Facts For Faculty

Borrowing Material

See The Clarion University Libraries' Circulation Policy

Collection Development and Acquisitions

A significant part of the University Libraries' mission is to build, select, and preserve -- in cooperation with University faculty -- a collection of information resources supportive of current and anticipated needs of the University's instructional programs and supportive of teaching and learning.

The University Libraries' collections are developed jointly by librarians and classroom faculty. To facilitate this process, each department is assigned a library faculty liaison for purposes of communication and collection development. 

A Collection Development LibGuide provides a list of library faculty liaisons as well as more detailed information on resources and policies. (If a library liaison has not been assigned to the department, the Collections Librarian will provide assistance.) While academic departments vary in their procedures for working with the library, most academic departments designate a faculty member to function as a liaison. Library and department liaisons work together to ensure development of a strong collection.

Faculty should, if possible, channel requests for materials through the department's representative to the appropriate library liaison. To facilitate purchasing decisions when funding is limited, please designate requests by level of importance to the collection:

1. Essential to support a specific course/program

2. Provides general support for the discipline

3. Marginal purchase, but appropriate for a balanced academic library collection

Conference Areas

To reserve conference rooms or meeting areas in Carlson Library, go to the University's Events & Scheduling site and click on the "Space Request" link.  Then click on the "My Requests" link on the next page.  You will be prompted to log in using your iClarion e-mail username and password. You can use the resulting form to request meeting space in many campus locations including Carlson Library.

Copy Equipment in Carlson Library

Photocopier & Printer Information

Microform Equipment - Located in the Periodicals area on Level 1, the reader machines connect to the printer in the Reference area on Level 1.

Distance Education

Watch our video overview of services and resources for Virtual Campus students and faculty.

Library support for Virtual Campus/Distance Education students is available via:

• Telephone

  • Carlson Library (phone: 814-393-2490 or 814-393-1841)

  •  Suhr Library (phone: 814-393-1243)

  •  Virtual Campus (phone: 1-866-272-5612)

• "LibAnswers"

  • Find answers to reference - and other - questions

• E-Reserves

  • Available from Library Services or the Libraries' Home Page

• InterLibrary Loan

  • Online ILL Request options are available using ILLiad

• Live Chat

  • If no librarian is available, you can send your question using e-mail

Faculty Study Room

A shared faculty study room for use by current and retired faculty is available in Carlson Library on Level A in room A-17. This room contains two tables and a networked computer.  Authorized individuals may have the room unlocked by Level 1 Reference Desk personnel.

Interlibrary Loan Service

Clarion University students, faculty, and staff may borrow books and articles from other libraries. (ILL Service may also be used by Virtual Campus distance education students to obtain materials from Clarion's own collection.)

On-line request options are available via the Libraries' website.

• Books:
  • Choose E-Z Borrow or ILLiad
    • Try E-Z Borrow first for fastest service (E-Z Borrow is for books only)
    •  If requested sources are unavailable in E-Z Borrow, use the ILLiad option
• Periodicals:
  • Choose ILLiad to request periodical articles.
    • Virtual Campus distance education and Venango College students may use this service to request articles from the University Libraries' collection as well as articles from other libraries. Whenever possible, articles are made available in electronic format. Otherwise, they are sent to the address provided on the request form. Periodical requests are handled through the ILLiad software.

Library Collections

The Clarion University Library collections (consisting of materials at the Carlson Library on the Clarion Campus and the Suhr Library, Venango College) include 400,000+ volumes. Most materials are classified by the Library of Congress Classification system. The juvenile/young adult collection is arranged by Dewey Decimal Classification. Print periodicals are shelved alphabetically, but most periodicals are available in electronic format through the  Databases A-Z.

In addition, the Libraries subscribe to electronic books (E-Books) from a variety of providers, including:

• Gale Virtual Reference Library

• EBSCO E-Books

• Oxford Digital Reference Shelf

• SAFARI Tech & Business Books Online.

You will regularly encounter bibliographic records for books from these online collections while doing searches in the PILOT online catalog. Links to freely available e-book collections are also available on our E-Book Collections page.  Many varying subject areas are represented in these e-book collections.

Library Instruction

The Libraries offer a program of course-integrated information literacy instruction. Clarion campus sessions are held in room 201 Carlson Library (instruction computer lab) unless alternate arrangements are made. Tutorials on various databases and services are also available through the Library Help page on the Libraries' Home Page.

Faculty: If you would like a librarian to facilitate an information literacy session for your class at the Carlson Library, Clarion Campus, please:

• Contact Karen Sheesman at 814-393-1841 to reserve a time slot

• Schedule early as slots fill up quickly

• When you schedule, let us know the number of students in your class

The librarian teaching the session will contact you to discuss the details of your class assignment and the coverage of the session.

Faculty: If you would like a librarian to facilitate an information literacy session for your class at Suhr Library, Venango College, please:

• Contact Nancy Clemente at 814-393-1245 or 814-676-6591 Extension: 1245

• Contact Linda Cheresnowski to arrange for instruction services to Distance Education classes

  • Contact her at 814-393-1247 to arrange for a session

Library Staff Directory

Go there now!

On-line Databases:

Databases provide access to thousands of full-text journals as well as electronic resources covering most academic disciplines. Most electronic resources are available through remote access as well as on-campus use.

Access to databases is provided via the Libraries' homepage. Click Databases A- Z on either the Libraries' Home Page  or the Library Research Resources page.

Onsite Borrowing at Cooperating Libraries:

• PASSHE LIBRARIES:

  • The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) libraries lend books directly to visiting faculty and students. Your University ID is needed to borrow materials from these institutions. Click here for a list of the PASSHE universities and a map showing their locations.

• LYRASIS:
  

  • Students and faculty may use on-site resources at other libraries through our membership with LYRASIS. Students and faculty must present valid photo ID and the LYRASIS Reciprocal Usage Form to borrow materials from participating libraries. This form must be signed by a librarian from Clarion University before materials can be borrowed. Therefore, you should obtain a signed form well in advance of your visit to a participating library. Visit the reference desk to obtain a signed form, or contact Karen Sheesman in the reference department at 814-393-1841 to have a signed form mailed to you.

• PALCI:

  • Clarion University participates in the Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium, Inc. (PALCI) that permits faculty to borrow materials directly from other academic libraries. From the PALCI web site, select the Faculty Borrowing link in the Services category to see a complete list of participating libraries.

    • When visiting one of these libraries, take your university ID and an Authorization Form. (Forms may be obtained from a librarian at the Reference Desk or at the Circulation Desk.)

• STATE LIBRARY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  • State employees may request a state library card from the State Library of Pennsylvania to access their databases.

Reserves

The Libraries offer electronic, traditional print, and media reserves. Faculty are encouraged to use electronic reserves when possible to enhance student access to materials. Click here to view the Clarion University Libraries' complete Reserve Policy.

• To place E-Reserves, please follow the instructions and use the forms at the Reserve Policy link above. Traditional reserves then need to be brought to the library circulation desk. Please contact Melissa Pierce (at Carlson Library) at 814-393-2304 or Sylvia Wiegel (at Suhr Library) at 814-393-1246 for further assistance.

NOTE: Please allow at least two weeks for materials to be added to the reserve collection.

What is Where...at Carlson Library

Carlson Library collections are housed on five floors: Level B through Level 3. Level 1 is the entry level. The PILOT online catalog provides location information, and signs are posted in (and near) elevators as well.

Last Updated: December, 2012