Mission Statement
Miller Library is committed to supporting faculty, staff, and students in their classroom activities, independent research, personal development, and cultural and societal studies and to helping all students achieve information literacy, in general and in their specific areas of study. In addition, supplemental service is made available to the McPherson community, alumni, and the Church of the Brethren constituencies.
In order to fulfill this commitment, the staff strives to:
- build and maintain a well-balanced collection of materials, both print and nonprint,
- provide access through bibliographic tools, instruction, and required equipment,
- provide reference assistance as needed,
- provide support for the utilization of nonprint media,
- expand in-house resources through cooperative arrangements such as interlibrary loan,
- promote use by providing an environment conducive to study, and,
- support the achievement of information literacy in all students.
Location of Materials
The MacPac catalog is available through the campus network and on the web. Access it through the library’s home page at http://www.mcpherson.edu/library.
With the exception of the special collections, both print and nonprint (designated AV) materials are arranged on open shelves on upper level by Dewey Decimal Classification. An exception – music LPs, CDs and cassette tapes – are located on the upper level, west alcove. All oversize materials, which are classed with a Q designator, are shelved on the bottom shelf/shelves of the appropriate section in the general collection. Special collection materials are designated by location symbols:
B Brethren Collection (lower level, southeast)
C Control Collection (main level, Public Services Desk)
J Juvenile Collection (lower level, north)
R Reference Collection (main level, north)
S Center for Science &Religion (Melhorn Science Hall)
T Automobile Technology (main level, south)
Periodical databases and online some reference materials are available on library workstations (main level) and through the campus network. For a detailed listing of these resources, please consult the Online Resources page in the Miller Library Online Resources web site, http://www.mcpherson.edu/library
Older periodical abstracting and indexing resources in print format are located on the upper level, center alcove.
Current issues of periodicals received in hard copy are shelved alphabetically on main level, north; current microformat titles and all back holdings are located in the stacks area on lower level, south. A list of current periodical subscriptions is available in print format in the periodicals area. Also, most periodical holdings are listed by title in the MacPac. In addition, many online resources provide access to full-text periodicals and other documents. To identify those titles available online, check AtoZ, a list of all our online resources, available on the Online Resources page.
A map collection is located on the main level, northwest corner, in a vertical file cabinet. All are arranged alphabetically by Library of Congress subject headings.
If you have difficulty locating materials, please inquire at the Public Services desk.
Circulation of Materials
All materials are circulated through the Public Services desk, with loan periods determined by type of material. General collections books, nonprint materials and pamphlets are charged for the academic term, due on the last class day; periodical and reference materials (those which circulate) are due in one day.
Materials are charged out by persenting the materials and your library card or McPherson College identification card at the Public Services desk.
Reserve Materials
All materials to be placed “on reserve” must be accompanied by a completed and legible listing of the materials on the form provided. Personal copies of faculty members may be placed on reserve but will have barcodes and security sensors affixed. It is suggested that rather than placing multiple copies of photocopied materials on reserve, faculty members consider placing that material on their LMS class sites for students to access. Reserve materials are normally on two-hour loan, almost always for use in the library only. Forms are available at the Public Services desk, or by campus mail if you call.
We require notice of at least 24 hours in order to collect and process reserve materials. Please do not tell a class that materials are on reserve before you tell us to place them on reserve.
When reserve materials become significantly overdue, the faculty member having placed them on reserve will be notified so that the appropriate adjustments in assignments, etc., can be made.
Orientation/Instruction Services
The library staff provides orientation and instruction in use of available resources and services to faculty and students in a classroom setting or individually, as requested. Library staff members will conduct individual and class tours of our facility; it is necessary, however, to schedule class tours at least 24 hours in advance to assure that a staff member will be available for an extended period of time. Information concerning the number of students, the areas of special interest and the amount of time allotted for the tour will assist our planning. The librarian is also available to go to your classroom to demonstrate online searching techniques. In addition, the librarian will “test” research assignments for you to make sure that the resources available in Miller Library will support the assignment. We appreciate receiving copies of assignments requiring library research.
Equipment
Equipment that is purchased through the Library/Media Services budget is either located permanently in classroom buildings or may be borrowed at the Public Services desk of Miller Library. Most classroom areas are provided with an overhead projector and a VCR/monitor on a cart; many have computers and projectors. Some other equipment such as camcorders, portable public address systems, a Proxima projector, laptop computer, etc., is available for use by scheduling with the library staff. This “for loan” equipment should be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance of need to assure availability.
Services
Faculty members are expected to locate and operate media equipment themselves; if instruction in use is needed, please contact the librarian. In addition, no staff members are available to deliver and/or operate media equipment for specific classes/events.
All repair and replacement are responsibilities of the library staff, as is instruction in use; if there is a problem with this equipment, it should be reported to the library staff. Equipment purchased personally or from departmental budgets, however, cannot be serviced by library staff persons. If problems occur when using library equipment, let us know! We will try to replace with extra equipment and arrange for repair.
Interlibrary Loan
Participation in the Online Computer Library Catalog (OCLC), an international bibliographic records and holdings database, and the Kansas Interlibrary Loan Circuit provides excellent interlibrary loan service to McPherson College students and staff. Normally, desired items can be obtained from Associated Colleges of Central Kansas (ACCK) and South Central Kansas Library System (SCKLS) libraries in less than one week; for materials from other libraries, two to four weeks must be allowed. To request such materials, request materials directly from the Kansas Library Catalog, OCLC’s World Cat, or complete a form available at the Public Services desk. Please inquire there for further assistance.
Classrooms and Meeting Rooms
Miller 103 and 106 are scheduled by the Registrar’s office; Miller 105 is scheduled through the Facilities Management office.