Frequently Asked Questions

When is the library open?

During the Fall and Spring semesters, the LRC is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday.  Summer hours and hours between semesters will be posted at a later time.

Do I need a library card?

For students, faculty and staff, your ID card serves as your library card once we put a barcode on it and register you in our system.  For community users, we will issue you a Community Borrower's card.  All library users wishing to check out materials must first complete a library card application and receive a library barcode. This card, whether it is an HCC ID or a Community Borrower's card, is your identification and must be presented when checking out items. Should materials be damaged or lost, you will be charged for them and no grades or transcripts can be released until library fines are settled.

How many books or periodicals may I check out?

There is no limit for HCC students, faculty and staff.  For community borrowers, the number of items checked out is limited to 10. Everyone is personally responsible for the safety, proper use and return of all materials charged to him or her.

Where is the library catalog or OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog)?

A link to the Online Library Catalog is located on every page in the Library site in the upper right hand corner and on the OPAC Online Catalog Resources page. This system also enables you to search for materials at all North Carolina Community College Libraries.

How long may I keep library materials?

Most books may be checked out for three weeks. Periodicals may be checked out for 1 week. All library materials must be returned before the end of each semester.

What are the overdue fines?

For all books and periodicals, fines are ten cents per item per day. All accounts must be cleared before a student will be allowed to register for the following semester, to graduate, or to receive a transcript.

What if I lose a book or magazine?

The current purchase price will be charged for lost library materials, plus a five-dollar handling fee. A student found guilty of theft, mutilation or defacement of materials will be subject to suspension from the college.

What is a Reserve Book?

Faculty members may place books from the library collection and/or personal copies on the reserve shelves behind the circulation desk. Reserve books are generally limited to use within the library, but this is up to the faculty member placing the item on reserve.  Faculty may request that reserve materials be allowed to circulate for a brief period, such as overnight, 3 days, or 1 week.

Do you have any audiovisual materials?

Audiovisual materials and equipment may be scheduled for use in the conference room or checked out for classroom use under the supervision of an instructor.

Can I print or make copies?

A self-service, coin-operated copy machine is available to make copies. Printing from the computer is also allowed. The cost is ten cents per page. Color printouts are fifty cents per page. Laminating is also available at a cost of twenty-five cents per foot.  For HCC faculty and staff doing laminating that is work-related, there is no charge.

What else is available in the library?

A microfilm/microfiche reader/printer is available for student use. Copies are ten cents per page. Full access to the Internet, library catalog, NC Live, and Microsoft Office are located on each computer. One computer is set up to scan your documents or photos; it can also print in color.

What are the copyright laws regarding multimedia and the Internet?

(See also the Copyright Information page)

Multimedia Fair Use Copyright Guidelines

Any copyrighted source materials used in a multimedia creation must be lawfully obtained, i.e., through purchase, gift, or license agreements. Examples: original copies of videotapes, images, books, clip art collections, and audio recordings. Time limit on the fair use of copyrighted materials is two years from completion of work. Any use beyond two years must be with written permission for each copyrighted portion incorporated into their production.The number of copies that can be made of a multimedia creation containing fair use materials is generally two, however, joint producers may each have a copy.

Portion Limits
  • Motion Media (Video) - up to 10% or three minutes, whichever is less.
  • Text - up to 10% or 1,000 words, whichever is less.
  • Poem - up to 250 words, but further limited to three poems or portions of poems by one poet; or five poems or portions of poems by different poets from an anthology.
  • Music - up to 10% or 30 seconds, whichever is less.
  • Photos and Images - up to five works from one author; up to 10% or 15 works, whichever is less, from a collection.
  • Database information - up to 10% or 2,500 fields or cell entries, whichever is less.

Sources consulted: University of Texas System, Copyright Management Center Web site; Stanford University Libraries Copyright and Fair Use Web site; Association of American Publisher's "Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia."

Internet Copyright Guidelines

  • Is E-Mail copyrighted? All the E-mail you write is copyrighted. However, E-mail is not private.
  • Can I download software and distribute it? Some software is "public domain" meaning that you can do with it what you want. Freeware, on the other hand, is for your use but it is not appropriate for you to distribute it to others. Shareware requires renumerating the author for your use but cannot be duplicated and distributed to others.
  • May I make copies of articles from electronic journals or journals received electronically? If you are an instructor making copies of articles for your students, the fair use guidelines apply. Any other copying that you do should not harm the commercial value of a work. If you are an instructor making copies of articles from print or nonprint journals for students in your class, the Fair Use Guidelines would probably apply.

Source: CYBERSPACE LAW ABSTRACTS, Larry Lessig (ed.), 1996, 97.

What are the guidelines for use of the Internet in the Library?

The HCC Library Internet Guidelines are provided for HCC students to support their educational needs and for HCC faculty and staff to support their professional activities. All HCC users are responsible for using the Internet in an effective, efficient, ethical, and lawful manner. Internet access is a privilege, not a right, and as such, can be withdrawn from those who use it irresponsibly. Procedures:

  1. Acceptance of Internet configuration and software files constitutes agreement with the policies outlined below.
  2. Users have access to a wide variety of information via the Internet. The availability of such information does not imply that HCC approves or endorses its content. Additionally, there is no guarantee of the validity or accuracy of information accessed.
  3. Users of HCC Internet services should be aware that files and electronic mail are not private.

Allowed Uses of the Internet

  • Research
  • Online assignment

Disallowed Uses of the Internet

  • Illegal or illicit or inappropriate purposes
  • Commercial purposes
  • Altering system files, utilities, or features

Internet Resource User Priorities

  • HCC Curriculum Students (research)
  • HCC Curriculum Students (online course assignments)
  • HCC Faculty and Staff
  • Affiliated Institution Users
  • Community Users (includes Continuing Education)

HCC Library staff monitor all electronic activities to ensure computers are available to meet student research needs.

The primary purpose of the HCC Library's public access computers is for library-related research and/or study. Priority will always be given to HCC students needing computers for research purposes.

During busy periods, library staff maintain the right to ask anyone using computer network resources for non-classroom purposes to relinquish the computer to students who need it for research purposes.

Failure to follow the HCC Computing Services policy may result in disciplinary action or loss of library privileges.