| Item Type | All Students | NWC&THS Students | Students from other WACTC colleges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Books (general) | 28-days, five renewals | 28 days, five renewals | 28-days, 1 renewal |
| Textbooks (NWC&THS) | 28-days, starting the third week of the quarter | 1 quarter | not available for lending |
| Textbooks (Course Reserves) |
Library-use only 28-days if additional copies are available |
Library-use only 28-days if additional copies are available |
not available for lending |
| DVD/VHS | 7 days | 7 days | 7 days |
| Graphing Calculator | 1 quarter, with instructor approval | 1 quarter, with instructor approval | not available for lending |
| Laptops | 1 quarter, with photo ID | 1 quarter, with photo ID | not available for lending |
Loan periods for library items are determined by item type and student category:
Physical items such as books and DVDs may be found by searching the Library Catalog.
If you would like to place a hold request on a book or DVD, login to the catalog with your Canvas username and password or contact the Library directly. Please note that some items may not be eligible for holds through the catalog.
Pending availability, Library Staff will retrieve the item for you and you will receive a notification in your student email when the item is available for pick up during open hours. Students may also opt-in to text message notifications; please ask Library Staff if you are interested in this option.
Once reserved for a particular student, items are placed on hold for one week. If you are unable to retrieve your reserved item within that time, please contact the Library ahead of time.
Please note that items such as laptops and other equipment are not available for hold requests through the catalog and must be requested via email, phone, or in-person.
The Library will automatically send a courtesy notice to your student email three (3) days before your due date. You can opt-in to a longer notice period or get notifications via text message by speaking with Library staff.
Most Library items can be renewed for longer loan periods. Exceptions include Course Reserve textbooks, laptops, and other equipment.
If your due date is coming up, but you still need the book or DVD, you can request a renewal in two ways, either by contacting Library staff or following the instructions below:
If the renewal does not go through, contact the Library for assistance
Please note that some items may not be eligible to renew online. Additionally, if the due date has already passed, the catalog may not allow a renewal and you'll need to contact Library staff instead.
Library books and DVDs can be returned to the Circulation Desk during open hours or to the Book Return Box located on the East side of Building 15 in the driveway (facing Building 14).
Equipment such as laptops and calculators must be returned to the Circulation Desk during open hours.
Library books that are returned with noticeable damage such as water damage, excessive highlighting, torn pages, etc. will be assessed by the Faculty Librarian. If the Faculty Librarian determines that the book is no longer suitable for circulation, they will contact the borrower to discuss next steps. Options available to the student may include either purchasing an acceptable used copy (as approved by the Faculty Librarian) or paying the cost of replacing the item via their ctcLink account.
If you notice damage to a book that you have checked out or if it becomes damaged while in your possession, please contact the Library as soon as possible.
Damaged laptops will be assessed by the Student Technology Coordinator, who will work with the student and campus IT department to determine replacement costs, depending on the type of damage incurred.
If you notice damage to a laptop that you have checked out or if it becomes damaged while in your possession, please contact the Computer Lab as soon as possible.
The Library will automatically send overdue notices to your CPTC email. Students may also opt-in to text notifications by speaking with Library staff.
The Library does not charge daily overdue fees. However, if an item is overdue by a significant amount (schedule below), the cost to replace the item will be placed on a student's ctcLink account.
books from general collection = 14 days overdue
textbooks from Circulating Reserves or the NWC&THS Collection = 7 days overdue
laptops, calculators, and other equipment = 7 days overdue
If you have an overdue item and a charge has been placed on your account, please contact the Library as soon as possible to arrange a return. If the item is no longer in your possession, you may pay the replacement cost at the cashier's office or arrange purchase of an acceptable replacement with the Faculty Librarian (books only). Any replacement items must be arranged with the Faculty Librarian ahead of time and are subject to Librarian approval.
Any questions regarding overdues, loans, or fees can be directed to (253) 589-5544 or cptclibrary@cptc.edu.
If you need access to an article or book chapter that is not available in our databases or physical collection, contact the Faculty Librarian via email to request access via an interlibrary loan. Please include the following information:
Requests are generally filled electronically, via email, within one week.
Interlibrary loan requests for physical items -- like books or DVDs -- are only available to CPTC Faculty and Staff at this time.
Please direct all interlibrary loan requests to the Faculty Librarian, who may be reached at (253) 589-6067 or pearl.desure@cptc.edu.
CPTC participates in a Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement with other Washington State community and technical colleges to offer students across the State convenient access to a larger number of library resources that support teaching and learning.
If the CPTC Library does not have the books you are looking for but they are available at another Washington community or technical college, you may borrow them from those other libraries. Please see the file below for more details or contact Library Staff with additional questions.