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EXTENDED HOURS: We're OPEN till 8pm on Thu 3/14, Mon 3/18 and Tue 3/19!

Welcome to your library!

Library Services

‣ ACCESSIBILITY    ACCESSING DATABASES    ‣ BORROW   
‣ RESERVES
  (Textbooks & Scanning)    ‣ TECH EQUIPMENT & PRINTING    ‣ STUDY ROOMS    ‣ INSTRUCTION    ‣ 24/7 LIVE Chat    ‣ RESEARCH HELP    ‣ TLC AND MEDIA   


Please get information about eLearning services (Canvas, Panopto, Zoom) at 206.934.4000 or eLearning@seattlecolleges.edu.

You will find information about the Self-Paced program (Continuing Education) online. Find them at BE1140, email them at DisLrn@seattlecolleges.edu, or call 206.934.4060.

ACCESSIBILITY

The library welcomes and supports all students. We are dedicated to inclusive service and accessibility of services. If you need accommodation not listed here, please ask library staff; we can help with research, technology, access to collections, and other services.

For more information, contact the Accessibility Resource Center at 206.934.4183 or visit the ARC webpage.

Getting Here

See the Transportation office (BE1143) for a parking permit, or visit the student parking webpage.

Library Entrance

The library is located at 1701 Broadway, across from the bookstore, in the Broadway Edison building, second floor (BE 2101) on the south side of the building. For use of the elevators, enter the main entrance, find the 1st-floor central elevators to the right. Take the elevator to the 2nd floor, exit the elevator, and turn right (south). Proceed across the ramp to find the library's front entrance.

Assistive Technology

  • Merlin Enhanced Vision, full color, autofocus video magnifier - PDF manual
  • Designated ADA computer workstations Adjustable height tables High-contrast, large-print keyboards
  • Specialized software Dragon NaturallySpeaking 13, dictate/speech recognition software
  • JAWS 2018, screen reader NVDA version 2017.4 (NonVisual Desktop Access), screen reader ZoomText 10.1
  • Windows accessibility options – (Start menu > All Programs > Accessibility) MS Narrator, Windows built-in light-duty screen reader

For students who need assistive technology software training, contact the Accessibility Resource Center at 206.934.4183 or visit the ARC webpage.


Facilities

Accessible Work Stations

The library has four designated ADA computer Workstations with adjustable height tables.

Restrooms

The restrooms in the library have one ADA-accessible stall in each of the Women's and the All Gender. The nearest Men's restroom is located north of the library; walk downstairs, past Campus Safety and Broadway entrance. Restrooms are across from vending machines.

Study Rooms

Our group study rooms may be reserved to meet individual needs, either by working with the Accessibility Resource Center or at the Dean's discretion.

Broadway Edison (BE) - Each study room has an adjustable height table for accessibility, a whiteboard, and a large monitor that can connect to a laptop. At the Circulation desk, cables and whiteboard markers are available for checkout.

  • Rooms B, C, F, and G (capacity 4)
  • Rooms D and E (capacity 7)

Health Education Center (Pacific Tower) - Each study room has a whiteboard. Whiteboard markers are available for checkout at the Circulation desk.

  • Large Group Study (capacity 8)
  • Silent Study (capacity 4)
  • Small Group Study (capacity 4)

Other Services

Bookshare Online Library

Library users with reading barriers can also access Bookshare, an online library free for students that include over 600,000 digital books, textbooks, and resources with assistive technology tools for readers with print disabilities. Learn more about who is eligible for Bookshare or contact a librarian to get started.

ACCESSING DATABASES

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Databases are available for current Seattle Central students and staff; licensing agreements do not allow access to other users. To connect, use your MySeattleColleges email account and password to access the library's database subscriptions for research articles, images, ebooks, and streaming videos. 

NOTE: The MySeattleColleges password you create expires every 120 days. But you may not realize your MySeattleColleges password has expired because Office 365 allows login with an expired password.

Cannot log in to the databases?  Try to solve the issue: Go to the MySeattleColleges Login Tools page to confirm your MySeattleColleges email address or reset your password.

On Jan. 18, 2023, our libraries switched to a new Single Sign-On (SSO) method of authentication that is more secure and can handle patrons with multiple affiliations (take classes at more than one Seattle Colleges campus).

- Log-in credentials remain the same

- First time signing on, off-campus, or on-campus using Wi-Fi, users must create an account, and add a secondary email, phone number (for SMS/text, voice call), a forgot password question, and security image.

Outcome:

- Students who take classes at more than one Seattle College campus can log in just once to get access to the databases at all affiliated libraries.

- All employees (including student workers) have access to e-resources at all three colleges.

The SSO Log-in Guide offers screenshots to help you navigate the account creation process.

BORROW

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Current students and employees of Seattle Colleges are eligible to borrow with a current, valid state or government-issued ID, such as a student ID, passport, or driver's license. We do not issue library cards, eligible borrowers can show their ID and ctcLink number to circulation staff.

Currently, overdue fines are temporarily suspended, however, overdue and damaged items are subject to a replacement cost. All items overdue beyond 7 days will result in a replacement cost (the cost to replace the item). The Library reserves the right to review this policy on a case-by-case basis, we understand each student's situation is different and the library will work with you to resolve any issues.

All notifications from the library are sent to Seattle Colleges' email addresses only. It is the responsibility of the patron to monitor college email.

RENEW - All items except for course reserves and items that are requested (holds) can be renewed online. Log into your library account using MySeattleColleges login username and password. Or contact library circulation staff, circ.central at seattlecolleges.edu. 

REQUEST -
Need a physical item within Seattle Colleges, that is not a textbook?
An in-district interlibrary request can take up to a week and is a free service for current staff and students. Library users are notified by MySeattleColleges email when the request is ready for pick up and given one week to check it out. 

Need an item outside of Seattle Colleges, that is not a textbook?
An interlibrary loan request can take up to two weeks and typically cost a fee. Requests from Washington State Community and Technical Colleges (WACTC) are free but all other institutions require a fee. Library users are notified by MySeattleColleges email when the request is ready for pick up. Submit your request for out-of-district Interlibrary Loan(s) to a reference librarian by phone, 206.934.5421, 206.934.5422, or use the online request form if a current employee and/or student.

Need assistance? Librarians can help! Use the Ask a Librarian service.


RESERVES - Course Materials

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Where can I find my textbook? Find your required textbook for purchase or for rent at the Bookstore.

Course Reserves for Students Reserves is an in-person service and online request for pick-up is no longer available nor are course reserves mailed. Students may borrow from a limited collection of textbooks that are subject to availability from the library with varying loan periods. Starting fall quarter 2023, course reserves will resume hourly checkout loan periods and there will be fewer quarter loan textbooks to check out. Currently, we have hourly loan periods, and some (1)Day, (3)Day loan periods on select textbooks.

For best results when searching the catalog, under the drop-down menu, select 'Course Reserves' and use search parameters, e.g., course name & number, (MATH 151) or title of the book. When you find the book that you need, click on the title for more information on availability. For an online version, if available, click the link in the catalog 'Details’ section.

Cannot find the item? You can search our ebook collection, or contact Ask a Librarian for assistance.


RESERVES - Faculty Scanning

Library staff will scan limited portions of course reserves textbooks based on fair use criteria and staff capacity. Access the library's course reserve collection to check availability. Request scanning using the faculty reserves scan request form. The library cannot purchase books for scanning but we will gladly accept personal copies for students to use.


Need assistance? Contact your liaison librarian

Need to place an item on reserve? Use this course reserve form. This form is for faculty only, not for equipment nor textbook purchase, or loan.

Questions? Please direct questions to email  or call us.


TECH EQUIPMENT & PRINTING

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Chromebooks are available for enrolled, current students. When available, Chromebooks, webcams, hotspots, and headsets are offered for enrolled, current students. A photo ID is needed to check out tech equipment. The equipment loan is for one quarter and renews with current enrollment. The borrower is responsible for returning the equipment when no longer enrolled.

STUDENTS - Contact library circulation staff for more information, by email at circ.central@seattlecolleges.edu or call 206-934-4050.

FACULTY & STAFF
Faculty and staff must request equipment needed for work and teaching from their department; requests are accommodated as supplies are available.

Technology trouble?  Go to IT Services website for helpful information or ask the IT Help Desk. Follow the link to activate your email account or reset your password.

Assistive technology All student-networked computers have Merlin Enhanced Vision (full color, autofocus video magnifier), JAWS (electronic text reader), ZoomText (computer screen magnifier), and Windows accessibility options (text magnifiers, narrators, and online keyboards).

Students who need assistive technology software training should contact the Accessibility Resource Center by email or voicemail.

PRINTING PAPERCUT is the print management system, an account–based service.  The cost is $0.05 for single-sided and $0.10 for double-sided, black/white. Color copy costs $0.50 each copy. Each student receives an one-time $1.00 for the student's initial quarter and can add money using a credit/debit card (online) or with cash at the cashier's office, in room 1104A. Additional funds should be limited to what is needed because there are no refunds but the balance carries over to the next quarter.

Photocopies cost $0.05 for single-sided black/white and $0.10 for double-sided.


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STUDY ROOMS

Until further notice study rooms are available for individual and group use. Study rooms are available for a daily 2-hour maximum per study group. Current students can book study rooms online through a link at the top of the library website menu. Booking requires email confirmation. Students must check in at the Circulation Desk to access a reserved study room and have a valid photo ID.

We request that you cancel your reservation if it is no longer needed.
We may automatically cancel your room booking if you haven't arrived 15 minutes after your booking begins.

The library works with the Accessibility Resource Center to access study rooms for documented accommodations. The Library Dean will approve these requests on a case-by-case basis.

Students can schedule study rooms online or at the circulation desk.

INSTRUCTION

Instruction iconLibrary faculty will provide library instruction workshops, Canvas modules, through reference services and Faculty can contact their librarian liaison or the reference desk to arrange instruction. 

In Canvas Commons, search for “Seattle Central College Library” to find the nine information literacy modules that you can import into your courses: 

  • Start your research with the Library Website  
  • Finding and Using Background Research
  • Searching Databases to find articles 
  • Finding Full Text: A Deep Dive
  • Searching for eBooks
  • Developing a research question 
  • Finding and Evaluating Websites 
  • Evaluating Sources using the CRAAP test 
  • Citing sources in MLA Style
  • Cite your sources to avoid plagiarism

Librarians are happy to work with you to customize modules or to construct new modules for your information literacy outcomes. Please contact your librarian liaison to work with us on instruction or go to Ask-a-Librarian.

LIVE 24/7 CHAT

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Speak directly with Seattle Central Librarians or our partner librarian 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Click the link to start a LIVE CHAT session.

RESEARCH HELP

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Feeling Stuck?  Need Research Help? Librarians can help!

We continue to provide one-on-one research appointments via Zoom and in-person. Research appointments can help you select a research topic, find credible sources for a paper, create citations for your sources, or just talk through something you feel "stuck" on in your research. For research, help go to Ask a Librarian!

How-To Research Appointment Videos:

Need assistance? Send an email or leave a voice message

TEACHING AND LEARNING COMMONS (TLC)

Media iconFACULTY AND STAFF

Contact TLC staff, by email, tlc.central@seattlecolleges.edu, or call 206-934-6323. Faculty and staff can get assistance in the TLC for available equipment:

  • Laptop Computers for a short-term loan
  • CD Players
  • Headsets
  • Document flatbed scanners
  • Computer microphones and handheld microphones

How to Place a Hold

This video will walk you through the steps on how to place a hold for pickup at Seattle Central College.

How to Book a Research Appointment

Suggest a Book!

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Don't see a book you're looking for in our collection? You can ask us to buy it! 

Fill out this Suggest a Book! form (you will have to log in with your myseattlecolleges login). We'll look into your request and get back to you as soon as possible.