FAQs / Help

FAQs

Where is the library?

    • The library is located on the Pocahontas campus. It is adjacent to the Academic Complex, at the southwest corner of the campus, just off Hwy 304 East. Parking is available on the west side.

What hours are the library open?

    • The library is open 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday – Friday during the fall and spring semesters. It is usually open 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday – Thursday during the summer.
    • The library’s hours are subject to change during holidays or to accommodate changes in the school’s schedule.

Who can use the library?

    • Any student, faculty, or staff of Black River Technical College has privileges to use the library. Your BRTC ID also functions as a library card.
    • Members of the community with a valid driver’s license and email address may also use the library .

What kind of resources or services does the library offer?

    • The BRTC library provides access to 18,000+ books, over 1 million eBooks, 100+ magazine and newspaper subscriptions, and over 80 databases with access to millions of digital articles, videos, images, etc.
    • We also provide access to computers with internet connections, printing, and copying services. (No color copy or printing)
    • We have lots of public seating and tables for reading, studying, or just conversing plus 4 individual study rooms and 1 group study room equipped with a TV, DVD and VHS players, and a small boom box.
    • The library also offers one classroom that can be reserved.

Do you have a fax machine?

    • No.

What can I check out?

    • Books in our core collection, children’s books, paperbacks, and videos can be borrowed from the library. Materials in the reference collection cannot be borrowed except by special permission from the library director.

How long can I keep materials on loan?

    • Materials are usually loaned for 2 weeks with one renewal option (total 4 weeks).

What if I forget to return a book?

    • Beyond the 4 weeks maximum loan period, an overdue fee of $0.10 per day, per item will be assessed until the item is returned.

How do I return materials?

    • Items can be handed to library staff at the circulation desk, placed in the return slot at the circulation desk, or deposited in the outside return box, just in front of the library’s entrance.

Can I access the library’s digital resources off campus?

    • Yes! Some databases will require you to login. Username and passwords are provided in the Student Lounge section of your Moodle account.

Does the library offer WIFI service?

    • Yes, connect to “BRTC Guest.” (No password required)

Can I print from my own laptop over the WIFI?

    • No. You can use a flash drive or email the file to yourself and use one of the library’s computers to print.

What if the library doesn’t have what I need?

    • The BRTC library participates in the ARKLink consortium and can provide you an ARKLink card that grants privileges to use resources from other participating libraries.
    • We can also borrow materials through the Inter-library Loan program. Please allow 7-10 days to process requests.

What if my question isn’t answered here?

    • You can contact the library for additional help.
      • Circulation Desk: 870-248-4060
      • Brittany Milligan (library technician): 870-248-4062
      • Mark Warnick (library director): 870-248-4061
To request an ARKLink card or interlibrary loan, or to reserve an item or a room, contact the library director:
Mark Warnick
870-248-4061

TUTORIALS

[Click here to: Watch in a new window]
Library Orientation Handout (pdf)
  • Usernames and passwords for various databases are available in Moodle in the “Student Lounge” section. Click the link entitled: Library Database and Newspaper Passwords.
  1. From the library’s home page, click the link near the top that says “Books.” (This will open the OPAC page where you can search for a book.)
  2. To do a basic search, type some keywords in the search box near the top of the page and press enter or the “Go” button. (The results are displayed bellow the search box.)
  3. You can also specify which field you want to search. Go back to the search box and where it says “Catalogue,” pull down the menu and select which field you want to search. Usually this will be Title, Author, or Subject.
  4. Enter your keywords again in the search box and press enter or “Go.”
  5. When you find a book you want, click on the title to open its record.
  6. What you need is the call number that tells you where the book is shelved in the library. There are 2 places where this can be found.
  7. First, is the LOC classification about mid-way down the record.
  8. You can also find it at the bottom of the record under “Call number.” This is the code that tells you where the book is filed on the shelves.
  9. Also, note the Collection that it’s in. The books in the library are organized into different collections: reference collection, core collection, oversize collection, paperback novels, and videos.
  10. If you have any questions or need more assistance, please let me or one of the library staff know.
  1. From the library’s home page, select “eBooks” near the top.
  2. You have the option of selecting 5 different eBook collections. The Ebook Central collection is the most extensive and will probably be the only one you need.
  3. To select it, click on the Ebook Central title.
  4. Enter your keywords in the search box and press enter or select “Search.”
  5. In the left panel, you have several options to refine your search, if you get too many results. But the easiest way to get better results is to do an advanced search and tell the database exactly where you want it to look.
  6. To do this, select “Advanced Search” near the top of the page.
  7. Pull it down the menu in the first box and select the field you want to search. Probably Title.
  8. Leave the second box with “contains
  9. Now, enter your keywords again and press enter or “Search.”
  10. Clicking on the title will take you into the book’s record where you can read it online or download it. You can also copy or print a limited percentage of the book.
  11. There’s are other strategies you can learn and use to help you find eBooks in this database. What I’ve shown you here, however, should work for most situations. If you have any questions or need further assistance, just let me or one of the library staff know.
  1. Most databases work basically the same. For this tutorial, we’re going to use ProQuest Central as an example.
  2. From the library’s home page, select “Databases” near the top of the page.
  3. Next, find the ProQuest Central link and click on it.
  4. The default search option is Basic Search. Just enter your keywords in the search box.
  5. Generally, it is best to select the “Full text” and “Peer reviewed” options. This guarantees you can will have full access to the article and that the article is credible information.
  6. Press enter or click the magnifier search icon.
  7. The left pane of the results page gives you multiple options for refining your search, if you need to. You may also choose to do an advanced search to get more targeted results.
  8. To do an advanced search, click on the “Advanced Search” link near the top of the page.
  9. In the first search box, enter your keywords again.
  10. In the “In” box, pull down the menu and select a field to search. Document title or Abstract are the most common. Abstract is particularly good because it is a brief summary of the topic of the article. If the article pertains to your search terms, they should appear in the abstract even if they are not in the title.
  11. Once you select your field, add additional terms and fields or press enter or “Search.”
  12. To view an article just click on its title. You can now read the article, download it, print it, or copy it into a word doc, etc.
  13. If you have any questions or need further assistance, just let me or one of the library staff know.
  1. From the library’s home page, select “Databases” near the top of the page.
  2. Scroll down and select the “Lexis Uni” link.
  3. To do a basic search of the entire database, just enter your keywords in the main search box near the top and press enter or click the magnifier search icon.
  4. In the left pane of the results page, you have several options for refining your search.
  5. You can also refine your search by selecting a specific content collection, cases and codes, news types and sources, or topics or professional disciplines (Practice Areas).
  6. To do this, select the menu near the top that says, “All Nexis Uni” and select the fields you want to search in. You can select more than one.
  7. Enter you keywords again, if necessary, and press enter or click the magnifier search icon.
  8. The advanced search options give you another way to specify exactly where you want Lexis Uni to search. To use this interface, select the “Advanced Search” link near the top of the page.
  9. To view a record from the results list, just click on its title.
  1. Use the “Books” link from the library’s home page to search for the book(s) you want.
  2. Email the library director at: mark.warnick@blackrivertech.edu
  3. Include your full name, student/staff ID#, and the title, author, and call number of each book you want to check out.
  4. We will pull the book(s) and send it (them) to the bookstore on the Paragould campus, usually by the next day. You can pick them up from and return them to the Paragould bookstore.

Additional ProQuest Training

> Citation Help