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Library FAQ
Basic Library Information
1. How many books may a student borrow?
The Library currently does not limit the number of books a student may borrow. The loan period for books is two weeks, and the late fee for overdue books is ten cents per day per book.
2. Does the Library have movies?
Yes, the Library has a collection of movies in both VHS and DVD format. The Library also has several DVD players, VCRs, and combination units that students may borrow.
3. Can students check out reference books or magazines?
Reference books are never allowed to be checked out. Occasionally a student will be allowed to borrow an older magazine or journal (check with the staff).
4. Does the Library have any popular fiction?
Yes, the Library does have a small collection of popular fiction, but the main focus of the collection is academics.
5. Are cell phones allowed in the Library?
Cell phones are allowed, but all cell phones should be set to silent. Texting in the Library is fine, but all calls should be made outside of the building.
6. Are students allowed to have food and drink in the Library?
Yes, students may have snacks in the Library, but all students should clean up when finished with snacks in order to continue being able to have food/drink in the building.
7. Is the Library open during student breaks?
No, the Library is closed when students are on break.
8. Does the Library have any study rooms?
The Law Room may be used as a study room and may be reserved (with sufficient notice) in the evening for study groups. Please note that two people do not constitute a study group and that the Library reserves the right use the room for library purposes even if the room has been reserved.
9. Are there computers in the Library?
Yes, the Library has computers for student use. Students are free to use Facebook and YouTube, but they will be asked to move if another student needs the computer for research purposes. The Library does not have headphones for student use in watching videos and listening to music.
10. What if research leads the student to items at other libraries?
If Marie Blair Burgess Library does not have a book a student needs, the student can arrange to borrow the book from another library using PASCAL, a service used by South Carolina libraries for sharing materials. Librarians and staff are happy to answer any questions about PASCAL.
11. What is the Library of Congress subject heading system?
The Library of Congress subject heading system of classification is a system used for categorizing books by subject. Details of the system can be found by visiting "Library of Congress Classification Outline" (courtesy of the Library of Congress).
Information on finding books on the shelves using the system can be found by visiting "From the Online Catalog to the Shelf" (courtesy of the University System of Georgia)
Research and Writing
1. How should a student begin the research process for a paper?
Assignments will vary from teacher to teacher, but it is never a bad idea to start in reference for an overview of the topic. Then the student can progress to the catalog to search for additional books and the online databases to search for articles. Librarians are happy to assist with any research needs.
2. Should students use Wikipedia?
More often than not the answer to this will be no; however, Wikipedia can be useful in research if use correctly. The Library at Williams College has a great handout about Wikipedia (courtesy of Williams College Libraries) that you may want to read.
3. What is the difference between searching an online database such Expanded Academic ASAP and searching on the Internet?
When searching an online database students will find articles that can be considered as respected, verifiable research sources. Typically students will find articles from magazines, scholarly journals, and reference books in these databases and can be assured that the sources are appropriate for academic writing.
When searching the Internet students may find good information, but extra steps are needed in verifying the validity/accuracy of such information. In addition, most Internet sources are typically not considered academic/scholarly and may be disallowed by many teachers. The library staff is happy to answer any questions about evaluating Internet sources.
4. What is an annotated bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is just like a standard bibliography with the addition of a summary of each source. Information on annotated bibliographies can be found by visiting "How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography" (courtesy of Cornell University Library).
Information on MLA style can be found by visiting "MLA Style, 7th Edition" (courtesy of Williams College Libraries).
5. How can I avoid plagiarism?
Plagiarism is a serious offense and cannot be fully addressed in a short answer. Generally, you always give credit to ideas your or quoting or paraphrasing. For more specific information, ask your teacher, ask a librarian, or visit the very detailed plagiarism handout created by the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL).
