Library hours:
The library will be closed on holidays and breaks listed on the BRCC academic calendar: https://www.brcc.edu/academics/academic-calendar/
AND - the online library is always open and you can access electronic resources and helpful guides at the Houff Library website: https://www.brcc.edu/library/. The library staff is available to help and you can contact us at library@brcc.edu or use the live chat!
Ask a Librarian chat librarians can assist you in a variety of ways. Working on a paper at 2 am and want to run your research topic by someone else? Need help refining your search terms or uncovering a stronger search strategy? Getting frustrated by the catalog or databases? Want to double check a citation? The Ask a Librarian 24/7 chat is for you! Chat librarians can help with all these things and so much more!
If you have any questions on specific assignment details, including due dates, course expectations, or whether or not a database or source will work for your assignment, please check in with your professor.
Follow the instructions on the Library Technology Guide to download the Libby App to borrow and listen to audiobooks through Libby.
You can return your books to the library or use the drive-up book drop by the Armstrong/C building. If you want to renew your materials you can call us at 540-453-2247 or email us at library@brcc.edu.
The College Archive is located in the Houff Student Center, room G172. Access is by appointment only. Contact the library to make an appointment. https://brcc.vccs.libguides.com/archive
To look up your class and see the list of required and recommended course materials, go to the efollet link under myBRCC or visit: https://bkstr.com/blueridgeccstore and click find courses. This will show the textbooks for the class and from the list you can select "add to cart" for print and digital books, including rental textbooks.
Contact information for the bookstore at BRCC is: 540-234-8606 or brcc@bkstr.com.
You can contact the bookstore if you have any problems using the website.
The library provides access to thousands of online, full-text articles through our databases. Check out the A-Z List of all library databases at BRCC. Once you are in the database you select, type in the name of the work or author you are researching. We have step-by step guides available to help you with the discovery process. If you are off-campus, you will need to log in with your myBRCC username and password when prompted. Here is a guide to that process.
If you still don't find what you need, ask us for help! If you need help using the databases, let us know and we will be glad to assist you.
Follow the instruction on this guide: https://brcc.vccs.libguides.com/offcampus
Anyone may use the Houff Library! As a community service, the Houff Library is open to the public free of charge. Access to technology resources and the circulation of library materials requires a BRCC ID or BRCC library card. For more information on acquiring an ID as a student or community member, please see our guide on Houff Library Resources and Services.
Yes, laptops are available at the information desk and can be checked out to students to use on campus.
You can schedule a research appointment with a librarian by logging into the myBRCC system and setting up an appointment through EAB Navigate. For detailed instructions on that process check out this video: https://youtu.be/EJ46qem0eLo
Yes, dual enrollment students have the same access to resources as all BRCC students. Check out our Dual Enrollment Guide for more info.
All printing is free. Color printing is available at the computers nearest to the information desk and in the F110 open computer lab.
Bring your free BRCC student/staff ID to the information desk or a photo ID with the items that you want to borrow. We do require all students fill out a technology agreement form to borrow calculators or webcams. If you are a community member you must have your community member card that we provide or a photo ID. If you are under 18 and want a community member library card, you must have your legal parent/guardian present with you to obtain a signature.
Some of them! Houff Library has some required textbooks available - these textbooks are provided by your instructors and are placed On Reserve behind the Library Information Desk. However, these textbooks are for in-library use only. We have a scanner in the library and a copier. Please ask us at the desk for more information.
Financial Aid: brccfinancials@brcc.edu
In Person: Houff Student Center
M-Th: 8:30 am-5:00 pm
F: 8:30 am-12:00 pm
Campus Call Center: 540-453-2301
M-Th: 8:00 am-8:00 pm
F: 8:00 am-12:00 pm
Sat: 9:00 am-1:00 pm
Yes! Current BRCC students, faculty, and staff can use other local academic libraries who are part of the VIVA Cooperative Borrowing program. This includes JMU, MBU, EMU, Bridgewater, and others. The full list of colleges is available online. To use library resources at VIVA libraries you will need to have your current BRCC ID.
Fill out the Interlibrary Loan Request Form online to request items not owned by the BRCC Houff Library. This service is at no charge to you. We will contact you when your book or article is available.
There are several ways to receive help from the library. You can visit us in person for assistance at the Houff Library, on the second floor of the Houff Student Center, reach out via email, call us at (540) 453-2247 or set up a one-on-one appointment via Navigate (for instructions, check out this video). For assistance after hours or on weekends, check out the 24/7 chat service. For more information on contacting the library, and the resources and services we provide, see this Research Guide. For students in the SDV class, we have a guide specifically for introducing you to Houff resources.
In terms of useful resources the library provides, we have a plethora of materials that you can find/use on and off campus:
Houff Library has a subscription to the physical copy of the Daily News Record, which is located on the information desk in the library. We can also send you articles from The News Leader or The Richmond Times by emailing us a request at library@brcc.edu. BRCC students and staff also have access to the NewsBank Database.
Calculators can be checked out for a semester but must be renewed every four weeks. Calculators must be brought into the library to be renewed; they cannot be renewed over the phone.
You can find full-text literary criticism, literature analysis, and author biographies in our library databases. We recommend using the databases mentioned in the English 112 Research Guide. The Gale Literature database is particularly useful when researching literary criticism. Once you are in the database you selected, type in the name of the work or author you are researching.
We have step-by step guides available to help you with the discovery process. If you are off-campus, you will need to log in with your myBRCC username and password when prompted. Here is a guide to that process. If you still don't find what you need, ask us for help!
Most library databases provide a permanent/persistent link that will take you directly back to a specific article or ebook you have found. Watch these videos to see how it works. Use the permalinks to share an article with your professor or save it to read later. Don't use the URL you see in the browser window--this is only a temporary link.
Permalinks in Ebsco Databases
Permalinks in Gale Databases
BRCC students can check out print books in our library and also have access to thousands of full-text academic ebooks online through some of our databases! (just sign in with your myBRCC credentials when prompted)
Great places to find academic ebooks:
ProQuest eBook Central
EBSCO eBooks
Gale eBooks (includes academic encyclopedias)
You can also search for books in the Library Catalog and limit your results to books and online access.
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.