New to the Library? Start Here!
In addition to housing a variety of books for you to enjoy, the CRC library has many offerings for you as a student! Some of these offerings include in person services and some of these offerings you can access online from the comfort of your home or on the go.
As you explore the library’s website you may come across some new terms!
- Circulation Desk: This is the front desk in the library! At this desk you can check out books and items from all of the collections in the library and ask for help with general information about the library.
- Circulating or Circulation: The library’s “Circulating” collection is made up of the books and DVDs that you see all over the 2nd and 3rd floor! This collection is filled with material that circulates in and out of the library as people check them out for use.
- Some of our Circulating collection gets moved into Special Collections. These are books that are collected based on a general theme. Some of our collections include: Popular Reading, Graphic Novels, Children’s, Easy Reading, New Books, and on Display. These collections are found on the 2nd floor only and are usually marked with signage.
- Reserves: Reserves are textbooks or supplemental books that your professors have specifically requested for your use. This collection is found behind the Circulation Desk and can only be accessed by employees. Make sure you know your class information (ENGWR 300) and the name of the book. Use our Textbook Search to find Reserves materials.
- Reference Desk: This is the desk you see as you walk into the library that is in front of the study rooms. At this desk you can find a Librarian ready and waiting to help you get started on researching for your assignments. If you think you need some dedicated 1 on 1 time then consider making a Research Appointment!
- Call Number: Every book in the library has an assigned number and letter combination that tells us where to find it. This combination is called a Call Number.
Using Your wID at the Library
While you might think you need a specific library card to check out books with us, in reality all we need is your wID number! Your wID number allows you to not only check out items from the library but allows you to access many of our online services. So be sure to have your wID number ready when you visit the Circulation Desk!
Here are some of the things you can do with your wID number in person at the library:
- Reserve a Study Room
- Borrow whiteboard markers or jamboard pens to use in a Study Room
- Borrow headphones for Zoom classes
- Borrow charging cables for your phone or tablet
- Reserve a Zoom Room workstation
- Log into a library computer (use your wID and eServices password! )
- Print or Copyfrom your laptop or a library computer
And here are some of the online services:
- View your library account (renew your check out and check your due dates)
- Access Digital Books or eBooks
- Request a book and have it sent to the Los Rios campus of your choice
Getting Started with Research
As you get assigned papers and projects in class, you might find your professor saying “Use articles from the library!” or something very similar. What this means is that your professor wants you to use Peer-Reviewed Articles that you found using the library’s resources. Peer-reviewed articles are written by scholars who are considered to be experts in their areas of study and are reviewed by the author’s peers or other experts in their same area of study before they are published. This process helps to check that the article is well written, using credible sources, and contributes new information about the topic.
The easiest way to find an article is to use OneSearch or the Research Databases. Once you’ve picked where you want to begin, you can start trying different keyword combinations to see what articles you can find.
- OneSearch is the library catalog! Running a search with OneSearch checks all of our collections physically in the library and all of the Databases we have available online. OneSearch can even connect you to collections from the other Los Rios campuses.
- Research Databases is the full list of all the databases that OneSearch has access to. Many of these databases are specific to a topic or area of study like STEM or Theater while others are specific to a type of resource like Videos or Encyclopedias.
You may also want to consider seeing if there is a Research Guide available for your specific class or area of study for additional resources pre-selected by our librarians.
If you are struggling to find articles or information on your topic, it may be time to make an appointment with a Librarian or visit the Research Desk. Some things to bring or consider for a research session with a Librarian include:
- A copy of your assignment
- Any work you’ve already done (links to articles, a list of searches you’ve already tried)
- Notes from class on your topic
- Questions you have about the research process
- Questions about citing your sources