Student Handbook
Welcome to Your Library!
Our library and staff are here to help you with your information needs. The library is located in the Library/Classroom Building and serves over 4,000 students, faculty and staff from The Ohio State University at Marion and Marion Technical College.
Your success in college depends on having the right resources and knowing how and when to use them. That’s where the library can help - just ASK us!
A – allow us to help you find quality information
S- search the library website and databases first to locate tons of great resources
K – knowledgeable staff will help you navigate those resources availableOur goal is to help each of you become more savvy with locating information . You will learn what kinds of resources the library has, how to find them efficiently, and how to use them effectively as you conduct research for your assignments and projects.
Stay on top of library happenings by visiting our News Blog at http://marioncampuslibrary.blogspot.com
If you have any questions please feel free to let a staff member know or stop in and speak with me. My door is always open.
My staff and I encourage you to make the library a vital and enriching part of your college life.
Best wishes for a great college experience!
Betsy Blankenship
Library Director/Head Librarian
The library’s goal is to provide a quiet, pleasant environment for users to do research and serious study or just to relax and read. Students using the Marion Campus Library are expected to behave in a manner that does not disturb other folks, disrupt the operation of the library, or endanger library staff and materials. Please be respectful of each other. Please refer to the Customer Code of Conduct for more details.
All cell phones must be either turned off or set to vibrate when in the library.
Computer use guidelines are posted at each library workstation. All users are expected to abide by them.
There is no smoking permitted in the public areas of the library or within the building itself. While food and drink is no longer strictly prohibited in the library, please keep both away from computer areas. Spill-proof containers are strongly encouraged.
Do not leave children unattended in the library. The library does not assume any liability for children left alone and parents/guardians will be held accountable for any library damage incurred by unattended children. Children are not permitted to use library computers when other users are waiting.
There are many study areas, services, and collections available for you to use. Please take the Virtual Tour and see what we have to offer.
There are also computer work stations available for use. There are 20 computers available in the library with Microsoft Office and Internet Capabilities. One computer has a scanner attached.
The library also has 4 laptops available for check out. These are available for a four hour period and cannot leave the library. They have wireless internet access and they also have Microsoft Office loaded on them. Before you can check these out, you must read and fill out a laptop loan form.
If you have a laptop of your own with wireless capabilities you will be able to access OSU wireless if you are an OSU student or MTC wireless if you are a MTC student. Both require logins to access the wireless network.
Anything that is printed from the library computers is ten cents a page and is sent to the the Circulation Desk Printer.
University Libraries
The Ohio State University Libraries are an important information resource for Marion campus students. There are over six million volumes in a number of department libraries and special collections. Students are encouraged to use these libraries in person as well as request materials online. You can request materials in the library catalog through online requesting. It will take approximately 3-5 business days for materials to arrive. Place requests as far before you need the item as possible. You may also go to the Columbus Campus or any other regional campus library and check out materials in person. Students must show their campus ID card to check out any library materials. Marion Technical College students need to check to be sure they have a current patron record and can do so at the Marion Circulation Desk, or by checking "My Record" on the library website. If you have checked out materials out from the Columbus Campus you can return them here, but we recommend that you ask for a receipt when you return them. The Marion library has various publications describing the Columbus libraries and the librarian can also give advice.
The catalog is part of OhioLINK (Ohio Library and Information Network), a statewide system by which you can search the catalogs of other university and college libraries around the state by computer. OhioLINK also provides access to many online periodical databases and full-text sources.
What is OhioLINK? Click here to find out.
Marion Campus students can also borrow materials from the libraries of OhioLINK institutions. These institutions are the public universities, community and technical colleges, and medical schools in Ohio as well as a few private universities in the state. There are also a few public libraries as well. Currently, there are 90 institutions that are part of OhioLINK. Library materials take approximately 3-5 business days to arrive. Students can also visit any OhioLINK library and borrow materials as an onsite OhioLINK borrower. You must have your campus ID card with you to do so.
The Marion Campus Library and University Libraries use an online catalog, to search for materials and make requests.
The University Libraries Catalog
(http://library.ohio-state.edu/search)
The library catalog lists Marion campus materials as well as the holdings of the departmental libraries of The Ohio State University in Columbus and the regional campuses at Lima, Mansfield, Newark and Wooster. It can be accessed from the Marion Campus Library website under “Quicklinks” or from the University Libraries website (http://library.osu.edu) .
The catalog provides access to materials by author, title, subject and keyword.
Each departmental library in the library system has been given a 3 or 4-letter code to identify it in the catalog. The code for the Marion Campus Library is MAR. This will show up in the record display under the column heading "Location." In addition to MAR, it will show where in the library the item is kept, such as Stacks or Reference. Look at all pages in the location display. Check all different versions of the title entry when looking for the Marion location code. Under the column heading "Status" it may say "Available," "Due, “Off-Campus” “Missing” or “Lost&Billed." You can use the “Limit/Sort” option in the library catalog to find just Marion campus materials. Be sure to ask library staff to show you how to limit your search to find Marion materials if you are having problems.
OhioLINK Catalog (http://olc.1.ohiolink.edu/search)
The OhioLINK catalog is searched exactly the same way you would search the University Libraries' Catalog. Instead of OSU locations, you are given a listing of OhioLINK member libraries which own a particular title. You can start searching in either catalog. The option “Pickup Anywhere” allows you to have OhioLINK materials delivered to other institutions in addition to your campus library.
Use both catalogs when searching for library materials. You can request from either catalog.
There are many online tutorials available to help you:
From the University Libraries:
http://liblearn.osu.edu/movies
http://www.ohiolink.edu/ostaff/videos/CAT_videos.html
An Introduction to Quick Search (video tutorials)
OSearch (Video tutorials-with sound)
OSearch (video tutorials-no sound)
If you have additional questions, or cannot find what you're looking for in either catalog, please ask library staff for assistance!
Electronic Resources
The University Libraries and OhioLINK catalogs contain records for e-Books, electronic books which can be checked out and read online. The library also offers more than 350 electronic databases and resources through the catalog and OhioLINK. In these databases, users can search for articles and other materials pertaining to their subject. OhioLINK also provides a variety of other resources, including the Electronic Journal Center, and the Digital Media Center. The Electronic Journal Center provides full-text access to electronic journals which can be searched and printed. The Digital Media Center (DMC) provides widespread access to images, sounds, video, numeric data, and other types of media information for the community and the world. The E- Book Center contains thousands of scholarly and reference e-books covering the humanities, sciences and social sciences.
Many other electronic resources are available through the library website http://marionlibrary.osu.edu under the "Quicklinks" and "Services" links, through the University Libraries website (http://library.osu.edu ) under "Articles" and "Online Journals" and from the OhioLINK website (http://www.ohiolink.edu)
You may request articles be sent to you through Interlibrary Loan if they are not available electronically through other library resources. These take at least three business days to arrive. See our Interlibrary Loan Page for more information.
Remote access is access to library services from places other than the library itself. Remote access is available to the library catalog and OhioLINK catalogs and most electronic resources. An off-campus sign-in link is available on our webpage. Students will select either OSUM or MTC to sign-in. In addition, OSUM students need to read the section on remote access in the University Libraries brochure "Guide to Resources and Services"; MTC students should consult the Marion Campus Library handout "Remote Access to Library Services: For Marion Technical College Borrowers." Please be aware that, due to licensing restrictions, some electronic resources are not available outside the library.
Marion Campus Library periodicals (magazines, journals, newspapers, indexes) are listed in a printed Periodical Holdings list. The periodical titles are listed alphabetically and by subject. The library’s holdings of each title are shown. Copies of the list are kept at the computer workstations, at the Circulation Desk and in many campus computer labs. An electronic list is available from the Marion Campus Library website (http://marionlibrary.osu.edu ) under "Services" ,and then "Information for Students".
Articles can be located in printed and electronic indexes. Some electronic indexes (or databases) have articles available for full-text viewing and printing. The Electronic Journal Center from OhioLINK is a searchable database that provides complete electronic issues of journal titles. The articles in these electronic issues are full text and can be viewed online or printed. Help is available online and from library staff if you are searching these resources.
The library catalog lists titles and volumes of periodicals owned by the Columbus campus libraries and regional campus libraries.
Closed Reserve is a special area where faculty and instructors may place items for classes on restricted circulation. Materials may be filed under General Reserves or Class Closed Reserves. Items on reserve at the library may include textbooks, readings, exams, quizzes, videos, etc. These are kept at the Circulation Desk by class and instructor. Reserve materials are placed in one of the following categories:
1. 2-hour loan, no overnight loan (use in library)
2. 1-day loan
3. 3-day loan
4. 7-day loan (1 week)
5. 2-week (special loan category)
All materials held at the library are checked out via our circulation system. Items in #1 are limited to two hours and will start accruing fines if not returned by then. Items in #2, #3, #4 and #5 can be taken from the library for the time indicated. You must have a campus ID to sign out reserve materials, including those for library use only. Fines are charged for overdue closed reserve materials. Please note due date (and time) on materials checked out. Most of these loan periods cannot be renewed.
E-Reserves are materials that are accessible electronically. Your professor may place items on electronic reserve through OSU's Carmen or MTC's Blackboard. Users need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader on their computer to retrieve the materials.
The circulation system at the Marion Campus Library is a dual system. Books and other materials listed in the library catalog and OhioLINK are checked out through our circulation system. This applies to most Marion Campus materials, materials from the OSU Columbus, Lima, Mansfield, Newark, and Wooster campuses and materials from OhioLINK libraries. Marion Campus materials which are not listed in the library catalog are signed out by a manual system, using a circulation card. These materials include periodicals and pamphlets.
Student ID cards from OSU or MTC are the only IDs the library will accept to check out library materials. IDs can be taken at the campus Student Center.
You can view your circulation activity through the library catalog. From the library webpage (http://marionlibrary.osu.edu ) click on My Record. Type in your name and university ID number and hit the enter button. Your record as listed in the library system should appear. You can see what materials you have requested, what you have checked out, what fines you owe (and even pay them online). You can check for accurate student information and renew items you have checked out. You can now also conduct catalog searches and save them when you log into your patron record first.
The library recommends that you add your e-mail address to your library record. This speeds up notification of materials arrived, items overdue or cancelled and items recalled for another user. Activated OSU and MTC e-mail account addresses are automatically inserted in your library record. Forms are available in the library to add your e-mail address to your library record if it is not already added. Turn in completed forms at the Circulation Desk.
Circulation in the Library Catalog
Materials circulate from the catalog for three weeks to undergraduates and courtesy borrowers and ten weeks for graduate students, faculty, and staff. Unlimited renewals are possible unless another library user requests an item by placing a "hold" on it. Videos and other audiovisual materials that circulate may be restricted to one week and cannot be renewed.
Materials from locations other than Marion can be ordered by using the "REQUEST THIS ITEM" option. Books can be renewed from your library record. Some items cannot be renewed. Delivery will take approximately 3-5 business days. You should request a receipt for returned materials. This must be requested at the time that the item is returned to a library.
Materials signed out from the library catalog will generate overdue and recall notices and be subject to fines, fees, and charges if they are overdue or lost. These notices are sent electronically to your school e-mail address unless you provide the library with an alternative address. Materials signed out manually will also generate overdue and recall notices and be subject to fines and fees. Your library record will be automatically sanctioned if fines on your record total more than $75.00. This means you will be blocked from further library activity as well as not being able to register or get transcripts. The library recommends you check your library record frequently for any problems. Fines/lost book charges will remain on your library record (even if you graduate or withdraw) until they are paid or resolved. Overdue notices are sent only as a courtesy; you are responsible for checking your library record for due dates and for renewing or returning materials on time. For detailed info on University librariies fines & fees click here.
OhioLINK Circulation
Materials from OhioLINK libraries circulate for three weeks and may be renewed as many as four times (if no one puts a hold on the item). Audiovisual materials may be borrowed for 1 week and cannot be renewed. Note that fines start to accrue as soon as the due date has passed, which will be before you receive any overdue notice. OhioLink fines are .50¢ a day. Returning an item that has been billed/or is more than 30 days overdue will incur a $50 fine. OhioLINK materials can also be renewed in the library catalog from your library record. Overdue notices are sent only as a courtesy; you are responsible for checking your library record for due dates and for renewing or returning materials on time.
Contact library staff immediately if you feel there is a problem or you have received an overdue notice in error.
Requested Material Problems
Check with the circulation supervisor if you have problems ordering or receiving materials which you requested through the library catalog or OhioLINK.
Manual Circulation
Periodicals and pamphlets circulate for one week, no renewals. A small number of periodicals cannot circulate until the issues become a year old. Newspapers do not circulate at all. This list is posted. Maps may circulate by special request only. To take out materials, fill out a circulation card which is available at the Circulation Desk. Materials signed out manually will generate overdue and recall notices from Marion. Receipts will not be issued for return of manually circulated materials. Fines on manually circulated materials will be added to your library record in OSCAR.
Library of Congress Classification System Guide