Home » Library
» Research
Research
 E-mail Reference
E-mail Reference is provided to currently enrolled students, faculty, staff, and alumni of VFCC. Patrons may send messages and/or reference questions to research@vfcc.edu. Questions will normally be answered within 24 hours on weekdays.
Consortium Information
The Storms Research Center is an institutional member of the following consortiums:- Christian Library Consortium (CLC)
The CLC, part of the Association of Christian Librarians (ACL), is a library consortium comprised of Christian college and university libraries from around the United States. Materials may be borrowed from member libraries for free by using InterLibrary Loan. Contact an SRC staff member for additional information.
- Tri-State College Library Cooperative (TCLC)
The TCLC is a library consortium comprised of college and university libraries from Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. Materials may be borrowed from all libraries upon presentation of a Letter of Introduction from the SRC and a valid photo ID. Letters of Introduction are available at the Circulation Desk. Patrons are responsible for returning items in accordance with the regulations of the individual libraries. Contact an SRC staff member for additional information.
- South Eastern Pennsylvania Theological Library Association (SEPTLA)
SEPTLA is a library consortium comprised of theological libraries in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Materials may be borrowed from all member libraries. Patrons are responsible for returning items in accordance with the regulations of the individual libraries. Contact an SRC staff member for additional information.
HOW TO FIND A BOOK
The following is a guide to find items that are owned by the SRC.
Using the Catalog (OPAC)
To determine whether or not the SRC owns an item, use the card catalog (OPAC.) The SRC uses EPS Rooms by SirsiDynix to search our collection of materials. The catalog supplies information on the library holdings, such as title, author, and subject information, and the location of the item in the collection. Items in the catalog can be searched for in a variety of ways, such as by title, author, subject, or key word. Ask a staff member for assistance if you need assistance with the catalog.
There are three computers in the Storms Research Center dedicated to the catalog. One is located in the main lobby on the first floor and two are located at the top of the stairs on the second floor. The catalog can also be accessed from any computer with Internet access. Access the online catalog here.
Locating a Book
Once you have found the item you want, be sure to write down the call number, as you will need this information to locate the item on the shelf. A call number is a set of letters and numbers that indicates the location of an item in the collection. Items are organized by subject according to the Library of Congress Classification system. Once you have the call number, you will be able to locate the item on the shelf. The following is a guide to locate different collections of material in the SRC:
If a Book is not on the Shelf
If you cannot locate an item on the shelf, ask a staff member for assistance. If a needed item is checked out, a member of the Circulation Desk staff can place the item on hold for you. You will be notified as soon as the item is returned. If an item cannot be located on the shelf for any other reason, a staff member can help search for the item.
If the SRC does not own a Book
If a needed item is not owned by the SRC, we can normally borrow the item through InterLibrary Loan (ILL) from another library. Books and periodical articles may be requested through this service. In some instances, items such as AV material and dissertations may also be borrowed.
If requesting a book, thesis/dissertation, or an AV item, use the InterLibrary Loan Book Request Form. To request a journal article not owned by the SRC or available through any of our electronic resources, use an InterLibrary Loan Article Request Form. The average delivery time of items through ILL is 1-2 weeks, so be sure to allow for plenty of time before a project is due to receive any ILL items.
Power Library
Residents of the state of Pennsylvania are eligible to obtain a Pennsylvania Public Library card. The pubic library located in Phoenixville is part of the Chester County Library System, which has 18 branches in various cities around the county. For more information, contact the Chester County Library System.
One of the benefits of having a public library card is access to the Power Library. The Power Library is a service to public and school libraries throughout the State of Pennsylvania and contains thousands of periodical articles, encyclopedias, and reference material on a variety of topics. Upon obtaining a public library card, visit the appropriate county library system web site and click on the "Power Library" icon. Upon arriving at the Power Library screen, enter the bar code number located on the back of your library card. If you need assistance using the Power Library, feel free to contact a staff member.
Library Catalog (OPAC)
The OPAC supplies information on the library holdings and location information. If a needed item is checked out, ask a member of the Circulation Desk staff to place the item on hold. You will be notified as soon as the item is returned.
There are three computers in the Storms Research Center dedicated to the online catalog. One is located in the main lobby on the first floor and two are located at the top of the stairs on the second floor. The catalog can also be accessed from any computer with Internet access. Access the online catalog here.
Library of Congress Classification
The Storms Research Center uses the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) system to arrange the collection. This system was originally designed by the Library of Congress in the late 19th century and early 20th century and is now used by many academic libraries in the United States. LCC divides all information into 21 classes that are identified by a letter of the alphabet. Classes are further divided into subclasses to categorize more specific information within the broader class. For example, the B class represents Philosophy, Psychology and Religion. The following is a listing of some of the subclasses:
- B - Philosophy, Psychology, Religion
- BC - Logic
- BF - Psychology
- BJ - Ethics
- BR - Christianity
- BS - The Bible
- BT - Doctrinal Theology
- BV - Practical Theology
- BX - Christian Denominations
Individual topics within each subclass are assigned a number to help arrange ideas within the broader subclass. For a more detailed breakdown of the classes and subclasses of the Library of Congress Classification system, here's a list of all LCC classes.
|
