Library Services to Distance Learners

The Kirk Library staff is committed to providing library services and resources to our students who are studying at a distance from the main campus in Centralia.

Your gateway to library resources is the library's website. Library resources may be accessed by all students and college employees from any Internet-connected computer. All of the library's periodical databases and the new online reference collection are now available via the Web 24 hours per day.

Some of the services described on this webpage are only available to students who are studying full-time at Centralia College East, online, or by correspondence. For example, the library will not mail articles or books to students who are taking any classes on the Centralia campus. Other services, including access to the wide range of online databases, are equally accessible to all Centralia College students.

Reference assistance is available via email and by telephone (360-736-9391 extension 241). Librarians are available to answer your questions and to assist you in locating the information you require. They will help you to develop search strategies and to identify the types of print and online resources that will best satisfy your research need.

Librarians have prepared an assortment of handouts and guides designed to assist students with common information needs and assignments given in such classes as Composition or Speech. The following handouts are available:

Checking Out Library Materials

Students who are taking classes at Centralia College East (CCE) or through distance education may request that library materials that are not available online be delivered via campus courier (CCE only) or U.S. mail. Call the circulation desk at (360) 736-9391 extension 241. Be ready to provide:

• Your name and student ID number
• Title, author (if available) and call number of the item(s)

All regular circulation policies apply to distance learners. These policies are listed on the library website under the "Policies" link. Duration of checkout varies:

• Books & audio books ...................... 4 weeks
• Videos, DVDs, CDs ........................ 1 week
• Reference books & archives ............ Do not circulate

Please be aware that you must renew items before they become overdue. An additional week is added to the circulation period for videos, DVDs, and CDs to compensate for time lost in mailing or courier service. Students are responsible for returning library materials to either the Kirk Library or the front desk at CCE.

The Kirk Library collections are usually adequate to complete course-related research projects. In the event that a student, working in collaboration with a librarian, needs to obtain library materials from another library, an interlibrary loan (ILL) may be requested using the ILL Form.

The library will ship ILL articles and books to distance learners via UPS or 1st class mail. At present, the library absorbs loan costs up to $10.00 per request. Students are responsible for returning the loaned items to the Kirk Library safely and promptly. Photocopies generally do not need to be returned.

Vendors of the online books, periodicals, and databases licensed by the Kirk Library require that access to these resources be limited to current students and college employees. When a user clicks on the resource from an off-campus site, s/he will be asked to enter her/his last name and ID number.

Library Catalog (No login required.)

The library catalog provides access to the book (circulating, reference, and e-book) and media (video, CD, and DVD) collections. Distance learning students who are not taking any courses on the Centralia campus may request to have items delivered via U.S. mail or courier (to CCE only). Call the library to initiate the request: (360) 736-9391 ext. 241.

List of Magazines, Journals, & Newspapers

The library subscribes to thousands of periodicals (magazines, journals, and newspapers). These publications may be available online through one of the periodical databases, in paper, or in microfilm. To search a complete listing of the library's periodical subscriptions, or to browse periodicals titles by topic, use the List of Magazines, Journals & Newspapers link.

A majority of the periodicals are available online. To access the full-text of the periodicals, users simply click on the link for the relevant periodical in the search result list. If a title is only available in paper or microfilm, library staff will mail the library user a photocopy of the article s/he requires. Use the Library Materials Request Form to ask for this service. No login is required to search the title list; however, at the point of clicking on a title link, users must enter student or employee ID and last name.

Periodical Databases

Periodical databases allow searchers to locate articles printed in magazines, journals, and newspapers. The library subscribes to two general academic and multiple specialized periodical databases. Some of these databases are listed below; all require login. Go to Periodical Databases webpage.

• Academic Search Elite & Research Library
• ABI/Inform Trade & Industry
• Alt-Press Watch & Ethnic NewsWatch
• Health Reference Center Academic
• History Resource Center: United States
• National Newspapers 9 & Washington Newsstand
• Nursing Journals Full-text

Encyclopedias & Other Reference Sources

Fall 2005 the library launched a new online reference collection. These resources are the online equivalent of the dictionaries, specialized encyclopedias and complilations of information traditionally found in academic library reference collections. A broad range of subject areas are represented, as the partial listing below illustrates. Login is required to access most titles.

• Access Science
• Books 24X7 IT Pro Collection
• Classical Music Library
• Contemporary Authors & Contemporary Literary Criticism
• Encyclopedia of Aging
• Encyclopedia of Crime & Justice
• Encyclopedia of Science & Religion
• Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology
• MacMillan Encyclopedia of Energy
• Mitchell I Auto Repair
• Oxford Reference Core Collection

Additional information about these resources is available in the brochure entitled, Your Library Online.

Collections of Other Libraries

Students are encouraged to explore the collections of libraries located near their residences. Students living in Lewis, Thurston, and Grays Harbor counties may access the collections of the Timberland Regional Library System. Most academic libraries will allow students from other institutions to use their collections only in the library. Local academic libraries include: The Evergreen State College [free card to Washington residents], St. Martin's University, South Puget Sound Community College, and Grays Harbor College.

Your Library Staff

• Sue Gallaway, Dean of Library Services & E-Learning, extension 304
• Barret Havens, Faculty Librarian, extenstion 615
• Dale Carroll, Faculty Librarian, extension 423
• Margaret Snyder, Faculty Librarian, extension 423
• Hyesoo Albright, Library & Archives Paraprofessional 4, extension 241
• Darlene Rahn, Library & Archives Paraprofessional 4, extension 350
• Eric Richardson, Library & Archives Paraprofessional 2, extension 691

| ADMISSIONS | CALENDAR OF EVENTS | CENTRALIA COLLEGE EAST INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS | INSTRUCTION | CATALOG & SCHEDULES | DEPARTMENTS | DISTANCE LEARNING JOB OPPORTUNITIES | LIBRARY | NEWS AND EVENTS | ATHLETICS | STUDENT SERVICES

Content copyright ©2002 Centralia College Centralia College, Centralia, WA, 98531-4099. (360) 736-9391 Maintained by Sue Gallaway, Faculty Librarian (sgallaway@centralia.edu)

Last Updated: Winter 2007