The icons that are next to each title when your search results are displayed are indicators of the format of that item. You can quickly distinguish print items from books on tape or electronic resources.
Special thanks to Valentina Mayz of Nova Southeastern University for the use of her icons.

What does it mean when the call number is not listed?

If a call number is not listed for a title, it can mean one of several things:

If the location is Periodicals, then this title may be found in the Periodicals section which is shelved in alphabetical order

If the title includes the words "electronic resource", then this is a website which may be accessed by clicking on the listed URL

If there is a message that says a copy was ordered for the library, then this title is still on order. You may place a hold on the title by clicking on Request at the top of the screen and you will be notified when the item is available for checkout

If you need further assistance, please ask a Reference Librarian

How do I use MeLCat?

After you perform a search in catalog and are not able to locate your title,

Click on the

button to perform the same search in the Michigan e-Library Catalog

Click on the title you wish to request and click Get This For Me!

Choose Lansing Community College from the drop down menu and enter your last name and TUID when prompted

You will be notified by email when your item arrives at the LCC Library. To cancel a request, check the status of a request, or renew a title log in to View Your Checkouts on the catalogs main page.

How do I find a Reserve item?

Your instructor may have put a book, videotape or other item for your class on reserve at the Library Checkout Desk. To find it you will need to use the catalog to look up its reserve number.

Click on Catalog on the library homepage

Click on Reserves

Enter the course code and click on Search

Make note of the reserve number

Take that number to the Library Checkout Desk (2nd Floor, TLC)

You can also search by the instructor's name or course title.
You will need your LCC StarCard to check out a reserve item. Many reserve items are available for in library use only.

How do I find non-print titles?

From the New Search screen, you may choose what material type you would like to search. For example, you may search by author of Shakespeare and chose Video-DVD to only see works by Shakespeare that are on DVD.

What is the difference between an audio book, an eBook, and an eAudiobook?

Audiobooks that are available from the library on CD or audio tape are identified in the catalog by the or icon. eBooks are downloadable print books, the majority of which are available from NetLibrary. They are identified by the icon. Downloadable eAudiobooks from NetLibrary are identified by the icon.

How do subject headings help me improve my searching?

You'd think you could enter any topic as a Subject search in the catalog. However, the Subject search uses standardized terms to organize records by subject. These are called Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH for short). If you enter your terms as a Subject search, you may be directed to a standardized LCSH. For example, if you entered assertive behavior as a Subject Heading search you would be directed to search for Assertiveness (Psychology) because subject searching uses standardized terms to organize subjects. So if you searched using the standardized term Assertiveness (Psychology) you'd see that the catalog has over 30 entries.

The advantage of a subject search is that it provides a more focused search. Its disadvantage is that it's hard to know what LCSH term will used be for a topic.

Good subject searching steps include:

First, perform a subject search using your own terms

Review the resulting list of subject headings

Select a subject heading that is appropriate for your needs

Select a title(s) that seems relevant

To expand your search, click on any of the related subjects that are listed


Lansing Community College Library