Recommendations for additions to the collection may be made by Glendale Community College students, faculty, and staff using the collection recommendation form. 

Lynda is not a service subscribed to by the library.  However, the GCC Art department maintains a webpage with information regarding  Lynda access.  

Our Library hours are the same throughout the semester and are not extended during finals week.   This is something we may consider for the future, but at this time, the hours are the same.  Thank you for providing this suggestion.  

Thank you for your comment regarding the GCC Library Website.  And thank you, too, for pointing out an oversight. 

At the library we strive to be post hours three weeks prior to the start of a new semester.  In fact, we recently built a system that is intended to automate the process.  Apparently, we are still working out the bugs.

Library hours for the Spring Intersession are now posted. 

Thanks again for drawing our attention to the missing information and using the Library Suggestion Box.  Please contact us again if you need further information or have additional comments.

Thanks for taking the time to offer feedback. 

Interestingly, the resource that you refer to is intended to simplify the old search interface (and current advanced search).  Unlike the old interface, the newer resource features a single search box, doesn't require knowledge of Boolean search logic, and produces a results list where users can limit by various attributes (such as format or subject). 

The library recognizes, though, that usability problems remain with this interface.  If you can point to specific problems, it would help the library configure a system which responds to basic user needs as well as advanced search requirements.

Thanks for the compliment!

Frequently, the library commemorates various celebrations day, weeks, and months and holidays as well as campus events and activities.  In doing so, the points users to the many great resources in the collection -- both online and in print.

Thanks again for taking the time to let us know that you enjoyed the news item.

Hi Alicia - 

I'm sorry to hear that you had a problem at the library today. 

Unfortunately, it looks like the complaint that you submitted got cut off.  I will try to address what I think may be your concern.  However, I encourage you to re-submit your complaint if I do not answer your concern completely.

Library group study rooms are designed for group study.  Therefore, groups of 2 or more have priority over individuals studying alone.  Our policy is to ask individual students to move to another location when groups are waiting and there are no other rooms.

See the following webpage for group study room policies.  Policy details are also posted on the outside of each study room door.

If you have concerns about this policy or think it should be changed, let us know that.  The library tries to create policy to best serve GCC students.  It is important that we are aware of student concerns.

If I have not addressed your complaint or you have a follow-up concern, feel free to use the suggestion box again or reply to this email.

Thanks for the suggestion.  This is a great idea. 

Unfortunately, we will not be able to make the change immediately, though. 

Currently, our Awards Lists Module points to materials available through the Library Catalog.  The technology that runs the system is set up exclusively to reference the catalog.  In order to include items as you have suggested and link to them on the open web, we will have to make some changes to the behind-the-scenes technology.

That said, the library will look into your suggestion.  If we find that a significant number of full-text titles featured on the Awards Lists are freely available on the web we will consider making the necessary changes to the technology that would allow direct lilnking to these freely available full-text titles.

Thanks again for your suggestion and thinking critically about library services.

Thanks for your comments on the Arizona Memory Project.  It is a great resource for Arizona history. 

Keep in mind that there are many subsections of the Arizona Memory project including the Glendale History Project comprised of several sections including the Glendale Community College Archives.

The library appreciates the frankness with which you express your frustration.  As information professionals who work with students every day, librarians recognize that the research process can be extremely frustrating.  Further, you are correct when you suggest that the tools provided by the library are not always user friendly.

Regarding Databases:

It is true that the databases are challenging to use and that the syntax required to effectively search these resources is a bit counter intuitive in light of the simplicity of basic Google searching.  However, the library databases are the best place to find peer-reviewed and scholarly materials in most subject areas.  Such materials are not generally available on the free web.

Given that most scholarly and peer-reviewed materials are not available on the free web, it is essential that students learn efficient search techniques and strategies for library databases.  Such skills will benefit students throughout their college careers and possibly beyond.  An experienced researcher will be able to find information on most topics using the suite of library resources available through the GCC Libraries. 

The library encourages students who are having trouble finding research materials to Ask-a-Librarian for assistance.  Students may contact a librarian in person or via chat, email, or phone. 

Some of the most common problems that students encounter when using library databases include:

1. search syntax: most library databases require Boolean searching (using 'and' and 'or' as connectors); simply typing in words without these connectors will often lead to poor results
2. not scrolling: most library databases return results in reverse chronological order; thus, the best results for your search may be on the seond or third screen
3. selecting the right database: without experience, it is difficult to know which databases are the best for a given topic; if you are not getting the results you expect, ask-a-librarian.

Regarding Citation Features:

It would be helpful to have more information about the resource that you were using when you encountered the problems described above. If a malfunction is encountered, please let the library know the resource and the nature of the malfunction so that the problem can be reported.

Unfortunately, each database handles citation information a bit differently.  Some provide users with the ability to select the citation style they are looking for.  Other databases provide the information needed for a citation but do not provide the information in standard MLA or APA style.  It is important for students to learn to recognize the required elements of a citation and be able to put these elements in the proper style using citation guides.  The ability to appropriately cite one's creative work (papers, technical reports, media productions, etc.) is an essential skill for college level and professional work.  

The library maintains a Citation Guides webpage that links to specialized resources and citation generators that help with citing sources. 

Final Thoughts:

Proprietary library systems accessing commercially controlled information (i.e. scholarly materials and other commercial publications) are currently lagging behind the search and retrieval systems provided by Google with respect to usability.  It is the hope of information professionals that one day scholarly and commercial information will be more easily accessible.  Where possible, we are working toward that vision.