Alvin S. Okeson Library - Policies

Welcome to the Mat-Su College Alvin S. Okeson Library.  To ensure a safe and secure environment, all library users are expected to respect the rights of others, the integrity of library resources, and the scholarly mission of the library.

Code of Conduct

Library patrons are expected to:

  • Treat others with courtesy and respect
  • Cooperate with library employees
  • Respond to emergency and security gate alarms and other situations as directed by library employees
  • Leave the library at closing

Library patrons may not:

  • Monopolize computers, space, or resources
  • Use computers for inappropriate purposes, including viewing of pornography
  • Use personal belongings to save a place at the computer stations
  • Be disruptive
  • Engage in behavior that is potentially unsafe or harmful
  • Engage in sexual activities, including sexual harassment and indecent exposure
  • Leave children under the age of 16 unattended
  • Be under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs and/or other intoxicants
  • Disturb others with strong odors (i.e. strong perfumes or poor personal hygiene)  
  • Deny access to materials through theft or deliberate misplacement
  • Damage library materials, equipment, or furniture
  • Post or distribute materials without permission
  • Engage in any illegal acts or conduct in violation of federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation

Patrons who choose not to abide by these expectations may be asked to present identification, subjected to a search of backpacks of bags, directed to leave the library for the day, and/or trespassed from the library or campus.  Disciplinary or legal action may also be taken in accordance with applicable laws and policies.

Collection Development

The purpose of the collection of the Alvin S. Okeson Library is to provide the research material needed by students and faculty member in support of the courses offered by Mat-Su College. The collection consists of resources in both print and electronic format that are either purchased outright or leased.

Faculty and students are encouraged to submit requests for new material purchases.

New Material

Material is considered for purchase according to the following priorities:

  1. Faculty recommended material needed to support MSC courses
  2. Academic material related to MSC courses
  3. Popular material related to MSC courses
  4. Academic material not related to MSC courses
  5. Student Recommendations
  6. Other material

The cost of the item under consideration and the amount already spent on collection development in a given course area will be considered in the decision to purchase requested material.

Removing material from the collection

Material is considered for removal from the collection according to the following factors:

  • Usage statistics
  • Amount of similar material in the collection
  • Age of the item
  • Condition of the item
  • Academic prestige of the work

Space issues preclude keeping everything.

Donations

Items donated to the library must come with no strings attached. Donated items are added to the collection by the same criteria as other new material. Items that are not selected for the collection are offered for sale or given to other libraries.

Donations added to the collection may be removed from the collection at a later time according to the criteria for removing material from the collection.

The library cannot appraise donations for tax purposes. IRS regulations stipulate that the entity receiving the donation of material cannot also provide a valuation.

Computer Use

The library's computers are primarily for student research.  Persons who are not working on papers or performing research for course-related projects will be asked to give up their stations when the lab is full.

While some of our computers are available to members of the public, public patrons will be asked to give up their terminals if the lab is full and a student needs a computer.

Monopolizing the computers or preventing others from using them is not allowed.

Displaying pornography and other pages found to be harassing, disruptive, or offensive to others is not allowed.

Please remember that this is an academic library that is open to the public rather than a public library as defined by Alaska Statutes 14.56.400.  Our internet-connected computers are not filtered for content. Parents are advised to keep their children away from the computer lab if there is a concern about accidental viewing of inappropriate material.

Food and drink are not allowed in the computer lab.

Equipment Use

With the exception of calculators and iClickers, only staff and faculty members are allowed to check out equipment for use outside of the library. Students needing to use equipment for classes should make requests through their instructors.

University of Alaska regulations require that an off-campus use form be filled out if the equipment leaves campus.

Food and Drink

Food is not allowed in the library. If you sneak food in, please have the decency to clean up after yourself.

Drinks are allowed in covered containers. Please report spills immediately.

No food or drink is allowed in the computer lab.

Interlibrary loans

The library provides interlibrary loan services to University of Alaska Anchorage students, faculty, and staff. Any cost over $10 will be billed to the person making the request. Most requests do not go over this amount, and patrons are notified of any charges they will incur before requests are processed. Rush and audio/visual requests are the most likely to generate extra fees.

We do not fill requests from the general public because CONTU guidelines for "fair use" under United States copyright law would make it more difficult to serve the needs of our students.

Noise

The library is a quiet (not silent) area. Please conduct yourself accordingly. Group study areas are available for those who need to hold prolonged discussions with their peers.

Cell phones should be set to an inaudible ring and calls taken outside the library.

Those who fail to display courtesy toward library staff members and other library patrons will be asked to leave. Repeat offenses may result in the loss of library privileges.

Public Use

Members of the general public are welcome to use the Okeson Library; however, it is important to remember that we are not a public library as defined by Alaska Statutes 14.56.400. As an academic library, we exist to serve the students, faculty, and staff of Mat-Su College. We recognize the value of learning in our community and extend services to the public as a courtesy.

The services we are able to offer the general public are determined by our mission to support the college. We reserve the right to change them as needed to ensure that adequate resources are available to support MSC's students, faculty, and staff.

Children in the Library

Children who are accompanied by their parents are welcome in the library; however, children may not be left unattended. Parents are responsible for their child's behavior and must monitor his or her actions at all times.

Parents should recognize that the library's mission is to serve the curriculum of the college, so portions of our collection may not be appropriate for children.

Our internet-connected computers are not filtered for content. Parents are advised to keep their children out of the computer lab and other areas of the library where computers are present if there is a concern about accidental viewing of inappropriate material.

Study Rooms

General Policies

Reservations will be canceled if a party is more than 15 minutes late.  Please notify the library in advance if your group will not meet during their scheduled time.  

All library patrons are welcome to use the study rooms when they are not reserved, but patrons who are working alone may be asked to move to another space if the room is needed by a group. Individual patrons must share the study rooms when they are not reserved for group work or a reservation has been canceled. Please leave the door open so that others will know that they are able to use the space.

Please be aware that the study rooms are not soundproof. Excessive noise or disruptive behavior may disturb other library patrons and may result in the loss of the use of the room.

Users of group study rooms are expected to clean up after themselves. Please erase the chalkboard, turn off the large screen monitor, return any furniture you may have moved to its original location, and pack your trash.

Distance Ed Room

This room is available for students who need a space to participate in UA distance courses.  Recurring reservations are highly recommended to ensure that it will be available each time you need it.  Please keep the library's hours in mind when making a reservation.  

DSS Room

The library maintains a room for use by students who are registered with MSC Disability Support Services. Patrons who are registered with DSS may reserve the room with no time limit. Reservations are made at the circulation desk.

All library patrons are welcome to use the DSS room when it is not in use by a student who is registered with DSS. Non-DSS students may make reservations to use the DSS room for up to three hours; however, students who are registered with DSS always have priority to use this room. Non-DSS students should be aware that they may be asked to move to another space even if they have a reservation.

Group Study Rooms (OLB 213 and OLB 214)

The Library maintains two group study rooms for the use of the students, faculty, and staff of Mat-Su College. Reservations may be made by groups of three or more people for up to three hours. Reservations are made at the circulation desk on a first-come, first-served basis. A schedule of each room’s reservations is normally posted in the morning, but additional reservations may be made throughout the day.

Reservations will be canceled if the room has only a single occupant for more than 15 minutes during a reserved period.

Both study rooms contain portions of the library’s collection. They are low-use materials, but library staff members may need access to them during a reserved period. The library’s group study rooms are not appropriate spaces for meetings where confidentiality must be maintained.

Telephones

A telephone for local calls is located next to the printers.

We cannot page individuals except in emergencies.

Please take cell phone calls outside the library.