VGCC Libraries see Increased Use of Expanded Resources
Library services have never been more accessible at Vance-Granville Community College than they are today, and students and instructors are taking advantage of a wide variety of resources. Usage of VGCC libraries, or Learning Resources Centers , is on the rise, according to Dave Trudeau , the college’s Director of Library Services. Total circulation in the LRC on VGCC’s Main Campus was 40% higher in 2012 than it had been in 2010, while use of the library’s computers was up 74%. In addition, usage of the LRC was up during the first quarter of 2013 over the same period in 2012.
Meanwhile, library patrons are finding a new range of educational resources at their disposal, with e-books , electronic databases and DVDs alongside more traditional books, magazines, academic journals and newspapers. For example, annual DVD circulation in the Main Campus LRC increased 86% from 2010 to 2012. “Many students and instructors don’t realize how much we have in terms of audio-visual materials and online databases,” Trudeau said. “There’s a ton of information at our fingertips, and I encourage people to check out all these terrific resources.” Some content is available thanks to NC LIVE , the statewide library partnership that offers free electronic access to resources for all ages on topics ranging from careers, business, and investing, to auto repair, health, history and genealogy. Classes can watch videos through NC LIVE at no charge, for example.
All of VGCC’s electronic resources, including NC LIVE, are now fully accessible to all students, faculty and staff even when they are not on campus. “With the same user ID and password that you use for the WebAdvisor system and for your online classes in Moodle, you can access materials from anywhere: at home, at work, on an iPad, as well as on any computer on-campus,” Trudeau said. “This single sign-on eliminates the need for individual passwords for our databases and NC LIVE resources.”
The newly renamed and reinvigorated VGCC Library Services Subcommittee, which includes faculty and staff members from across the college, is working to increase awareness of such resources. “We are promoting the library to faculty and staff through professional development,” said Maureen Walters, an English instructor who chairs the subcommittee. “With the students, we are promoting the library in our classes and encouraging others to do the same. We hope to put together a diverse group of students to serve as an advisory group to find out how the library can serve the students in the best possible way.” Walters praised the library staff. “They are willing to get any materials that would improve the library’s collection and they are continually improving the online presence of the library for students, faculty, and staff to be able to access library resources 24/7,” she said. “Although technology might be changing the way that the library is viewed, VGCC’s library is keeping up with the shift, staying ahead and anticipating everyone’s needs.”
Trudeau also emphasized that VGCC’s four campuses are not isolated from one another. “If you’re at Warren Campus and you find online a book in our collection that you need, you don’t have to travel to Main Campus, because we will deliver it to Warren Campus, for example,” he noted. That capability is in addition to online services and even a real-time librarian chat feature on the LRC website called “NCKnows.” With recent changes in library staff roles, there are now two “outreach librarians,” Jennie Davis and Nicole Robertson, who can travel to all four campuses and conduct orientation sessions there. “I hope to expand our library and information literacy classes at all campuses,” said Davis, who formerly worked at South Campus. “I want students to see the amazing world of information out there for them, not just to complete a paper or a project but also for their own personal enlightenment and entertainment. Even I can’t keep up with everything that we have available!”
The main LRC is located in Building 2 on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County, but library services are also available at the other campuses and online. Libraries are also open to the public, supporting life-long learning and intellectual enrichment for the community. For more information, visit lrc.vgcc.edu or visit any of the library locations to sign up for a library account.
Above: Students use computers in the Learning Resources Center on Main Campus. (VGCC photo)
