Library Services & Policies

Reference:

A librarian is always on duty or online-chat during library operating hours to offer assistance at the information desk to help students, faculty, & staff with research questions, including helping students find relevant books, reference materials, online articles, and appropriate websites for research.

Phone #: 714-895-8741 x55184

When outside of library hours, navigate to GWC Library LibGuide: *The Research Process: A Guide for GWC Students

Public Services Desk:

For questions about fines, fees, and circulation policies, chontact us during regular open hours. Check out and return books, pay fines, and pick up books on hold or requested. The loan period for circulating books is 3 weeks with one renewal allowed. Check on the status of Interlibrary Loan Requests. Check out materials that instructors have placed on reserve for students at the Public Services desk.

Phone #: 714-895-8741 x55181

Reserve Desk:

Student Textbook Access Reserve Collection (STAR):

Thanks to the GWC Foundation, the library has a textbook reserve collection for two hour in-library use. The Student Textbook Access Reserve collection, known as the STAR collection, currently includes approximately 100 titles from over half of the subjects taught on campus. Stop by and see if we have your course textbooks.

Media/Periodicals:

DVDs, VHS tapes, CDs, and streaming media are available. View media items that instructors have placed on reserve. Magazines and newspapers in print format are available for in-library use only.

Faculty: Reserving Course Materials 'On Reserve'

Navigate to the Library Services for Faculty LibGuide.

Circulation Desk Policies

Borrower Confidentiality

Under California law, and in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association, library patron records and circulation records are confidential. The Golden West College Library will not disclose any information concerning user library registration or circulation activity to non-library staff, except through legal court order.

Library Card

GWC students are issued a student I.D. card during registration. Your valid and current student photo ID is required for all library transactions. You must be currently enrolled in classes for your student I.D. card to work.

Material/Book Checkout:

Golden West College Library will honor valid and current student I.D. cards held by Orange Coast College, Cypress College, Fullerton College, and CSU Long Beach. GWC Library reserves, computer use and study rooms are for GWC registered students only.

Print Material:

Non-Print Material:

Returning Materials:

Please return all materials to the Public Services Desk or to the outside book return slot.

Library Fine Policy

Students are encouraged to return library materials on time in order to avoid fines and possible holds on grades, transcripts, and/or loss of library privileges. Fines are assessed for weekends, holidays, and during library hours since books can be returned 24 hours a day. An after-hours book return is located at the front entrance. The fine rates are .25 cents/item/day for books from the general collection, 50 cents/hour for reserve materials, and $3/day for media items. Bills for replacement cost and processing fees will be issued. Library fines and fees should be paid at the Public Services Desk. All fees are subject to change during the academic year. When a book is lost, the Public Services librarian will determine the replacement cost of the item.

Lost Materials:

The patron must pay for lost materials. As soon as borrowers realize that a library item has been lost, they should phone the library and notify the circulation desk. Charges for lost materials include processing costs. Please check with the GWC Library staff for more information on these charges.

Databases:

Library databases are available from off campus. Use your Coast (MyGWC) username and password to log in. For more information, please visit Off Campus Access to Resources.

Library Computers:

The GWC Library has computers available on the second floor. In addition, all of the group study rooms have computers and monitors equipped for instructional purposes. All of the computers in the main reference area of the library and in the group study rooms offer Internet access, word processing, & printing capabilities. In addition, six computers are reserved for book and database searches only.

Computer and Electronic Resources Systems Acceptable Use Policy

Copy Machines, Fax Machine, Printing:

Copy material for .10 cents per page. Copy machines are located in Reference area. Fax machine available for use at the Public Services desk for a dollar a page. Printing is available for .10 cents per page at the self-service printing station. For details about the new cashless printing system, please consult the library front desk.

Library Group Study Rooms:

Reservation policies and room availability.

GWC Library Group Study Room Policy (pdf) –Please contact the library at 714-895-8741 x55184 if you need assistance with the self-service study room reservation software.

Group Study Room Reservations
Reserve a library group study room.

Interlibrary Loans:

The primary purpose of the interlibrary loans service is to assist GWC students, staff, and faculty with course-related information or research needs. An ILL is initiated by a librarian, if GWC Library resources are exhausted, unavailable, or inadequate. ILL requests which are not course-related may be referred to a public library. ILL requests are limited to domestic requests only. No international ILL requests will be processed. A limit of 3 ILL requests per academic semester will be applied. For additional details on the GWC ILL policy, please access the GWC Library Interlibrary Loan Policy (PDF).

Mutual Borrowing Agreements

The following libraries are members of the CalWest Consortium. Students, faculty, and staff from each of these colleges may borrow materials from the libraries of any of the member colleges.

Cypress College, Fullerton College, Orange Coast College, Coastline Community College, California State University, Long Beach ( CSULB) Library ) and Golden West College Library have agreed to extend mutual borrowing privileges of non-reserve library materials to students, faculty, and staff of both colleges beginning in Fall 2002.

Check on the status of Interlibrary Loan Requests.

Phone #: 714-895-8741 x55181

Library Research Courses

Hybrid and online classes covering library resources and the Internet. GWC Catalog information.

Library G110 – Introduction to College Research. 1 unit.
This course is designed to assist students in learning how to use traditional and electronic library resources and other research tools effectively for academic research and critical thinking. Classwork emphasizes applied experience with research planning, search strategies, critical evaluation of information, and documentation of sources following standard citation styles. Offered in a hybrid/ online format : coursework online with some in-person meetings/attendance required. 8 week course. Pass/no pass only. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.

Library G120 – Libraries & the Internet. 1 unit.
This course introduces students to college level, online research, including how to locate, use, and evaluate information from the Internet. This course provides librarian guided study with student skills demonstration using library college research resources such as the GWC Library online databases and Internet resources such as online directories, virtual libraries, and search engines. Offered in an online format. 8 week course. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.