Houff Library Resources and Services: Resources and Services

In the library, we provide access to:

• Wi-Fi (myBRCC login required for students, guest passes available for community members)
• 32 desktop computers
• Free printing
• Photocopier and scanner
• Quiet Zone for silent study
• Interlibrary loan (ILL) 
• Study spaces 
• Laptops for on-campus, 5-week, and 15-week loan periods 

We also provide for checkout:

• Print books and magazines
  • both academic and popular selections
• TI-83 and TI-84 calculators 
• Headphones (in-library use)
• Course reserves (in-library use)
• Phone chargers for iPhones and Android devices 
• MacBook chargers 
• See our circulation policies for more information on checking out materials

Electronic resources are accessible on and off campus 24/7:

• Full-text ebooks through the online catalog
• Audiobooks through use of the Libby App
• Online database access to:
  • ebooks
  • scholarly/academic journal articles
  • magazine articles
  • newspapers 
  • encyclopedias
  • videos
• Online research guides
• Writing and citing guide
• Access databases off campus by clicking the name of the database and logging in with your myBRCC username and password
  • See our most popular databases below:

Why is it important to make use of library resources, instead of relying solely on the general internet? There are many advantages to using library print and digital resources over those that you find on Google or Google Scholar.

• Library resources will always be free to you. While you can find a ton of free resources on Google, there are many that may ask you to create an account to access, or make you to pay to see the entirety of a resource. General Google results are often inundated with advertisements, which while harmless, can often be distracting or overbearing. You will not have to create an extra account to access library resources while you are a student at BRCC, and you will never have to deal with advertisements in library resources. 
• Many professors will require peer-reviewed journal articles, and there is no easy way to limit your results in Google or Google Scholar to guarantee that you are seeing academic, peer-reviewed materials. Google can provide you with millions of results, but you will have to spend a lot of time verifying that those resources can be trusted as good, bias-free research. Library databases make the research process a lot easier for you.
• Library databases include built-in filters that allow you to effectively adjust your results to match the needs of your assignment. Want to make sure that you are only seeing full-text, peer-reviewed academic journal articles? There are filters for that. Need an article written within the past five years on a specific subject area? There are filters for that.
• Tired of algorithms? Library database results are based on relevancy to your search terms and active filters rather than a complex algorithm involving your personal internet search history and what is popular at the moment. This relative search neutrality allows you to see results from multiple perspectives and build your research from the ground up. Academic research usually requires you to understand the full spectrum of a concept, rather than building a thesis on a biased perspective or information set. 

Check if we have your textbook!

The library does not buy textbooks for the collection, but some instructors place items on Reserve at the Information Desk for students. Most are textbooks for classes; others are items that instructors want you to read or watch in the library in addition to the textbook. Most reserves have to stay in the library unless informed otherwise. Search for reserve materials in our online catalog, or contact us for more information at library@brcc.edu

The Houff Library staff are here to help you!

Services include:

• In-person reference assistance.
• Research help and answers to library-related questions through our online Ask a Librarian service. Get quick answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs), chat live with a librarian 24/7, submit a question via email or give us a call! 
• Students can also make an appointment with a librarian for a one-on-one research consultation via Zoom. Session are generally scheduled for 30 minutes. You can email us at library@brcc.edu to make an appointment or by using Navigate (accessible through your myBRCC account).
  • Looking for a specific librarian? Check our directory!
  • Check out this video for instructions on how to book an appointment through Navigate.
• If you want an item not owned by our library, we can get it for your through interlibrary loan (ILL). Just fill out the ILL Request form.
• Faculty can learn more about services for instructors at the Faculty Services and Resources guide.
• Our research guides can help you get started with your research. Click here for our list of A-Z guides.

Over 140 online library databases

Over 27,000 print books in our library. Use the library catalog to search for books and other materials.

• Our print book collection is focused on academic materials to support learning and instruction but we also offer a variety of books for leisure reading for adults, young adults, and children.
• Our print reference collection provides access to encyclopedias, guides, handbooks, and more. You may want to use our online reference resources as well.
• To learn more about the resources in our library check out our collection development plan.

Over 30 Research Guides: Created by your librarians help you get started with your research and locate sources for your projects and papers.