This content was published: April 3, 2020. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
PCC may be online, but that doesn’t mean library and bookstore services stop
Photos and Story by Sarah Rose Evans
The facilities at Portland Community College may be closed, but staff in the PCC Library and Bookstore are available and eager to help both students and faculty.
As the college has moved to online classes and remote operations this spring term, the bookstore staff has been fielding inquiries and answering questions.
The Sylvania Library.
“Throughout the district — and even across the world — students have reached out to the bookstore with questions regarding their course materials,” said Bookstore Manager Jodie Smith, who is based at Cascade. “We are truly happy to be here supporting our students.”
During spring term, the PCC Bookstores are offering free UPS ground shipping on all online orders.
“Over the last few days, we have taken countless calls and emails, from stressed, but grateful students and staff,” Smith added. “While at times it has been frantic, the positivity continues to resonate from students and staff alike. We are learning and adapting together as we transition to remote learning.”
Library staff are available for students, too.
“The library is more than a building and books,” said Roberta Richards, a reference librarian at the Southeast Campus. “It’s the people who connect information seekers to the best information available for their questions.”
During online classes and remote operations, PCC librarians will be working individually with students, staff and faculty online or by phone. They’ll be teaching students skills and tools to gather credible sources for research and other projects. They will help faculty find content for online classes from many places, including Open Educational Resources (OER) textbooks, the numerous resources being opened up by publishers, as well as the vast electronic resources available through the library website.
“We have been steadily increasing the library’s electronic collections for more than a decade,” said Torie Scott, a reference librarian at the Cascade Campus. “Everything in an e-format is accessible to the PCC community from off-campus.”
New for spring term, students can make an appointment for a research help consultation. Staff and faculty can email or chat with a librarian from any remote location, in addition to making appointments. After scheduling an online consultation with a librarian, they will receive a follow-up email to plan a remote meeting, or phone session.
“We’re excited about connecting with students in new ways,” Richards added.
Librarians with expertise in particular subject areas are available for remote consultation via email. For a complete list of all subject areas with a link to the subject liaison librarian’s contact information, see Subject Liaison Librarians.
About Sarah Rose Evans
Sarah Rose Evans is a graduate of Columbia University's school of the arts, and has been working for Portland Community College since 2015. more »