Ventura College Library: Resources and Services for Student Success

The Ventura College Library stands as a cornerstone of academic support, providing a comprehensive suite of resources and services tailored to empower students and faculty alike. From its extensive collections to its dedicated staff, the library is committed to fostering intellectual exploration and academic achievement.

A Vision Realized: The Genesis of the Learning Resource Center

The journey to the modern Ventura College Library began in 1992, when a group of dedicated staff members, led by Diane Moore and Larry Manson, embarked on a mission to create a new library. This team, comprising Sandy Hajas, Trica Blaine, Diana Salberg, Ellie Austin, Rose Marie Castro, David Breslin, and Octavio Sifuentes, envisioned a state-of-the-art Learning Resource Center. Despite the daunting challenge of securing the necessary $25 million in funding, their determination never wavered. Their perseverance paid off in 1998 when funding was finally allotted, paving the way for construction to commence in 2002. In January 2005, the doors of the new library opened, marking a significant milestone in the college's history.

Library Resources: Supporting Academic Pursuits

The Ventura College Library serves as a vital resource, directly supporting the diverse range of courses offered at the college. The library's collections encompass a wide array of materials, including books, journals, and digital resources, catering to the research and learning needs of students across all disciplines. The VC Library Catalog and full-text databases are accessible via the Internet and the college website, providing convenient access to information both on and off campus.

Streamlined Book Ordering for Faculty

To facilitate faculty access to essential resources, the library offers a streamlined book ordering process. Faculty members can submit book orders electronically by clicking the "Order a Book" button on the library's website. After completing the online form and submitting it, the order is processed by library staff. Once the book is received and processed, the form will be returned to the faculty member as notification.

Library Instruction: Equipping Students for Research Success

The Reference Librarians at Ventura College Library play a crucial role in equipping students with the research skills necessary for academic success. They offer library orientation tours and instruction sessions tailored to prepare students for research assignments. These sessions are available for both day and evening classes and can be customized to meet the specific needs of each class. Faculty members can arrange for library instruction by contacting a librarian or leaving a message at extension 6382.

Course Reserves: Providing Convenient Access to Essential Readings

Faculty members can place reading material on reserve at the circulation desk, ensuring that students have convenient access to essential course readings. The library offers various circulation options for reserve materials, including one-week, two-day, and library-use-only loans. To allow sufficient time for processing, faculty are requested to provide one week's notice when placing items on reserve, particularly at the beginning of the semester.

Textbook Lending Libraries: Alleviating the Financial Burden of Education

Recognizing the financial challenges faced by many students, the Ventura College Library houses two Textbook Lending Library Collections: the Reserve Textbooks and the Faith George Lending Library.

Reserve Textbooks

This collection comprises textbooks placed on reserve by faculty members and is available on a library-use-only basis at the circulation desk.

Faith George Lending Library

The Faith George Lending Library textbook collection was established through generous donations from the VC Foundation, the Re-Entry Center, faculty, staff, and students. This collection is available to students on a first-come-first-serve basis. Students may check out a maximum of three textbooks for the semester. The textbooks in this collection are considered reserve items.

Overdue Fines for Reserve Materials

To ensure the timely return of reserve materials and maximize access for all students, the library imposes overdue fines for reserve items. An item will be considered overdue immediately following the due date, and library privileges will be immediately revoked until the items are returned and fines paid. An hourly overdue fine of $.25 per hour per item will be charged the first day with a $5 per item daily charge thereafter. A maximum overdue fine of $100 will be levied per item.

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Encouraging Participation in the Faith George Lending Library

The Faith George Lending Library is a valuable resource for students, and faculty are strongly encouraged to participate in this service by donating textbooks to the collection. Faculty can also encourage their students to donate their unwanted textbooks at the end of each semester to help out future students. For more information, contact the Learning Resources Supervisor at ext.

Loan Periods and Fines: Ensuring Equitable Access to Library Materials

The Ventura College Library strives to provide equitable access to its resources for all members of the college community.

Faculty and Staff

Faculty and staff are granted an extended loan period of one-half semester for general library materials and are not charged fines.

Students and Community Members

Students and community members can borrow general circulation items for three weeks and are charged fines of ten cents per day for overdue items. Loan periods for items on reserve range from library use only, overnight, two days, or one week, and the fines are $.25 per hour.

Library Cards

Students do not need a library card; however, their personal information, including their 900 number, must be entered into our system before they may check out any material, even those items placed on reserve.

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Enhancing the Library Environment: Art Displays

The Library has an art hanging system installed throughout the building and display cases.

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