General Purpose
The mission of Memorial Library is to collect, organize, disseminate, and facilitate access to information related to the intellectual, academic, and recreational needs of the College community. Library faculty and staff work with students and faculty to promote information and computer literacy and to develop research skills. The library’s primary clientele is undergraduate students, and most library programs and services are designed to meet the curricular needs of these users. The library uses both traditional materials and new technologies to implement its programs and services and to access and deliver information.
Character of the Collection
The major goal of the library is to support the academic programs of the College. The collection contains more than 400,000 volumes, more than 1,500 journal titles, and 38,000 items related to teaching grades K-12. The collection also contains information in a variety of formats including videos, digital video disks (DVD) and electronic databases and journals. The library is also a partial depository for U.S. Government Documents and New York State Documents.
Materials Selection
Selection of materials for the library collection is a partnership between library faculty and teaching faculty. A bibliographer from the library faculty works closely with each department to select materials appropriate to the needs of the students and faculty.
Library Services
Reference and Research Assistance
– The library offers individualized assistance in finding, using and evaluating information. The reference desk is staffed during main library hours. Academic departments have librarian bibliographers who serve as liaison for research assistance, collection purchases and instruction.
Instruction
– The library faculty provides instruction in library and information and computer literacy. An introductory program is offered to students as a component of composition classes. Librarians also teach subject-specific and specialized classes. Faculty may contact the bibliographer assigned to their department. Librarians also teach the basic Information and Computer Literacy courses.
Library Web Page
– The library’s Web page, library.cortland.edu, provides Web-based access to information about the library’s services and collections. The Web page provides a gateway to the library’s catalog, full and citation databases, journal holdings, video holdings and other information available online.
Training
– The library provides a broad program of faculty and staff training in supported software. Workshops address a range of topics, from word processing and spreadsheets to Web design and Web page maintenance. Workshops are offered in the Technology Training Center, a 14-station, hands-on instruction room. Information about training is available on the TTC Web page, library.cortland.edu/ftc/training_center.
Interlibrary Loan
– Material not held by Cortland can be borrowed by both faculty and students from other libraries through the interlibrary loan section. Allow at least three weeks for this service.Additional Services:
- Personal computers and Macintosh computers are available on the first floor in the PC and Mac labs and in the Late Night Reading Room (LNRR).
- There are a limited number of closed research carrels available for students and faculty. They are assigned at the beginning of each semester. Applications are available at the circulation desk.
- Use of the Cortland I.D. card and copy cards reduces the cost of copying and eliminates the need of coins for copy machines.
Loan Policy
Books are loaned to faculty for a one-semester period and can be renewed
once if they are not needed by someone else. All books are subject to immediate
recall if needed for course reserve. Reference works and periodicals do no
circulate. Faculty must present their Cortland I.D. at the circulation desk
when borrowing materials.
Faculty are not charged overdue fines. However, if an item is lost a replacement
fee is charged.
Open Access
Upon presentation of a valid Cortland I.D., Cortland faculty members and students receive full borrowing privileges at nearly every State University of New York campus.
Reserve Section
The reserve unit of the circulation/reserve section in the library is operated as a service for students and faculty. Reserve lists should be submitted to the library at least two weeks before the start of each semester and will be processed in the order received. The following guidelines will help faculty prepare for using the library’s reserve unit.
- Forms for compiling reserve lists are available at the circulation desk.
- Material should be placed on reserve only when they will be required reading for five or more students and be used a minimum of 10 times.
- As a result of the Copyright Law revision of 1978, only one copy of a copyrighted article may be placed on reserve unless written permission from the publisher is received by the instructor and filed at reserve.
- Faculty may select a reserve loan period that ranges from two hours up to seven days.
- Materials owned personally by faculty may also be put on reserve and will be processed accordingly.
Teaching Materials Center
The Teaching Materials Center is a collection of over 38,000 items, including textbooks, children’s literature collection, educational kits, curriculum guides, audio tapes, video tapes and compact discs which are used in grades K-12. An extensive picture and pamphlet file is available. This Center has a preview area which is a self-instructional lab with all the equipment necessary for previewing TMC materials. The TMC makes access to its resources available through the TMC Web page, library.cortland.edu/tmc.
Production Services
The Production Services Department of the library offers faculty a variety of services in producing classroom materials and other academic presentations. These services include instructional materials design, basic photographic services (slide duplication, black and white prints, and digital images). In addition, there is assistance in multimedia production including presentation programs and Web page design. In partnership with the library’s Technology Training Center, workshops are offered in various production software.
Copyright and Fair Use
SUNY Cortland views both liberal and professional education as integral to its mission and believes that all study which teaches students to think prepares them for earning a living as well as living a full life. This commitment to liberal arts, professional studies and teaching includes a commitment to complying with all the laws regarding intellectual property. That commitment also includes the full exercise of the rights accorded to users of copyrighted works under “Fair Use” provision of federal copyright law.
The Policy on Fair Use of Copyrighted Works for Education was approved by
the President’s Cabinet in May, 1999. Questions, concerns and comments may
be directed to Director of Libraries, the contact person for campus copyright
concerns and designated agent under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. The
college policy on copyright and fair use is found on the Web at www.cortland.edu/copyright.