Mission | Collections & Facility | Online Catalog | Periodical and index databases | Services
Library's mission
Welcome to Providence College's Phillips Memorial Library . The library is entrusted with providing the resources and services needed to foster academic excellence in the Providence College community without compromising freedom of access or intellectual inquiry. The library primarily serves to fulfill the information and research needs of the undergraduate students and to support the curricula of the institution. It also supports faculty research and serves as a resource for the local academic, religious, and civic communities. The library is committed to this mission while reflecting the moral, ethical, and spiritual Catholic character of the college and the Dominican tradition of teaching and scholarship. The library’shome page is located at:http://www.providence.edu/Academics/Phillips+Memorial+Library/
Copyright compliance policy and guidelines
http://www.providence.edu/Academics/Phillips+Memorial+Library/Copyright.htm
Library Hours 2006-2007
For holiday hours and other changes in the normal schedule, please go to
http://www.providence.edu/Academics/Phillips+Memorial+Library/About+the+Library/Hours.htm
or call 401.865.2242 and press 1
Collections and facility
The library maintains a collection of over 334,000 books and bound periodical volumes, and approximately 1,650 current print periodical titles covering the wide variety of subjects taught at Providence College. The library is designated as a selective depository for United States government documents and has been receiving documents for the collection since 1970; it is also a full depository for Rhode Island state documents. There are 83 wireless computers, including desktop and laptop computers, which are available most evenings for student use in the library. There are also 18 desktop computer workstations in the electronic classroom which are available most evenings for student use in the library. In addition, the library building houses the Providence College Archives and Special Collections. The Dominican Archives, administered by the Province of St. Joseph, are open by appointment only. The departments of English, History, and Women's Studies, as well as the Office of Academic Services, are also located in the building.
Online catalog
The library has an automated system for circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, and serials. The library is a member of the Higher Education Library Information Network (HELIN), which includes eleven academic libraries: Brown University, Bryant University, the Community College of Rhode Island, Johnson & Wales University, Rhode Island College, Providence College (including the Dominican House of Sstudies), Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University, and the University of Rhode Island and Wheaton College. Also, included in HELIN are fifteen health sciences libraries. The online catalog includes materials owned by by all of the above libraries except for Brown, whose collection is available via InRhode. The HELIN online catalog is located at: http://helin.uri.edu. To access Brown's collection, use InRhode, which includes both the HELIN catalog and Brown's catalog: http://inrhode.uri.edu/
Periodical and index databases
The library subscribes to over 110 bibliographic and full-text electronic databases. The databases are accessible via the computers located in the library on the first and second floors, and most can be accessed remotely from other locations on- and off-campus. The databases include indexes to periodical literature, as well as corporate information, statistics, and full-text sources.
A complete list of the databases, along with directions for accessing them, is located at:http://www.providence.edu/Academics/Phillips+Memorial+Library/Hidden+Topics/PC+Databases+Titles+A-Z+for+On+Campus+Users.htm In addition, the library has access to approximately 23,000 full-text electronic journals. To check for a specific title, search the HELIN catalog:http://library.uri.edu/or click on PC Journal Titles: Print, Microfilm, and Electronic from the library's home page: http://ea2nv5jh7p.search.serialssolutions.com/
Services
Reference
Librarians provide research assistance and library instruction during most of the library’s hours of operation. Librarians also perform online database searches using services such as DIALOG, STN, and LexisNexis.
Reference librarians are here to help - never hesitate to ask for their assistance.
▪ Virtual reference: IM a Librarian! Chat with a Librarian from the comfort of your dorm room, McPhails or the 2nd Floor of the library! Get research help, journal article and book availability, quick facts and more. Add us to your buddy list: AIM/Yahoo Messenger – PCLibChat or MSN – PCLibChat@hotmail.com
▪ Consult-a-librarian: Individualized Reference Assistance
Librarians provide students and faculty with one-on-one appointments for assistance in using the library’s many resources. We can help in selecting and using appropriate resources, including online and print materials, and in retrieving full-text articles. In addition, we can suggest ways to evaluate the usefulness of online sources and effective ways to construct search strategies.
To request an appointment, send an e-mail message to refappt@providence.edu
▪ Ask-a-librarian: E-mail reference
Librarians provide e-mail reference assistance to students via the Ask-a-librarian service, providing responses within 24 hours.
To use the service, send an e-mail message send an e-mail message to reference@providence.edu
▪ AskArchives: E-mail reference
Inquiries about the history of the college or the Providence College Archives and Special Collections may be directed to the archives via the AskArchives service.
To use the service, send an e-mail message to jjackson@providence.edu
Circulation/Access Services
Most of the library's collection circulates for a four-week period. However, reference materials, items located in the Providence College Archives and Special Collections, and periodicals normally do not circulate. A valid student identification card or other official Providence College identification is required to receive a library barcode. A valid barcode from the Providence College Library or from another HELIN library is required to check out materials. Most patrons with a valid barcode are eligible to request books through HELIN loan as well.
Obtaining materials from other libraries
Materials not owned by the library can be obtained in two ways. First, patrons can order books from other HELIN libraries via the HELIN loan service. HELIN materials normally arrive within forty-eight hours, making this an attractive option for those with a short deadline. Second, books not available through HELIN and photocopies of articles may be obtained from other libraries worldwide through our Interlibrary Loan (ILL ) service . Items usually arrive through Interlibrary Loan in approximately one week; however, obscure materials or items from distant libraries may take considerably longer .
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Last revision to this page: 11 October 2006
Comments to: Electronic Publishing Coordinator