Library Policies

Acceptable Use

The NECC Libraries maintain an open-door policy, and campus libraries are accessible to the entire community. All patrons are expected to use the resources of the Libraries in a responsible manner. Students, faculty, and staff engaged in research or other course-related activity will be given priority for computer access.

• Phones: Phone calls or video chat in the libraries are not permitted. In Haverhill, calls may be taken in the foyer or one of the unalarmed stairwells. In Lawrence, calls may be taken in the vending area immediately outside the library. There are no public phones in either library; students or community members who need to place a call will be directed to campus Public Safety. Cell phone ringers and notifications should be silent or vibrate upon entering the libraries.
• Music/Video: Headphones are required when listening to music or watching videos.
• Disruptive Behavior: Disruptive or inappropriate behavior of any kind, including loud talking, swearing, or overt displays of affection, is not permitted.
• Animals: Animals are not allowed in the libraries. Exceptions are only made in accordance with the College’s Service Animals Assisting Individuals With Disabilities policy.
• Personal Possessions: The Libraries are not responsible for any personal property. Please do not leave personal possessions such as laptops, phones, textbooks, etc., unattended. Any items left in the library will be turned over to Public Safety.
• Computer Labs: Computer labs in the libraries are for the exclusive use of students, faculty, and college staff. Exceptions may be granted on a limited basis for library users to perform NECC-related or authorized work. There are a minimal number of computer stations at the Bentley Library in Haverhill for public use that does not violate NECC’s Computer and Network Usage Policy.

Library policies are in accordance with the NECC Computer and Network Usage Policy.

Students who do not comply with the Acceptable Use Policy or Student Code of Conduct may be referred to the college’s Code of Conduct Administrator and/or campus Public Safety if warranted. Behavior constituting an acute threat will be referred to NECC Public Safety and local police. Non-NECC persons will be referred to NECC Public Safety or local police.

Updated: 05/30/2023

Borrowing Materials

If You Are an NECC Student Currently Enrolled in for‐Credit Classes, or NECC Faculty/Staff, You Have

• Full borrowing privileges at Northern Essex Community College and all Higher Education Libraries of Massachusetts partner libraries;
• Borrowing privileges at the University of Massachusetts and all Massachusetts public universities and community colleges with your NECC photo ID;
• Interlibrary loan privileges for HELM and the Massachusetts statewide catalog, ComCat;
• Off‐campus access to NECC library databases (with your NECC library number);
• The ability to request and renew library items online.

If You Are a NECC Student Currently Enrolled in Flex/Non‐Credit Courses You Have

• Borrowing privileges at NECC

Borrowing Periods

Books

• Four weeks
• May be renewed once for four weeks, if there are no active requests for the item
• No limit on the number that can be taken out at a time

Video

• Two weeks
• Only three DVDs may be out on an account at any time

Audiobooks and Other Resources

• Two weeks

Fees and Fines

NECC does not charge fines for overdue books owned by NECC.
Long overdue books will cause a hold to be placed on your student account, preventing you from registering for classes, obtaining grades, or requesting a transcript. Any items on your account must be returned, and all outstanding fines must be paid before your hold is removed.

Updated 5/30/2023

Collection Development

Collection Development Statement

NECC Library supports Northern Essex students’ and faculty’s teaching and research needs by developing, maintaining, and creating accessible collections with evolving services for on-campus and online students. The Libraries adhere to copyright policies and best practices and purchase materials as appropriate. This collection development policy was written to establish guidelines for selecting, retaining, and maintaining library materials.

Selection Statement

The primary mission of the Library is to provide resources to support the curriculum and research needs of NECC’s students and faculty, with a secondary goal to collect materials that reflect the general interests of the entire College community.

In addition to a resource’s relevance to the curriculum and collection, factors for selection and retention include, but are not limited to format, currency, cost, and collection balance representing a range of social, educational, and intellectual viewpoints.

The libraries also serve as an archive and depository of college documents such as All College Assembly minutes, Board of Trustees minutes, accreditation reports, and College historical collections.

Responsibility for Selection

The selection of library materials is a joint responsibility of the librarians and library staff, with extensive input from faculty. The ultimate responsibility for selecting library materials resides with the Assistant Dean of Library Services.

Suggestions for acquisitions from faculty, staff, and students are welcomed but are subject to the same selection criteria as all other library materials.

Acquisitions Priorities

Librarians regularly assess print and digital resources to maintain collection currency and relevance (specifically to collection requirements for academic program accreditation). Selection of new materials and continuation of print or digital subscriptions are made based on affordability, faculty and curriculum needs, reviews, and availability of resources through the NECC Library’s consortia.

NECC Library does not purchase textbooks used in the College’s courses; however, general works used in the curriculum (such as works of literature) are regularly acquired due to their broad application across disciplines.

Withdrawal of Materials

Librarians regularly review materials for withdrawal or discontinuation to maintain a robust and valuable collection that reflects the College’s current needs. Materials may be withdrawn and/or discontinued for one or more reasons: physical condition, currency, lack of circulation, budgetary constraints, and availability in other formats or through the library’s consortia. Consultation with teaching faculty may be undertaken before withdrawal, particularly when deaccessioning multiple volumes or discontinuing standing subscriptions to print or digital resources. Removing any materials from the library collection is done at the sole discretion of the Assistant Dean of Library Services.

Donations

NECC Library does not accept donations of books and other library materials due to space and processing limitations.

Updated: 4/3/2023

Confidentiality

Policy on Confidentiality of Records

In accordance with the recommendation of the Office of Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association, all registration and circulation records at the NECC Libraries are confidential.

Library registration includes information required of patrons to borrow materials. Circulation records include information that identifies the patron as borrowing materials.

Authorized library staff may use the above-mentioned records in order to perform routine duties. The library staff will not release any of the information contained in the registration or circulation records except by formal state or federal judicial order.

For inquiries, please contact Mike Hearn, Assistant Dean of Library Services 978-556-3423.

Last updated: 3/22/2018

Copyright and Intellectual Property

The College’s Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy provides guidance regarding the use and creation of intellectual property at Northern Essex Community College. It is the responsibility of all faculty, staff, students and anyone using the facilities or resources of Northern Essex Community College to read, understand and follow this policy. Any person with questions regarding the application or meaning of this policy should seek clarification from the Chief Academic Officer.

Updated: 3/22/2018

Course Reserves

Philosophy

Course reserves are an academic library’s collection of materials placed on reserve by instructors to make required course reading available to a large number of students and to ensure that students have equal access to required readings. All materials placed on course reserve are solely for the non-commercial, educational use of students at NECC.

Circulation of Course Reserves

Reserve materials circulate for short periods: two hours, six hours, 24 hours, two days, or seven days. The instructor determines the loan period.

Course Reserves Items

Course reserves may include books, journal articles, government documents, syllabi, lecture notes, exam samples, paper samples, audio/visual items, or other items not previously considered part of the Libraries’ collection. Items may be from the NECC collection or an instructor’s personal collection. The library cannot accept textbooks labeled as “Instructor’s Copy” or similarly designated works. Instructors may place on reserve up to five copies of an item.

Fair Use/Copyright

The NECC Libraries acknowledges and encourages the appropriate use (i.e., reproduction, distribution, performance, and display) of copyrighted works and materials for teaching, scholarship, and research purposes consistent with federal copyright law and the standards for fair use.

Course Reserves Catalog Access

The online Course Reserves catalog can be accessed from the NECC Course Reserves page Materials can be located by Instructor, Course, or Department.

Submitting and Removing Course Reserves

Instructors may submit course reserve material for the semester in which a course is offered. Please allow 48 hours for processing. Faculty may remove items from course reserve at any time. If instructors do not request materials removal by the semester’s end, the items will remain on reserve.

To place an item on reserve, bring it to either the campus library or contact:

Haverhill: Ardith Larochelle (978-556-3434)

Lawrence: Jenny Fielding (978-738-7400)

Last Updated: 7/17/2023

Interlibrary Loan

Philosophy

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service where a library requests or supplies materials from one library to another partner library. Its purpose is to expand the resources available to NECC students, faculty, and staff by partnering with the HELM Network and the Statewide Commonwealth catalog (COMCAT).

Lending & Borrowing Services

• Interlibrary Loan services are available only for current NECC students, faculty, and staff. Public patrons and alumni are encouraged to use their local public library for Interlibrary Loan requests.
• The NECC Libraries do not provide Interlibrary Loan services to support coursework for courses taken at other institutions. NECC students, faculty, and staff working on degrees at other institutions are encouraged to utilize the resources of the institution at which they are enrolled.
• Items available through the HELM network should be requested through the patron’s NECC Library Account.
• Items not available through HELM may be requested through the Statewide Commonwealth catalog (COMCAT). There is a limit of ten (10) active requests through COMCAT. Materials may be checked out for 28 days. Renewals are not allowed. Items should be returned to the library where they were checked out.
• NECC students, faculty, and staff may use the Interlibrary Loan Request Form to request journal articles from the Boston Public Library when the articles are not available in NECC databases or collections. Articles are usually provided digitally in PDF format.

Additional Policies

• The NECC Libraries will hold all ILL materials for seven (7) days upon receipt from the lending library. If the item is not picked up in that time, it will be returned to the lending library.
• NECC students, faculty, and staff are responsible for all costs associated with lost or damaged materials. The lending library determines the charges for items, and the charges will vary depending on the item.
• Students, faculty, and staff who abuse the ILL service by failing to return materials or by keeping materials long past the due date may be denied further requests.

Last updated: 6/16/2020

Laptop Lending Program

Laptop Lending Program

• The library has a limited supply of laptops on each campus that may be borrowed by credit-enrolled students for short periods of time. Please visit the computer lab on the Lawrence or Haverhill campus, or call 978-738-7420 or 978-556-3460 to check on availability. Laptops are on a first come basis.

Updated: 4/05/2023

Library & Information Literacy Instruction

Information Literacy is designated as one of NECC’s six Core Academic Skills, which grew out of the college’s 2009 Vision Statement to reflect those skills which faculty and staff determined are essential to ensure students’ adequate preparation for further academic pursuits and careers.

Students seeking an Associate’s Degree in any field at NECC must complete at least one course that has been designated as “intensive” in each of the six Core Academic Skills, including Information Literacy.

IL Intensive courses are designed to actively develop information literacy skills in students to better prepare them for the information landscape in which they live and work. In an IL Intensive course, students will:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the research process as it applies to the coursework for the class, as well as to the broader field
• Actively engage in evaluating information sources for authority, bias, purpose, and relevance
• Utilize various types and formats of information resources to achieve specific research goals, and demonstrate an understanding of the applicability of different types of information to serve different purposes
• Access the library (physically and/or virtually) to find sources using the library’s print and/or electronic collections
• Use information ethically and legally, and demonstrate the ability to properly credit and incorporate information sources into your work

Information Literacy Intensive classes must:

• Participate in at least one librarian-taught session where students will be introduced to the College’s specific research resources;
• Broadly address information creation, use, and dissemination;
• Have at least one other “library checkpoint” during the term.

The library has created a guide specifically for Information Literacy Intensive designated courses to help faculty incorporate this CAS into their curriculum.

Information Literacy & Research Instruction

Librarian-led Information Literacy instruction is required for any course designated as “Information Literacy Intensive” to fulfill an NECC Core Academic Skills requirement but is also available for any course regardless of CAS designation.

Sessions may be scheduled at any time the library is open, including evenings. Classes are taught by a Librarian, but we require that the class instructor must also be present.

We ask for at least one week of advance notice when scheduling instruction to allow adequate preparation time. It is also helpful for the librarian to have a copy of the assignment and/or syllabus, as this will help us tailor the session to your students’ specific needs.

In addition to familiarizing students with the basics of using library resources, some topics we can cover include:

• The Architecture of Information – Understanding where different types of information in the discipline “live,” where we search for it, how it is produced, and how we understand data about data (catalog and database records, using subject terms for search, etc.)
• Source Evaluation – Understanding the difference between types of sources and evaluating them for purpose, use, audience, and relevance. Exploring the ideas of authority and credibility, and why those might change based on the intended use of the information.
• Advanced Web – Understanding domain names, the open nature of the web, how search engines rank information, the impact of social media, and how to evaluate a web source for reliability, accuracy and bias.
• Citation – Not just how to cite, but why we cite, and how citation creates connections and context around information.
• Ethics of Information – Understanding plagiarism, how to responsibly use and share information, “fake news,” copyright, digital rights, and open access.
• NoodleTools – NoodleTools is a bibliography generator (supporting APA, MLA, and Chicago styles) that helps students to properly cite their sources. Students will set up their NoodleTools accounts and learn how to add several types of sources to their bibliography.

Sessions are most effective when students have begun a research project and are best taught in a lab setting where each student has access to a computer. The library on each campus has a computer classroom specifically for this purpose.

To schedule a class in Haverhill library please call 978-556-3401 or email Laura Mondt at lmondt@necc.mass.edu. To schedule a class in Lawrence call 978-738-7400 or email Jenny Fielding at jfielding@necc.mass.edu.

Last updated: 06/07/2023

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Study Rooms

Study Rooms: The group study rooms (A209a, A210, and A214 in Haverhill) are exclusively for academic work conducted by NECC students for a maximum of two hours per person daily. Additional time may be granted at the discretion of library staff. Reservations are required and can be made by clicking here. 

Silent Study: The Silent Study rooms (A208 in Haverhill & LA001 in Lawrence) are exclusively for solo silent academic work conducted by NECC students; groups and/or audible users may be asked to relocate.

While the use of all study rooms is subject to the discretion of the library staff, these general guidelines apply:

• Users of the rooms must behave appropriately, keep the rooms neat, and follow all college and library policies.
• Do not leave personal belongings unattended in the Libraries or elsewhere on campus. The library and its staff are not responsible for monitoring unattended items.

For inquiries, please call 978-556-3401 for Haverhill or 978-738-7400 for Lawrence.

Updated: 10/04/2023