Access Services

Borrower's Cards

Maricopa Community College District (MCCCD) students, faculty, and staff and residents of Maricopa Country 18 years and older may borrow library materials.

In order to borrow materials from the Paul A. Elsner Library, a patron must have a valid Library Borrower's Card.

Student ID Cards serve as Library cards. Once a patron is no longer enrolled as a student at MCCD college his/her status changes to Community Borrower for purposes of Library use. The library circulation record will be changed to reflect the change in status and the patron will be issued a community borrower's card.

Faculty and staff of Mesa Community College (MCC) may obtain a borrower's card at the Access Services Desk.

Faculty, staff, and students from other MCCD campuses may check out library materials with their home campus ID as long as they are already in the libraries' combined patron database, and have no fine or delinquencies on their record. MCC faculty, staff and students may check out books from other MCCD campus with their valid ID cards. In all cases the patron must abide by the policies and procedures of the lending institution.

To obtain a community borrower's card, one must supply proof of Maricopa County residency to include 2 forms of ID and be 18 years or older.

Responsibilities of Library Users:

Library cards are issued to an individual borrower; cards cannot be transferred.

The valid library card must be presented to checkout library materials.

Users must notify the Library of any address and telephone number changes so that notices will be mailed to the correct address. Overdue notices are mailed only as a courtesy reminder. Failure to receive the notice does not absolve the patron from the fines. The Library is not responsible for mail that does not reach the addressee.

Users are responsible for all materials charged out on their card. Library cards and borrowed materials should never be loaned to others. A lost or stolen card should be reported to the Library at once to minimize responsibility for its unauthorized use.

It is the user's responsibility to keep track of library materials checked out to them. Due dates are stamped on all checked out materials.

Materials must be returned to the Library in the same physical condition as when they were checked out. Post-it notes, highlighting, and marking in materials are prohibited and damages will be charged to the borrower. Theft, mutilation or detaining any Library materials is prohibited.

Misuse or abuse of Library privileges is considered a serious offense. Various penalties will be applied for infringement of Library regulations. Checkouts are prohibited until overdue materials are returned and/or fines are paid. Library delinquencies will prohibit students from registering for succeeding semesters and obtaining a copy of their MCC transcript of classes.

Library users are responsible for personal belongings and should not leave notebooks, calculators, and other valuable items unattended. Lost and found items may be claimed at Access Services or Campus Security.

Circulation

The overall goal of the Library's materials circulation policy is to give our college community first priority of all materials and services, also to provide resources to support the information needs of the local and community to the best of our ability, within the restrictions of time and budget. Any person with a valid college ID or community borrower card from any Maricopa Community College may borrow materials from the Paul A. Elsner Library. The valid ID card must be presented for any circulation transaction. Persons without a valid college ID are welcome to use the library's facilities and materials.

Periods of Checkout:

Materials from the circulating collection may be checked out for 3 weeks. A total of 10 items may be checked out at any one time. Community borrowers are limited to 3 items. Different loan periods and restrictions are applied to non-book items, videos, special collections, reserve items, etc. Materials should be returned before the due date when it is no longer needed.

Renewals:

Items may be renewed if no request have been made for the material and if the borrower has no outstanding fines or overdue items. Items renewed must be presented to library staff at the Access Services counter. Telephone renewals are currently not allowed.

Fines:

Checkouts are permitted if patron's fines do not exceed $5.00. Partial payments are not permitted.

Holds:

Requests for holds can be made if the item is not available at the time of the inital request. A hold may be requested at the Access Service counter or can be done by the patron through the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC). Placing a hold on an item is the equivalent of being placed on the waiting list for that item. A limit of 5 hold requests may be made.

Library Use Items:

Reference items, periodicals, special collections, and most reserve items are for use in the library only.

Returns:

Returned materials may be placed in a book return drop within the library or returned to staff at the Access Services counter. An outdoor book drop is also available primarily for returning materials when the library is closed or during vacation periods. Do not place videos, interlibrary loan items or reserve items in the outdoor book drop.

Loan Periods: 

Loan periods and requirements are dependent upon the patron's status.

Renewals:

Materials Missing from the Shelves:

If a book is not on the shelf where it belongs, please check at the Reference Desk. The Library's OPAC will indicate whether the book is owned by the MCC Library or is checked out. If it is not on the shelf and is not checked out, the patron may request that the Library conduct a search for the material. When located, the Access Services staff will send the requestor a notice that the item is found.

Confidentiality of Borrower Records:

Arizona Law, (A.R.S. 41-1354) provides for the privacy of library user records. Subsection A states: "Except as provided in subsection B, a library or library system supported by public monies shall not allow disclosure of any record or information which identifies a user of library services as requesting or obtaining specific materials or services or as otherwise using the library."

Subsection B is as follows:

B. Records may be disclosed:

Violation of this law constitutes a Class 3 mismedeanor.

The MCC Library policy regarding confidentiality of library records is designed to be consistent with this law and the "Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records" as put forth by the Council of the American Library Association.

The Library's general practice is to protect the patron's right to privacy. Library staff will not disclose who has an item checked out. It is the Library's policy to maintain the confidentiality of borrower's records, however, in the case of Reserve materials subsection B.1 of the Arizona statute 41-1345 will be invoked. When an individual borrower's abuse of library priveleges infringes on the needs of other members of the college community, the Library reserves the right to disclose the borrower's name to appropriate individuals such as a dean or member of the college faculty. Decisions regarding implementation of this option are the responsibility of the Library Director.

Recalled Items:

Any patron needing a books that is checked out should have circulation personnel place a HOLD on the item, and request they be notified when it is returned. If it is checked out to a person who has circulation priveleges of more than 21 days (i.e. administrators, staff, and faculty) the item will be recalled for the patron. Books must be picked up at Access Services within one week of notification.

Copy Services

Photocopy Machines:

Photocopy machines are located throughout the MCC Library. The cost is $  .10 per page. Machines accept bills and change.

A photocopy machine specified for use by disabled patrons is available. Assistance will be provided if desired.

Microfilm Readers and Printers:

Obtain the microfilm or microfiche you wish to use from the film drawers located in the Periodical Room. Ask for assistance if you need help with using the machines.

After using the microfilm, rewind it on to its original reel and place it back into its box. Return the microfilm or microfiche to the appropriate drawer. Return damaged microfilm or microfiche directly to the staff person explaining the problem. Please turn the machine off when you are finished using it.

The cost is $ .25 per page printing.

Change:

A change machine is also available.

Fax Machines:

The MCC Library facsimilies (FAX) machines are for COLLEGE BUSINESS USE only. For their needs students will be referred to local businesses offering fax transmissions unless the need is related to MCC registration or enrollment.

Refunds:

Refer to the CDT Policy which is available at Access Services.

Fine & Charges for Lost Materials

One of the Library's goals is to maintain the collection and to continue to make available all needed materials for our users. Toward this end, penalties have been established. However, the return of the Library material is preferable.

The records of students who have library delinquencies will be "flagged" to prohibit them from receiving their grades, enrolling for classes, and having their transcripts sent to other institutions.

Books:

The fine for circulating books is 10 cents per day per item. Fines for videos are 50 cents per hour for library-use-only copies and $2.50 per day for overnight copies. Charges are levied only for the days the library is open. If you are fined for lost items, you will be charged the current replacement cost of each item and a $5.00 processing fee for each item.

Checkouts are prohibited until overdue materials are returned and/or fines are paid. Library material that is 4 weeks overdue is considered lost and the patron is expected to pay for the material along with the processing fee.

Reserve:

Hourly - 25 cents per hour 
Daily - 50 cents per day

Audio - Visual Material: hourly - 50 cents per hour
Overnight - $2.50 per day

Grace Period:

No fines are charged if the item is returned within 1 working day of the due date. After that period, fines are calculated from the original due date.

Refunds for Materials Lost and Paid:

With receipt, full refunds will be given less the processing fee and accumulated fines not to exceed 1/2 the cost of the item.

Interlibrary Loan Policies

The MCC Library/Information Commons accesses resources available on local, regional, and national levels to obtain materials for students and faculty. Any current student, faculty or staff member of MCC will be entitled to ILL services unless the person has had borrowing privileges suspended. ILL requests will not be processed for items the Library already owns unless it is missing.

IDL Loans:

IDL loans involve obtaining library materials from other Maricopa County Community College District libraries. Guidelines for IDLs are covered in the MCCCD Resource Sharing Guidelines.

Requests for books listed in the online catalog that are located at campuses other than MCC may be requested at the computer by either the patron or a staff member. Upon initiating the request the screen will prompt the patron for his/her library card barcode number.

(Note: this is the barcode number on the student ID card or library card.

There is a limit of 5 requests per patron at one time. Assuming the book is available, delivery usually takes between three and five working days. If the book is charged out the request goes on a waiting list and will take effect when the book is returned. Requests are valid for 30 days, however, a staff member may extend the expiration date if needed. Materials may be picked up at Access Services. If not picked up items will be returned to the lending library after 10 days.

Reference materials, reserve materials, books in special collections, videotapes, audiotapes and software are all non-request items and the lending campus will disregard any requests for these items. Consult with the ILL staff person or a librarian if you need to use materials that the owning library has listed as non-request on the system.

Requests for photocopies of articles must be submitted on an Interlibrary Loan Request Form obtained from Access Services or the Information Desk or you may use the electronic request form. Please use one form for each item you are requesting and provide as much information as possible.

ILL Requests:

Interlibrary Loans (ILL) generally refers to borrowing materials from libraries outside the Maricopa County Community College District.

Requests from other libraries

If local resources are inadequate requests for ILLs can be made to other libraries on statewide, regional, or national levels. This system of ILL involves a cooperative arrangement between thousands of participating libraries and is regulated by the National Interlibrary Loan Code and by copyright regulations (Title 17 U.S. Code).

The ILL Code requires that the library indicate the source of any periodical article request (i.e. the index or bibliography from which you got the citation). Copyright laws restrict the number of requests that the library (as an institution) can make from the most recent five years and current year of any one journal title.

All ILL requests must be verified by a staff member as any inaccuracy will result in the cancellation of the request. Delivery of successfully located items is generally between three to six weeks.

Services are offered free of charge unless the library from which the item is obtained imposes a service charge or a photocopying fee. You must pay these charges before receiving the requested items. If items are not picked up you are still responsible for these charges. They will be added to your patron record and handled in accordance with the Fine Policies.

Time needed to obtain the requested material varies greatly depending on the location of the lending library. Patrons must allow at least 3 - 4 weeks or more for the material to arrive. Books are on loan from the lending library, and are subject to any restrictions imposed by that library (including the due date). Photocopies of articles do not have to be returned.

General IDL/ILL Guidelines:

Patrons have the responsibility of keeping themselves informed of the status of their requests.

Any requests for renewal of material should be made prior to the date due. This must be done in person. The lending library may or may not grant the request.

If material obtained through IDL or ILL is overdue, the patron's borrowing privileges from this library will be immediately suspended until the material is returned.

If the item is lost, the patron is responsible for the replacement cost of the book plus a $10.00 processing fee.

ILL is not offered for Community Borrowers. ILL requests for these patrons should be made through their local public library.

Helpful Hints for Successful Borrowing:

1. Be thorough - Before we can ask another library to share its time and materials with us, we must have exhausted the resources of our own system. Reference librarians will help you use this library to your best advantage, and can assist you with identifying what you need to request on ILL.
2. Be accurate - partial (or incorrect) citations are virtually impossible to locate. The more information, the better the chances of completing the loan. You will find it valuable to keep careful notes of where you found your original references to needed books and articles. We may need to furnish a potential lending library with your source, and you may need to refer back to it. Keeping a record of each ILL request will aid you to plan, follow up, and avoid duplication.
3. Be patient - as noted above the time period from request to delivery is usually measured in weeks. Plan ahead. You must determine your needs in advance, and time your requests both to allow for delays and to avoid receiving more than you can use in the time allowed for loans.
4. Be persistent - at this time we are unable to contact every borrower when there materials arrive. Please continue to check back with Access Services on the status of your request.
5. Be prompt - pick up your materials as soon as you can. You will be allowed only one renewal on items from other District libraries. Items borrowed from outside the District are generally only loaned for the standard two weeks and then must be returned. Renewals are usually not possible on these materials.

Periodical Use

The MCC Library subscribes to about 500 magazines, journals and newspapers. They may be requested at the Access Services counter for use in the Library. Reader/printers for periodicals available on microfilm are located in the Multi-Media area. Alphabetical and subject listing for MCC periodical titles and periodical indexes are available in the blue binders located throughout the Library. Articles from periodicals not available at MCC can be requested through Interlibrary Loan Services.

A browsing area where the most recent issue of a number of the more popular magazines, journals, and newspapers are on display is located at the south end of the Library.

Damaged Periodicals:

Theft and mutilation of materials are problems that affect all MCC Library users. As a result of one selfish act, others are at a loss for the same information. A considerable amount of money and numerous hours of staff time are spent in repairing and replacing missing pages and issues from damaged periodicals.

If you come across a damaged or mutilated journal, please bring it to Access Services so that the necessary pages or issues may be ordered and repairs may be performed.

Deliberate mishandling of periodicals will not be tolerated. The unauthorized removal, mutilation, or abuse of library materials is prohibited. Charges for mutilation include the cost of the periodical plus a processing fee. In addition, Library privileges will be suspended for any patron responsible for such acts. Penalties under the law for destruction, mutilation and theft of library materials will be enforced.

Printing

Printing in support of academic research only is available from all workstations within the MCC Library. Patrons are required to make responsible choices when using printing facilities.

• Use of the Library's computer facilities for academic purposes is of top priority and printing is provided to support those activities.
• Whenever possible download needed data in lieu of printing.
• Print only those items you need for your research.
• Be aware that when printing a page from the Internet there is usually more to the page than you see on your screen. Printing one page from the Internet could result in large numbers of pages being printed. Ask for assistance in using Note pad or Word pad to select and print only the portion of the document you need.
• Printing of highly graphic pages is prohibited.
• Printers are preset, changing any settings on the printers or computers is prohibited. If you have other printing needs ask for assistance at the Reference Desk or Technical Assistance Desk.

TO ADD MONEY TO YOUR STUDENT ID / PRINTING CARD:

1. Go to a Card Center machine located on the first and second floors of the library 
2. At the Card Center machine, press the + button 
3. Insert your card into the slot below the + and then 
4. Insert your money ($1, $5, $10, and $20 bills ONLY ) into the black bill acceptor box
5.  To retrieve your card press the down arrow key

IMPORTANT

• The Card Center only accepts bills ($1, $5, $10, and $20 )
• The Card Center does not give change
• Library staff cannot make change
• NO REFUNDS!

Reserve Materials

Materials placed on reserve in the Library are those items identified by faculty as being essential or important to the needs of courses they are teaching. Also on reserve are those materials requested by an official college organization or those identified by library faculty for general reserve. This collection is maintained as a service to students and faculty. Checkout periods for items on reserve will vary as they are designated by the faculty placing the item on reserve.

The Access Services staff organizes and maintains the reserve collection as a service to students and faculty. The intent is to make the often limited number of needed materials available to an entire class. Items for the reserve collection may be library or non-library materials. The Reserve collection includes the following types of materials:

• Textbooks (occasionally)
• Required and/or supplementary reading materials
• Past exams
• Non-course related materials

These items are placed on reserve by written request of faculty only. The faculty member designates the circulation period (1 hour, 2 hours, 3 day, etc.) for each item

RESERVES: PROCEDURES FOR FACULTY

Mesa Community College Libraries Reserve Materials Form

Below is a list of a few simple policies and procedures that were designed to reduce student frustration with the Reserves process, to comply with the 1976 copyright laws, to minimize faculty members' responsibilities, and to simplify the paperwork tasks of the library staff.

1. When books or articles are to be placed on reserve in the library, please be sure that the author and title information given on the reserve request slip, matches the information which is on the course syllabus and on the folders which contain the photocopied articles.
2. Please supply a folder for each photocopy: each photocopy must have the faculty member's name on it (for copyright compliance) and each folder should be labeled with the author and/or title exactly as it appears on the course syllabus. Example: If you consistently refer to a reading as "the Berger article," please be careful to indicate on the request slip and the folder label that the author is "Berger".
3. IMPORTANT: please note on the course syllabus whether the item is a book or a photocopy in a folder.
4. Please specify the edition or editions of the books which you are requesting for reserve.
5. It would be very helpful if you would give us a copy of the syllabus for each course that will involve the use of reserve materials. Students occasionally come to the reserve desk without a clear idea of the item that they need and often times without a copy of their syllabus. Being able to refer to the syllabus often helps the student and eliminates a tedious and lengthy search on the part of the library staff.
6. Complete a copyright notice form as necessary for photocopied materials. Due to copyright restrictions we are asking that you comply with the following general guidelines:
   1. Any copies of uncopyrighted materials or materials copyrighted 75 years prior to the present calendar year, can be accepted for reserve. (In some cases, there may be materials published as far back as 1906 which may still be copyrighted.
   2. Up to three (3) photocopies per course section of any of the following or copies of up to six (6) items from separate volumes on the following list may be accepted:
      • a chapter
      • an article
      • a short story, poem, or essay
      • a graph, chart, or picture
   3. In general copyright clearance permission is needed

      (NOTE: Remember when considering library reserves. ALA (American Library Association) guidelines suggest multiple copies of any of the above may be distributed in class as long as the copies do not "exceed the number of students in the class". However, the limit of six separate items, which conforms to ALA guidelines, is an effort to avoid anthologizing, and does apply to both library reserves and classroom distribution.)

      • If the item has been placed on course reserve in the past.
      • If there is more than one poem, article, story, or essay from the same author.
      • If there are more than three articles from a single issue of a journal or three chapters from a collective work.
      • If the copies are for more than one course.

   4. Copies can be accepted for one semester or session only; they are the property of the professor and are so marked, and will be returned to said faculty member at the end of the academic term.

   5. Copies of the following consumable items cannot be accepted for reserve if they are copyrighted:

      • Workbooks and exercises
      • Tests and test booklets
      • Answer sheets or booklets
      • Pages from textbooks
   6. The library staff will stamp each copy with a notice of copyright.
   7. Photocopied materials that a professor wishes to use in multiple courses or successive semesters require permission from the owner of the copyright. A copy of the letter granting permission will be kept on file in the library and must accompany the photocopies at the time of submission for reserve. In certain instances a copy of the faculty member's request for permission will be accepted pending receipt of the appropriate permission.
7. We will try to have your reserve items on the shelf within 48 hours after we receive your request. This time period may be slightly longer over weekends and during the first week of each semester. We will accept items for the next semester's reserve as early as you can get them to us. The requested reserve items are processed on a first come, first served basis. Here are a few hints that will facilitate your requests:
   1. Request slips with no accompanying material take longer than 48 hours to process. So, if the book that you want on reserve is somewhere in the library stacks, please pull the item. The item should accompany the reserve request slip.
   2. If the item that you want on reserve is an article out of a periodical, make copies of the article and put them in labeled folders. Please follow steps 1, 2, and 6. If you need our staff to supply the copy, complete citations, without abbreviations, are required for staff to process journal articles from the Libraries' collection or through Interlibrary Loan.
   3. If you have looked for the item that you would like put on reserve and have been unable to locate it, please indicate this when you turn in your reserve request slips. We will put the item on search status and when the item is found it will go directly to the reserve shelf. You will be notified of any problems.
8. Students may check to see if their instructor has placed items on reserve by searching the Reserve Materials listing (WEB ADDRESS) from the MCC Library Home Page or searching by title on the OPAC (online catalog). Using the Reserve Material option allows for searching by title or author of the material, title of the course, or the instructor's name.

RESERVE MATERIALS CIRCULATION

Confidentiality of Borrower Records and Recalled Items
It is the Library's policy to maintain the confidentiality of borrowers' records. However, when an individual borrower's abuse of Library privileges infringes on the needs of other members of the college community, the Library reserves the right to disclose the borrower's name to appropriate individuals such as a dean or members of the faculty.

When persons keep material out for extended periods of time depriving others in the class from its use, the professor is notified and given the name of the offender.

**Reserve items are checked out to Mesa Community College students only. A valid student ID card is required. Most reserve items are limited to use in the library. Instructors designate loan periods and loan restrictions and only your instructor may permit exceptions. Overdue fines for Reserve materials are 25 cents per hour for hourly loans and 50 cents per day for overnight loans.

ID Card

Your Student ID/Library Card is required to borrow materials at Reserves.

Loan Periods

Reserve materials circulate short loan periods as designated by the instructor. Typical loan periods are:

1 HOUR NOT TO LEAVE THE LIBRARY

3 HOURS AND OVERNIGHT

1, 2 or 3 DAYS

The loan period is selected by the faculty responsible for the course based on length and nature of the reading, number of students in the course, and the time available for reading. Once a loan period is assigned, physical reprocessing of the material and manual adjustment of access records is required to change it.

Mesa Community College Libraries Reserve Materials Form