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User Services

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Circulation Services

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

Faculty may occasionally place materials, either from the Library collection or personal items, on reserve for their courses; this is not to be confused with the Reserve campus. See Reserve Materials below for more information.  

Borrowing Materials

Most library materials may be borrowed by currently registered students only during the semester and to currently employed faculty and staff. Items designated as reference materials may not circulate.

Students:

  • May borrow up to ten items total at a time, with reserve items limited to two at a time, and one laptop (reserve or semester-long).
  • Books circulate for twenty-eight days, and may be renewed.
  • We also have several laptops that students may borrow for the semester; see Semester-long Laptop Loans under Computers and Laptops.

Faculty:

  • May borrow up to twenty items at a time.
  • Books are borrowed for the semester.

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 $.35 per day, per item, with a maximum fine of $15.00 per item.
  • Overdue fine for Reserve items, including headphones, calculators, and 4-hour laptops 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.
  • Most 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 in specific classes.
  • 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, headphones, and a few laptops; these items are borrowed for four (4) hours and may be taken from the Library, but must remain on campus. Note that a student who has a semester-long laptop checked out will not be able to borrow a 4-hour laptop.
  • 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.
  • All items may be returned to the Library Service Desk during Library hours; books only may be returned to the outdoor book drop when closed.
    • Reserve items should only be placed in the outdoor book drop when the Library is closed.
  • All 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 Loan and Borrowing Policy
  • 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 and Laptops

Computers

  • At Gonzales, the Library has:
    • 21 computers for student use, from working on assignments to surfing the Web.
    • Login information is posted near the computers.
  • At the Reserve Campus, room A803 has computers for student use along with literature racks containing brochures and guides. Room C100 has tables and chairs for individual and group work and study. Note that these spaces are still being developed. Check back for updates.
  • 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 two computers in kiosks and a literature rack with Library Services brochures in the lobby.

Library Laptops

Library laptops are available for loan to any currently enrolled RPCC for-credit students only (i.e., students who are enrolled in a degree or certificate program) who have no overdue materials or outstanding library fines.

There are no reservations for Library laptops. Our laptops are loaned on a first-come, first-served basis and may be checked out starting the first day of classes. Students may borrow only one (1) laptop at a time. A student may check out a laptop at any time during a semester. If all laptops have been checked out, we will keep a waitlist and notify students if/when one becomes available.

Student Services also has a limited number of laptops available for loan at Reserve, Westside, and St. Charles campuses, on an application basis. Please see the Student Services Laptop Loaner Program application form.

Each laptop has:

  • A 2-piece power adaptor and bag (some have detachable straps).
  • Microsoft Excel, Word, Power Point, etc. (Microsoft 365 applications).
  • A webcam and mic; some have a slide cover.
  • Respondus Lockdown Browser (may be used for proctored testing in Canvas)

To borrow a laptop from the Library, students must:

  • Come in person to the Library on the Gonzales campus with a valid photo ID (RPCC preferred, state ID accepted).
    • We will not check out any library items to a person using someone else's ID.
  • Complete and sign our Laptop Policy & Loan Agreement; students are given a copy.

Returning a laptop:

  • Library laptops must be returned to a Library staff member at the Gonzales campus in person during Library hours.
  • Reminders are sent to students with Library laptops the week of final exams via Canvas and to the email address provided.
  • Be sure to check that all accessories (bag, power adaptor, etc.) are with the laptop and that all personal items have been removed from the bag. Missing accessories will be billed as follows:
    • Power adaptor: $60.00
    • Bag: $30.00
  • Laptops may be returned by someone other than the borrower.
  • If a student drops all classes, the laptop must be returned within 7 days of withdrawal from the college. A notice will be sent when the Library is made aware that a student has dropped all classes.

If a laptop and/or any missing accessories are not returned within 10 days from the due date, the full replacement cost for the laptop and bag, or any missing accessories, plus a processing fee will be charged to the student, and a hold will be placed on the student's account in LoLA, preventing registration, schedule changes, receipt of grades or transcripts, and graduation.

Wi-Fi Access

  • RPCC Guest Wi-Fi login information is posted around the Library.
  • RPCC Library laptops should connect to a guest Wi-Fi connection automatically when used on campus.

Printing and Copying

  • Information about printing is posted near the computers.
  • 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.