Facts and Useful Links
1. You can get to the library website from my.CedarCrest. The Cressman Library link is under the Quick Links list.
2. The Cressman Library Research Guides are like online brochures that list the library hours and provide other general information about the library.
3. The loan period for books is 21 days. To renew a book, send an e-mail to library@cedarcrest.edu, call 610-606-4666 ext. 3387 or stop by the Library.
4. The loan period for media (CDs and DVDs, for example) is three days and may not be renewed. Media Services is not open in the evenings.
5. The library has created several online subject guides that are like instant handouts. Start your research, whether you have one simple question or a thesis statement, with a Research Guide.
6. The library provides online access to several general and many subject specific databases. Start your research by going to either EBSCOhost or the library WorldCat Discovery catalog.
7. You can find out what journals and magazines the library has access to by going to E-Journals & Periodicals Full Text Finder.
8. You can ask for any book or article you need that the library does not own. Search “Libraries Worldwide” in the library WorldCat Discovery catalog, click the blue button for Interlibrary Loan, and fill in the form.
9. You can meet with a librarian to talk about any research you may be doing whether for WRI 100 or Senior Capstone and all classes in between. Learn tips and tricks for searching the databases firsthand.
10. You can access the library databases when you are off campus. Select a database from a Research Guide or from Databases A-Z. Enter your campus network login when prompted by EzProxy.
Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers)
“It’s a library, so I have to be quiet, right?”
That depends on where you are. The main level of the library has no noise restrictions (although you will be asked to keep it down if you’re disturbing others). It’s often used as a meeting place for study groups. If you’re looking for silence, the middle floor is reserved for quiet study only. The bottom level also has no noise restrictions, but tends to be quieter and less populated.
“Where are all the books?”
It’s a fair question. There aren’t many books on the main level (just the Miller Poetry Corner to the right of the café). The middle level has everything from 000 (General Works) to 770 (Photography), while the bottom floor has Music, Literature, and History/Geography, as well as our collections of print journals. Cressman Library uses the Dewey Decimal System of classification. If you’re ever looking for a specific book or subject, you can always ask a librarian.
“I don’t have my textbooks. Can I just check them out here?”
Sorry, no. If we have course textbooks (which we usually don’t), they’re often put on reserve by professors. That means they can only be checked out for 2-hour periods and must stay here in the library. It keeps it fair and makes sure that everyone has access to the same materials. If you’re having difficulty getting access to course materials, talk to your professor.
“What if I’m looking for something you don’t have?”
We offer Interlibrary Loans (ILL for short). There are some restrictions (check with a librarian for details on those), but if you’re looking for a specific book or article that’s not in our collection, we can probably get it for you. It takes a few days for materials to arrive, so don’t ask for something the night before a paper is due.