RHC Library has thousands of books for research and pleasure reading, including graphic novels and popular reading books. RHC Library also provides access to hundreds of thousands of electronic books.
Print magazines and newspapers are available for library use only. Digital magazines as well as thousands of other periodicals are available through online databases.
Materials can be borrowed for up to 1 month with unlimited renewals. There are no fees for late return on items, but fees do incur for lost and damaged items.
Librarians work with faculty to teach information literacy through general and specialized orientations that last 10 to 90 minutes, over one or more class sessions, as requested by the professor. Most classes visit RHC Library, but librarians can go to Educational Centers or your classroom, too.
A general library orientation can introduce students to the Library’s OneSearch (library catalog), demonstrate searches in popular databases, and provide an overview of the Library and its services. For introductory sessions, Librarians recommend the Library Scavenger Hunt Activity.
A specialized orientation can be developed and tailored for a defined subject area or assignment. Some examples include:
Orientations are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis; therefore, librarians recommend scheduling your session as soon as possible with a minimum of one week’s notice. Based on availability, your session will be scheduled and assigned to a librarian.
Make all orientation requests by completing the Faculty Request for Instruction form.
Library research guides, or LibGuides, are created by librarians and can focus on specific subjects, assignments, topics, or an entire course. With advance notice, an RHC librarian can work with you to create and customize a LibGuide based on your needs. LibGuides can be embedded in an online class, linked on a syllabus, and/or shared through Canvas. They are available 24 hours a day, at libguides.riohondo.edu or via the Library website. Ask your Division Librarian Liaison for details.
RHC Library offers six workshops asynchronously on the most popular information literacy topics. Digital badges are awarded for completion. Workshops are an easy, hassle-free way to offer extra credit to students that are also extremely useful! Visit the Library Workshops page for more details.
Full-time librarians are responsible for acquiring new books, films, or journal subscriptions to support courses, faculty, and students.
If the textbook for a course is not already there, librarians strongly encourage faculty members to place a copy on reserve. To place a book on reserve, complete the Reserve Request Form. To learn more about library reserves, visit the Reserve Collection page.
For all other materials requests, submit a request through our Library Material Request Form or contact your Division Liaison Librarian.
RHC faculty and staff can request to use a library classroom by completing the Library Classroom Use Request Form. Requests can be for return visits (for research/computer use) by classes that have already attended a library orientation. Other requests can be for occasional class meetings, non-weekly faculty or staff meetings, and department events that cannot be held elsewhere on campus for space or technology reasons.
There are two library classrooms equipped with a presenter’s station and projector:
Before submitting your request, check our classroom calendar for availability. All participants are expected to follow our in-library patron expectations.
RHC faculty and staff can reserve the Reference Office for office hours, meetings, or general workspace. The office is located by the Reference Desk within the RHC Library. Reservations can be made using the Reference Office Reservation Form.
Room use is limited to a total of 4 hours per person, per day; a booking can be made for up to 2 hours at a time. The office is equipped with a dual-monitor computer and a webcam. Maximum occupancy is 4 individuals at one time.
Please check in at the Reference Desk upon arrival for scheduled booking.
There are two desktop scanners available for use at computers in front of the Reference Desk. There are also two BookEye Scanners at the Copy Center which can be used for high speed scanning of textbooks for free. Save files with a flash drive, or email a scan to yourself.