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About the Library

Services, Collections & Spaces

Access & Borrowing

Access

"Librarians have a professional obligation to ensure that all library users have free and equal access to the entire range of library services, materials, and programs." The American Library Association

We are committed to ensuring the availability of materials, spaces, and services to the community of students, faculty, staff, and residents we serve. We provide millions of digital and tangible materials. The Locate catalog can be used to locate items here at Jefferson College, and the MOBIUS catalog can be used to locate and order items from our consortia partners across the state and region. Databases can be used to locate various digital items, such as articles and videos. Many items may be used by all visitors. However, Jefferson College ID or Community Library Card is needed to borrow materials and access online content from off-campus.

Our primary mission is to support the curriculum and the educational and enrichment activities of the College, but many library materials and services are available to Jefferson County residents, and all visitors are entitled  to free access to U.S. Government information through our participation in the Federal Depository Library Program and in compliance with Title 44 U.S.C. 1901-1916 (2010). Specific borrowing policies and guidelines are listed below, including policies governing use of the library by visitors to campus--community patrons, patrons from other MOBIUS libraries, government information seekers, and others.

Community Visitors

Visitors not affiliated with the College are not required to have a Community Library Card to use the public access computers, but must comply with all local, state, and federal laws, as well as College and Library policies. Visitors may consult the collections, use Jefferson County History Center resources, or book meeting rooms without obtaining a library card. However, a Community Library Card must be obtained to check out materials, including meeting room electronics and all library policies and procedures, including Community Room Use Agreement, must be followed. A Community Library Card may be obtained with proof of Jefferson County residence and a valid photo ID.

Government Information Seekers

Jefferson College Library is a designated Federal Depository Library. As is stipulated in Title 44 USC Ch. 19, are welcomed at Jefferson College Library during regular operating hours and may access print and electronic government information sources with the assistance of a librarian or other staff member. Visitors in need of specific government information are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the Government Document Coordinator, Lisa Pritchard (lpritcha@jeffco.edu) in order to ensure that information needs are met.

Jefferson County History Center Visitors

If you would like to use materials located in the Jefferson County History Center Archives for local history or genealogy research, you do not need a Community Library Card, but you will need to contact Assistant Director of Library Services Joette Klein (jklein1@jeffco.edu) to schedule an appointment or set-up a consultation. The Jefferson County History Center's webpages provide additional information about use of the space and collections.

Circulation Definitions, Policies, and Loan Periods

The Jefferson College Library offers borrowing of library materials to Jefferson College students, faculty and staff, card holders from other MOBIUS libraries, and community library card holders of Jefferson County.

  1. Definitions
  2. Circulating items -- materials that can be borrowed from the library and taken home for a specific length of time. Circulating materials are kept on shelves that can be browsed easily.
  3. Reference items -- materials that are kept in the library as a ready source of information. Reference materials include dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, and atlases.
  4. Reserve items – materials usually provided by instructors for use in conjunction with a particular course. These items are mostly available for short term use in the library.
  5. Loan Period – The length of time a library item may be borrowed.
  6. MOBIUS --   A multi-state collaboration of libraries that provide library patrons access to additional library materials.
  7. Inter-Library Loan –  Also referred to as ILL, is a  service that allows for library patrons to obtain materials that are not available from the Jefferson College library or the MOBIUS consortium.
  8. Borrowing Guidelines
  1. Jefferson College students, faculty and staff with a current Jefferson College ID may borrow materials from the Jefferson College circulating collection, the MOBIUS Consortium and the Inter-Library Loan service.
  2. MOBIUS Consortium members may request that our items be sent to another MOBIUS location, request to pick up items at one of our locations (Pick Up Anywhere), or check-out items by visiting one of our locations and using the Visiting Patron option for MOBIUS participants. Non-Jefferson College borrowers must contact their home institutions to inquire about or renew items.
  3. Jefferson County community members and Jefferson College affiliates may receive a community library card from the circulation desk.  Those holding a community library card may only borrow items from the Jefferson College library collection or request items from the MOBIUS Consortium.  
  4. Electronic items are available for current Jefferson College students, faculty and staff.
  5. Reserve items are for Jefferson College students and faculty use only.
  1. Loan Periods
  1. All library users have the same loan period for books, magazines, audio books, CD’s, and DVD’s checked out from the Jefferson College collection, MOBIUS, and Inter-Library Loan.  These items may be renewed twice providing there is no hold on the item.
    1. DVD VIDEOS – 10 days
    2. MAGAZINE – 10 days
    3. CDs – 10 days
    4. AUDIO BOOK – 28 days
    5. BOOK – 28 days
  2. When borrowing electronic items, an electronic use agreement form must be signed by the borrower.  Electronic items do not check out to community borrowers.
    1. iPADS – 7 days
    2. CHROMEBOOK – Semester
    3. Faculty/Staff LAPTOP – 7 days or Semester
    4. ACER Laptops -- Semester
    5. TELESCOPES – 7 days
  1. Item limits
  1. Jefferson College students, faculty  and staff
    1. Book Limit: 50
    2. Video: 5
    3. Audio: 5
    4. Reserve: 2
  2. Jefferson County community members and affiliates.
    1. Book Limit: 20
    2. Video: 5
    3. Audio: 5
  3. Books are limited to 5 items on the same subject for all borrowers.
  1. Fines and lost or damaged items
  1. Fines are not charged for books, audio books, magazines, DVD’s, and CD’s if not returned or renewed by the due date.   Items that are not returned and go to a billed status, and patrons receive a notice of this change in status and replacement cost.  Patrons will be charged the replacement cost and will result in a hold placed on student accounts.  A hold will prevent the student from getting grades, registering for classes, or requesting transcripts.  Once the item is returned, the charge is waived and the hold removed. If the item is not returned or other action taken within 30 days of this initial notice, a final notice will be sent to the patron. If the item has not been returned 60 days after the initial notification, the replacement charge is sent to a collections agency. 
  2. Fines will be accessed per hour for reserve items that are overdue.
  3. Fines for electronic items will be accessed per day for each day the item is overdue.
  4. Items that are lost or damaged will be accessed the replacement cost of the item plus a processing fee.
  5. MOBIUS items that are lost or damaged have a replacement cost of $120.
  6. Jefferson College library and many MOBIUS libraries accept new copies of lost or damaged materials.   The item must be the same edition, with the same ISBN number. This exchange must be approved by the library staff.