TCC Library: Request library purchases

Call, email, or visit to request new books or films. Library faculty send a reminder each quarter, but you don't need to wait. Once we receive the item, we will send you an email notification.

Keep these things in mind:

• If you are requesting several items, please prioritize them in the event we can't purchase all.
• We want to spread our modest budget equitably among departments and disciplines--if requests exceed those of other departments, we will purchase one or two items, then, if there are funds available at the end of the budget year we will make the additional purchases. 
• If you request a single, expensive item (for example, a film costing $300) we will probably take some time to find out if there are other faculty members who might use the film before we proceed.
• When applicable, let us know if you prefer the print or electronic version of a book.
• Films:  For faculty-requested films, DVDs are the preferred format for face-to-face courses. If available, streaming video will be considered for purchase for online and hybrid courses.

The Library does not purchase textbooks. The College occasionally provides special funding to purchase some of the most expensive textbooks in "gateway" courses, but this is rare. Most of the textbooks in the Library come from you and are kept in the Course Reserves collection. See the procedure for creating a course reserve for your students, linked below.

You are welcome to request specific periodical (magazine, newspaper, journal) titles you would like your students to use.  We usually make changes to our periodicals once each year during our renewal season but you may submit the request at any time.  Our relatively static budget means that we often have to cut a title in order to add a new one.  For expensive titles (an annual subscription price of $100 or more) we will want to consult with your department or program as a whole.  

Please let us know if you have a preference for print or electronic access.  It is our experience that print-only subscriptions are rarely used UNLESS you create specific assignments requiring their use.

Check to see if the Library already has a subscription. Search for the periodical title in the Periodicals A to Z list, linked below. If the Library can provide free full-text access (print or electronic), the item will be listed along with detailed access information.

The Library may be able to purchase a modest number of inexpensive professional development materials each year. If more are requested than the Library can afford, we coordinates with Faculty Professional Development to purchase more items--they pay; we purchase, catalog, and place in the T/LC collection. See our "Professional development resources" guide, linked below, for more info:

Contact any one of the Library faculty to request materials. Please provide item title, author, publication year, edition number (if applicable) and your preference for print or electronic.

Here are our current formal collection responsibilities:

Last updated: October 2022