Ask a “Good Question”

To get the assistance you need, it’s important for library users to “ask a good question,” but even more so when virtual technology stands between the requestor and the librarian. We suggest you share information about your topic and your assignment up-front including:

• specifics about the topic you’ve chosen, or, that you need help choosing a topic;
• what class the question pertains to – or that it is for personal use – we help with those, too;
• your professor’s name (we may know their assignment);
• assignment specifics (must use peer-reviewed journals, MLA or APA citing, when it’s due, etc.); and,
• what terms you’ve used and what databases or websites you’ve already searched.

For instance, “I’m taking SO200 with Prof. Jones. I have to write an annotated bib (APA) with 10-15 professional or trade journals and they cannot be older than 10 years. The topic I chose is “the impact of Covid on domestic violence.” I’ve searched OneSearch using those words but don’t know how to limit it to professional sociology journals. She said use SocIndex?? It’s due this Friday, so they have to be short articles. What’s the difference between an annotated bib and the abstract?”

GRCC has librarians ready and waiting to answer your questions – how may we help you?

Technology Checkouts Still Available

The Library is lending (and collecting) all student and faculty/staff loaner technologies. If you need more or different technology to be success in your learning or teaching, stop by the Library to check out:

• laptops 
• mobile hotspots 
• webcams 
• headsets 

See our Virtual Services Subject Guide for more information, including Library Open Hours.

RaiderLoan Re-opens Fully

Full Document Delivery & Interlibrary Loan RaiderLoan service – in both print and electronic formats – from (most) Michigan MeL and our OCLC national and international library partners is back. Let the ordering commence!

Ask-A-Librarian – Try it!

Ask-A-Librarian email reference requests are a fast and easy way to request assistance from GRCC Reference Librarians. Students and faculty tell us they like the ease of using Ask-a-Librarian, and that the answers are complete, helpful, and fast!

You can also use OneSearch Chat, text (616) 201-4841, call a Reference Librarian (616-234-3868), or, contact your department’s Liaison Librarian directly.

Contact us during Virtual Reference Hours – but your GRCC librarians often answer reference questions outside of those hours and on weekends, too.

Ask-A-Librarian gives you the space to be complete when asking your question – enabling librarians to answer completely! Tell us which class your question relates to, about any assignment requirements, where you’ve already searched and what terms you used – and anything else that will inform librarians.

Browse our January New Books!

If you’re on-campus, you can browse the New Books  collection near the Library front door!  It’s been refreshed with new print books purchased this past semester.  Books are moved to the Circulating shelves after 6 months – so the New Books area has a bookstore feel to it!

American Library Association Gift Shop

Can’t come in right now?  No problem – you can see the New Books virtually!  Take a look at  January’s new PRINT titles – as well as January’s new eBOOK titles. Each month, the newest titles are uploaded to the RaiderSearch Catalog Featured Lists.  For Circulating print books, you can click the [Request] link in the Catalog record and follow the screen prompts to have  the book placed onto the Hold Shelf  for you, or, it can be mailed to your home or office.  For eBooks, click the [View this book] link and logon with your last name and 7-digit Raider number, and start reading!