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User Services

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Circulation Services

We lend most books, audio/visual items, and other materials to current students, faculty, and staff from all RPCC campuses. All items are located in the Library at the Gonzales campus.

Borrowing Materials

Library materials may be borrowed by currently registered students only during the semester and to currently employed faculty and staff.

Students:

  • May borrow up to ten items total at a time, up to four of which may be audio/visual items; reserve items are limited to two at a time, and one laptop.
  • Books circulate for twenty-eight days, and may be renewed.
  • Audio/visual items check out for two days, and may also be renewed.
  • Reserve item loan periods vary, ranging from 2-hours, library use only up to a loan period specified by the instructor. Calculators and headphones circulate for 4 hours.
  • Laptops checked out to students are due back by the last day of finals for a semester. Laptops are loaned only to currently registered students and cannot be renewed.

Faculty:

  • May borrow up to twenty items at a time.
  • Books are borrowed for the semester.
  • Audio/visual materials check out to faculty for seven days.
  • Faculty and staff may not borrow student laptops

Renewing Materials

Note that not all items are eligible for renewal. The number of times an item may be renewed may be limited; when the limit is reached, the item(s) must be brought to the Library for further renewals.

Renewals may be made:

  • In person at the Library.
  • Online; visit Library Catalog Help; online renewals are limited to two per item and must be brought to campus for a third renewal.
  • By phone (call 225-743-8550) during normal business hours (you may also leave a voice mail message).
  • By email via Library@rpcc.edu; please be sure to include your full name or LoLA ID number in your request.
  • Phone or email requests submitted after hours will be addressed the next business day.
  • NOTE: no item may be renewed past the last date of the semester.

General Information

  • Items that do not circulate outside of the Library include reference materials, journals, magazines, and newspapers.
  • Overdue fine for books and multi-media is $.35 per day, per item, with a maximum fine of $15.00 per item.
  • Overdue fine for Reserve items, including headphones and calculators, is $6.00 per HOUR, per item, with a maximum fine of $25.00 per item.
  • Overdue fines for laptops is $50.00 per day.
  • Items that have not been returned by the date that the maximum fine is reached will be assumed lost, resulting in a bill for the replacement cost plus a $20.00 processing fee per item.

Reserve Materials

  • Instructors may place materials on reserve for the use of their students.
  • Such items circulate for a limited time, ranging from two hours, library use only, to overnight, as determined by the instructor.
  • Students may borrow up to two reserve items at a time.
  • Other items that are available on reserve include scientific and graphing calculators, and headphones; these items are borrowed for four hours and may be taken from the Library.
  • All reserve items must be checked out for use.
  • Overdue fine for reserve items is $6.00 per HOUR.

Returning Items

  • All RPCC Library items must be returned to the Library located on the Gonzales campus.
  • Most items may be returned to the Library Service Desk during Library hours or to the outdoor book drop when closed.
    • Reserve items should only be placed in the outdoor book drop when the Library is closed.
  • Laptops MUST be returned to Library staff at the Library Service Desk during Library hours

User Instruction

Individual Instruction:

  • Professional librarians and staff will instruct library users in the use of available information resources, both print and electronic, and in the use of equipment in the Library
  • Get help:
    • In person
    • By email (Library@rpcc.edu)
    • By phone: 225-743-8550
    • Virtual sessions; check for scheduled sessions or request an individual session

Course-Integrated Instruction

  • Available for classes at the instructor’s request
  • May be general in nature or related to a specific assignment
  • Instructors: Please visit Faculty Services to complete your requests online

Information Literacy Course

  • This one-credit course is offered online every semester
  • Transfers to LSU and SLU, and may transfer to other colleges and universities
  • Provides students with in-depth instruction on locating, evaluating and using information resources, with emphasis on RPCC Library resources

Self-Help Tutorials and User Guides

Reference Services

Library Services provides Reference Services for students, faculty and staff. Librarians and staff will help users find resources and information to help them complete class assignments or fulfill other information needs.

  • Reference inquiries may be made:
    • In person
    • By phone (225-743-8550) during regular hours
    • By email, to Library@rpcc.edu, any time; requests sent by email should receive a response within 24 hours or by the next business day if received when the Library is closed
    • Live online Chat Service when available - look for the chat bubbles on the lower right-hand corner of the website!

Materials from Other Libraries

InterLibrary Borrowing

  • Students, faculty and staff may request items that are not available in the RPCC Library collections.
    • Note that we cannot request required textbooks through InterLibrary Borrowing
  • We locate potential sources for such items and request to borrow them for our users.
  • Please be sure to request needed materials far enough in advance to allow for delivery of the materials.
  • InterLibrary Borrowing Request Form

LOUIS and Reciprocal Borrowing

LOUIS is the Louisiana Library Network, a partnership of academic libraries and other organizations throughout the state formed to develop cooperation of library services and sharing of resources. Its members have agreed to provide borrowing privileges to qualified users from other member institutions. Qualified users, after obtaining a LOUIS card from their home library, may visit other member libraries to borrow materials.

Note that not all participating libraries will loan items to undergraduate students. Please see the Agreement for Reciprocal Borrowing and the Reciprocal Borrowing Chart from LOUIS for more details.

Complete the Reciprocal Borrowing Card Request form online. Eligibility will be verified and applicants will be notified by email when the card is available. Cards must be picked up from RPCC Library Staff at the Gonzales campus Library in person; photo ID will be required and the card will not be delivered to anyone other than the applicant.

Computers

The Library at Gonzales has:

  • 21 computers for student use, from working on assignments to surfing the Web.
    • Printing is not currently available on student computers
  • Students must logon using their RPCC Student Email address and LoLA password to log on to the student computers in the Library.
    • Email address: [lolausername]@students.rpcc.edu
    • Password: Your LoLA password

At the Reserve Campus, room C100, has tables & chairs for individual and group work and study, as well as computers for student use, along with literature racks containing brochures and guides.

The St. Charles Campus has three student workstations in the Student Lounge for use to access the RPCC Library resources and for other computing needs, along with literature racks containing brochures and guides.

Westside Campus has a literature 

Wi-Fi Access

  • Students should access the RPCC-Guest Wi-Fi, password: Guest123 on the Gonzales Campus.
  • RPCC Library laptops should connect to the Guest Wi-Fi automatically when used on campus.

Printing and Copying

  • There is currently no charge for student printing or copying in the Library.
  • Students may also print a PDF document from a flash drive at the printer.
  • Access your documents on any student workstation in the Library.
  • Printing from personal devices is not currently available.
  • For help, see Library staff for assistance.

Study Rooms

  • Two study rooms are available in the Library on the Gonzales Campus for students wishing to work or study in a quieter space or work with a small group.
  • Each room has a dry erase board (markers & erasers are available for checkout at the Service Desk), electrical outlets and Wi-Fi access.
  • Reservations may be made for up to two hours, and may be extended depending on availability.
  • Walk-ins are welcome, but advance reservations are encouraged, and may be made in person, by phone (225-743-8550),or email: library@rpcc.edu.
  • Please ask for more information at the Library Service Desk.