Pamela R. Gillespie
With a collection of more than 1.2 million volumes, the City College
Library System serves the instructional and research needs of undergraduate
through doctoral level students, supports faculty research interests, and
provides study areas and carrels for students and faculty.
Facilities and Hours
The main campus library, the Morris Raphael Cohen Library, occupies five
floors in the North Academic Center. The Cohen Library houses the General,
Humanities and Social Sciences collections, and its Archives and Special
Collections Division (5th floor) contains official records and historical
material on the College, rare books and special subject collections. The
5th floor of Cohen Library also houses the Center for Teaching and Learning,
to open later in the Fall 1997 semester.
Cohen Library is open an average of 69 hours per week, seven days, during
the semester, extending to 92 hours per week during December and May.
The City College Library System also includes the Music Library (Shepard
160) and divisional libraries for Architecture (Shepard 408) and for Science/Engineering
(Marshak 29). Hours of operation for all the libraries are listed on the
library web site (http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/library/home.html)
and on handouts available at the Information Desk.
Resources
CUNY Plus is more than a simple catalog of library holdings in all formats
at City College and all other libraries in CUNY. It provides access to indexes
of newspaper and journal articles, dissertations, ERIC documents, medical
literature, eight specialized indexes and Current Contents.
Library local area networks provide access to census data, literary works
in full text, encyclopedias and periodical articles on CD-ROM. The library
also provides access to the vast number of resources available on the Internet
and World Wide Web on computer workstations throughout the library system.
Books, government publications and periodicals are arranged on open stacks.
The Library of Congress classification is used for the shelf arrangement
of most books. Microform collections are housed separately, but are self-service
as well.
Interlibrary loans, document delivery, Open Access throughout CUNY, and
METRO affiliation (a cooperative reference and research library agency)
enable faculty to obtain materials from other library collections in the
metropolitan area and beyond.
User Privileges
The City College ID card serves as a City College Library card as well.
Simply present the card at any circulation counter on campus to activate
borrowing privileges.
Loan periods for materials vary by type and home institution of the material.
City College-owned books may be borrowed for eight weeks with one renewal
option. Check the Library web site for full details on loan periods.
Photocopies obtained through Interlibrary Loan or Document Delivery will
be delivered to the campus address specified on the request form.
Individual study carrels are available in the Cohen Library for semester-long
use. Apply for carrels in the Library Office, 5/333. A $10 key deposit
is refundable.
Course Reserve
Course reserve collections are maintained in all the City College Libraries.
These materials are loaned for library use only for two-hour time periods.
Required readings placed on reserve are listed and searchable in the CUNY
Plus online catalog.
Forms for placing items on reserve are available at all circulation desks.
These should be completed and submitted with the materials four weeks prior
to the start of each semester.
Instruction
Library faculty provide instruction in research methodology and resource
evaluation on multiple levels, from new student orientation classes through
graduate seminars. Library faculty are eager to work collaboratively in
the preparation of instructional sessions, targeted to individual courses,
or to specific themes or topics. Inquiries may be directed to Prof. Herman
Cline (x7610).
The Library also offers training workshops open to all on a first come-first
served basis. Training topics include an introduction to the Internet and
World Wide Web, using search engines on the Web, and how to locate and evaluate
Web content in specific disciplines. Announcements of training sessions
are posted in the Library and on the Library Web site.
The Library's instructional facilities currently include a 45-seat demonstration
classroom, a 25-seat classroom for CUNY Plus tutorials, and the 2nd floor
Reference area
computers for online instruction.
Exhibits, Programs and Publications
Library exhibit spaces are filled with numerous thematic exhibits throughout
the year and suggestions for exhibits and collaborative curatorial projects
are most welcome.
The Friends of the City College Library offer programs of general interest
to the campus community and all are welcome to attend. These events are
advertised online, via campus mail and by invitation to members. For information
on becoming a Friend, pick up a brochure in the Library or call x7271.
The library newsletter, CircumSpice, is received in each campus department
twice a year. Members of the Friends receive individual subscriptions.
Pamela R. Gillespie
Assisstant Dean & Chief Librarian
The Morris Raphael Cohen Library
The City College Library System
NAC Building, Room R5/334
(212) 650-7271
E-mail: prghc@shiva.hunter.cuny.edu
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