Information Services: Services for Faculty and Staff

RESERVES  We will put items such as books or articles on the reserve shelves at the circulation desk, or create e-reserves from print originals that you can post on Moodle for use with your classes.

LINKS TO TOPICAL SITES  We will post links to resources for special assignments as needed. Please let us know at least a week in advance of the assignment so we can research the subject, assemble the links, and have the information published online when needed.

BIBLIOGRAPHIES  We will research and compile bibliographies from our online catalog and/or prepare "webliographies" of electronic sites. We will have these printed as handouts upon request.

REFERENCE  We provide quick reference information via telephone, email, or in person. We are happy to assist you with more extensive research for instructional purposes as time permits.

INSTRUCTION  At faculty request, an introduction to Information Literacy, instruction in research methods, use of available resources, evaluation and documentation of sources, etc., will be provided. The library staff will be glad to discuss the requirements of your course and customize instruction to meet specific needs. We are always available to faculty and students for point-of-use assistance.

COPYRIGHT COMPLIANCE  A page with information on how to ensure that you use copyrighted materials in ethical and legal ways is provided in our LibGuides; see the appropriate tab above.

PUBLIC ACCESS COMPUTERS The library has eleven PCs in the lobby that provide access to the Internet, to research databases, and to Microsoft Office products: Word, Excel, Access, Publisher and PowerPoint. The computers are for use by students, faculty and the public; those under sixteen (unless they are REaCH students) must be accompanied by an adult. Black and white prints can be made for $.05 each; color prints for $.30 each.

PHOTOCOPIER  A public photocopier with numerous features is available in the lobby. Black and white copies are five per page; color copies are thirty cents per page. Faculty and staff may use the photocopier at no charge for instructional use; however, the Campus Print Shop is set up for reproducing handouts and other high-volume copying needs.

INTERLIBRARY LOAN  Library staff can initiate requests for books or articles not available locally through Interlibrary Loan. Check the Interlibrary Loan page for details.

DISABILITIES ASSISTANCE/ACCESS  Wheelchairs are accommodated by an entrance ramp, a push-plate triggered automatic door, and a wheelchair-accessible restroom. Computer terminals with Internet access, word processing and other capabilities are accessible to persons in wheelchairs, and headphones are available to those who require audio access on the computers.

LIBRARY BOOK SALE  Items weeded from the Library collection and donated items deemed not appropriate for the library collection are occasionally put up for sale to the general public in the Library lobby. The cost is $0.25 for paperbacks and $0.50 for hardbacks. Items on sale are available to faculty and staff at no charge.

BOOKS AND MEDIA The college library is a member of the CCLINC consortium, a cooperative of community college libraries in North Carolina that has a shared catalog with than a million learning resources, making this library collective third in size among the libraries of publicly funded institutions of higher education in North Carolina. This online catalog provides access to the collections at each of the libraries, not just Isothermal's collections. It allows you to search the collection, place items on hold, and check on the status of your personal patron file. The CCLINC (Community College Libraries in North Carolina) catalog circulates approximately half a million items a year, and sends/receives more than 7,500 items annually to/from member libraries. E-books are also accessible via NC Live and NC Digital Library.

If you are a North Carolina resident, you can obtain a library card (providing proof of residence) from the State Library of North Carolina's Government and Heritage Library that allows you access the collections of the NC Cardinal Library consortium (consisting of dozens of public libraries and their collections from across North Carolina). Participating libraries systems in NC Cardinal include Burke, Rutherford, Polk, Cleveland, and McDowell counties. More information can be found here about NC Cardinal and applying for a library card here. 

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES  The library provides access to NC LIVE, an aggregate database made available by the state of North Carolina to its public and academic libraries, as well as databases for research in health and medicine, history, literature, and current issues. You can access NC LIVE and all our available research databases using your Isothermal campus login information. For more information on NC LIVE, see the How to Use NC LIVE tutorial.

MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS IN PRINT  A listing of the library's periodical subscriptions, and holdings of local newspapers in print and on microfilm can be found in the library's Periodicals Reading Room or on the library webpage under Periodicals.

MICROFILM  Although mostly replaced by electronic resources, microfilm of census records, county court records, and local newspapers are retained in support of the Old Tryon Historical Collection. See Historical Records on Microfilm for more information.

LIBRARY WEBSITE  Library staff design and maintain the library website for quick access to the online catalog, NC LIVE and other databases, and resources to assist students in performing research, evaluating and documenting information resources, and writing papers. Links to guides, handouts, resources for special assignments, and information for distance learners and the Hispanic community are provided.

Teachers at The Library of Congress - "Through a variety of professional development programs and resources, educators can learn how to effectively use American Memory resources in the classroom."

MERLOT - "MERLOT is a free and open resource designed primarily for faculty and students of higher education. Links to online learning materials are collected here along with annotations such as peer reviews and assignments."

Washington Center National Learning Communities Directory - "...a national resource for curricular learning community work."