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Library Support for Distance Learning

We’re here to help! Please contact us no matter how simple or complex your question or issue. If you need help with research or have questions about using the library, please feel free to contact our librarian for Distance Learning, Anna Johnson at 503-491-7686. You may also call the Reference Desk at 503-491-7516 or use Ask a Librarian for online assistance.

Choose a topic or scroll down to read through all of our services:

Online Library Services

When you connect to your online classes through WebCT, look for the MHCC Library link within your Course Tools menu. Here you will find links to the online library catalog, MHCC Library tutorials, research help, and other resources.

The MHCC Library also maintains a presence on the MyMHCC portal. Look for the Library link at the bottom left of any portal page. (You do not need to log in to the portal to access this content). Here you will find many online library resources, including handouts from library instruction sessions.

Using MHCC Library Services

To access all of the Library resources available for distance education students and instructors, including our article databases , please make sure that you know your MHCC id number. Your MHCC student ID card is your library card. Contact the College Center to get your student ID card.

Accessing Library Materials

Library Catalog:
Use to find books, DVDs, videos, journal titles and more available at the MHCC Library. See Borrowing Materials from the MHCC Library for more information.

Summit Catalog:
Use to find books, DVDs, videos and more at over 30 academic libraries in Oregon and Washington. You can use the "Request This Item" feature within the Summit Catalog to have items sent to MHCC or any of the member libraries for pickup. Please contact Eileen Neil at 503-491-7610 if you have any questions about Summit borrowing.

Course Reserves:
Use course reserves to find materials your instructor may have placed in the Library for you to use.

Databases:
Use databases to search for articles in magazines, journals, and newspapers. To access Library databases from off-campus, you will be asked to enter your last name and MHCC identification number. If you have any difficulty, please consult our off-campus database access guide.

Citation Style Guides:
Use these online guides to help you with APA, MLA, CSE and Chicago styles for print and online sources.

MHCC Library Tutorials:
Use these tutorials for online assistance in how to use Library databases and do research.

Borrowing Materials from the MHCC Library

If you would like to check out books or videos from the MHCC Library, use the Library Catalog to look up the materials. When you have located what you need, please complete a Materials Request Form to have these items mailed to you. You may have no more than 20 items out at any one time.

Materials will be mailed to you at no cost. You will be responsible for returning materials to the Library before the due date to avoid overdue fees. If you have fines of $5 or more, or if you have overdue items, the library will be unable to check out materials to you. Users are responsible for items checked out on their MHCC library cards and should point out any noticeable damages upon receiving an item in the mail.

MHCC library books are checked out for 30 days and may be renewed one time for an additional 15 days by calling 503-491-7161 during Library hours. You can also renew online through My Library Account with your last name and MHCC id number. The loan period for videos is 14 days with no renewals.

Requesting Materials from Other Libraries (Interlibrary Loan)

In the event that you need a book or a journal article that is not found in the MHCC Library's collection, you may fill out an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Request Form to get this item from another library.

Please verify that an item is not available locally before you place an ILL request. For articles, look for the journal title in the Library’s print and electronic collections. For books and videos, look for your item in the Summit catalog of college libraries in the Pacific NW.

When you complete an ILL Request Form, the item that you requested will be mailed to you from the MHCC Library when it arrives from the lending library. For journal articles, you will receive a photocopy of the article, which you do not need to return to the Library.

NOTE: Make sure when you fill out the ILL Request Form to indicate that you are a Distance Education Student.

There is no fee for this service, but you are limited to ten pending requests. The loan period is determined by the lending library and is usually two to four weeks. There are no renewals. Please return ILL books on time.

For further information please contact Diane Schmitt at 503-491-7652.