resource review and selection, and weeding the library collections.
Anyone within the user community may recommend library materials. The MVCC Library reserves the right to make all final decisions on purchases. Purchases are dependent upon budget availability and adherence to the MVCC Library Collection Development Policy.
The Library is currently acquiring some ebook and video collections on the Demand Driven Acquisition model as a strategy to identify and purchase items in response to library user requests at the point of need.
Priority is given to acquiring materials that support the academic programs of the College and contribute to our role as a learner-centered library. For faculty and staff whose research needs are beyond the scope of the collection, the library will borrow such materials through interlibrary loan.
The following criteria are to be observed in the selection of materials:
Within the evaluative criteria above, the library will attempt to collect resources that reflect a multiplicity of experiences, perspectives, and ideas as articulated in the American Library Association (ALA) Library Bill of Rights.
This collection includes a rotating group of popular fiction and nonfiction titles that the library rents with an option to buy. This is a timely way to provide popular titles that may not be appropriate for the permanent collection. Titles that are no longer current or are not circulating are returned to the vendor.
This collection consists of print materials relating to careers, colleges, scholarships, the job search process, and related topics.
The Library purchases selected, high quality children's books to support early childhood education classes and reading resources for faculty, staff, and student families. Emphasis is placed on award-winning titles. Duplicate or multiple copies: Only one copy of each title will be purchased unless additional copies are needed for a particular purpose or if high circulation warrants it.
Only those foreign language materials that support the college’s foreign language programs will be purchased for the collection.
The Library welcomes gifts that meet the criteria of this collection development policy. Donors should understanding that some gifts may not be added to the collection. Selection will be based on the guidelines in this policy and the professional judgement of the librarians.
Out-of-print materials are subject to the same collection criteria as more recent, in-print materials. Out-of-print items will be purchased when a copy in good condition can be found at a reasonable price.
In general, the Library relies on electronic reference resources for reference. This allows for wider remote access, improved search capabilities, and usage data. In the event that a print reference book is preferred, the purchase is to be based on the criteria listed above. Replacement copies: Lost or damaged titles will be replaced if they meet current selection criteria, have significant use, and are still available.
The Library maintains a collection of material placed on Reserve by the faculty. Textbooks for this collection are provided by faculty/departmental donations or are purchased on a case-by-case basis.
Standing orders are created for materials which have lasting value to the collection and for which it is important to ensure uninterrupted receipt of updates, new editions, or parts. The standing order renewals are to be reviewed annually for additions or deletions. Textbooks: Textbooks that are required by faculty on their syllabus not routinely purchased for the collection. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. Textbooks’ high cost and frequent revisions make them questionable for a library’s permanent collection.
Deselection of library material is essential to the maintenance of an up-to-date and relevant collection. Librarians are responsible for the process of continual assessment, removal, and replacement of materials. Justifications for deselection include maintaining a current and relevant collection; making the best use of space; improving the appearance and browsability of the collection; and identifying materials needing repair or replacement. Criteria for discarding materials include the following:
• Importance of item to the curriculum and/or collection
• Superseded edition
• Outdated or inaccurate information
• Poor physical condition
• Duplication (multiple copies)
• Very low usage (based on circulation data) for titles that are not considered classics or standard titles in their areas
• Cost of subscription increases (periodicals, electronic or standing orders)
• Materials that require equipment that is unreliable, obsolete, or is no longer available
• Materials that no longer meet a curriculum need
Replacements Items that are missing, lost or withdrawn are not automatically replaced. Potential replacements are considered and the replacement decision is made according to the following criteria:
• Item still meets the library’s selection criteria
• Item is still is in print and available at a reasonable cost
• Circulation statistics justify replacement
• Item is important to the collection – i.e. a “classic” title, a key author in the subject area and/or on a class reading list
The library does not add or withdraw material at the request of any individual or group. Material has been chosen or excluded on the basis of stated selection criteria. Any individual or group questioning the appropriateness of items in the collection should direct questions to the Director of College Libraries.
The library subscribes to and complies with the Intellectual Freedom Statements and Policies of the American Library Association, including but not limited to the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights. The library supports the statements on collections adopted by the American Library Association's Association of College and Research Libraries and articulated in the Standards for Libraries in Higher Education.
The libraries comply with the Copyright Law of the United States. Library services including reserve materials procedures, interlibrary loan, photocopying, and acquisition procedures, must comply with the U.S. copyright principles.
Acknowledgement is given to the collection development policy of various colleges on which this policy is based in parts, notably that of Shore Line Community College and Kalamazoo Community College.
When reusing or adapting this content, include this statement in the new document: This content was originally created by Mohawk Valley Community College Libraries and shared with a CC BY NC SA 4.0 license.
Mohawk Valley Community College Libraries - 1101 Sherman Drive, Utica, NY, 13501- P. 315.792.5561