Carter G. Woodson Library Policies

Your partner in education

 The library is an integral part of the educational process. The mission of Carter G. Woodson Library is to support the curriculum and classes of Malcolm X College with excellent resources, programs and services for our students, faculty, and staff. We encourage the effective use of information and the pursuit of lifelong learning. The librarians are here to be your guides to print, non-print, and electronic resources.

Please help us achieve the goals of preservation, cleanliness, and safety by observing the following policies.

Behavior Expectations

Be courteous and respectful of people and equipment at all times. The library is a shared area and frequently is very busy. Please respect the need for others to concentrate on their work. There are tables assigned to group study and other areas for quiet individual study. If listening to audio, make sure those around you cannot hear sounds from your earphones.

Please use your cell phone in a manner that will not disturb other patrons. That means set the ringer to silent or vibrate and keep conversation to a minimum. For longer conversations move to the hallway and be aware that even in the hallway your voice carries. Clean up your work area when done. Return all library materials that are not checked out to the circulation desk. Pets are not allowed at any time. Report any problems to the staff.

Food and Drink

You may bring your drinks in the library in covered containers only. Please be respectful of others using the library. The library is not the place to eat your meals or snacks that may harm the books or disturb the other readers. Please clean up and throw away all cups, wrappers, or other refuse. Be aware that the aromas of some foods may be offensive to others.

Circulation Policies

Please show your college ID to borrow books. Anyone from any of the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) may borrow books. If you do not have a school ID and you are in the library system, the library staff may allow you to borrow materials upon presentation of adequate ID. Those outside the CCC system are not allowed to borrow materials but may use materials when in the library.

The normal circulation period is two weeks. Materials may be renewed in person or by phone, (312) 850-7244. Reserve books circulate for two hours and use is limited to the library. It is your responsibility to return books on time. Guard library materials from any marks or other physical damage. Fines are assessed for lost or damaged materials. Login to the library catalog to check your account.

After hours, books may be returned to the book-drop outside of the library. Use the book drop for books that are on time. You are responsible for fines for any late returns.

The fine for overdue books is 25 cents per day for regular circulating books and 25 cents per hour for reserve materials. If the fines are not paid, a hold will be put on your account and you will not be able to register until the fine is cleared.

Newspaper Policy

Daily newspapers received by the library:

• Chicago Tribune
• Wall Street Journal
• USA Today
• New York Times
• Chicago Defender

Today’s newspapers are on newspaper rack by copy machine. Yesterday’s newspapers are stored on the display side of the magazine shelf. The library keeps two months of back issues with the older newspapers in the fold-back-shelf space behind the display shelf. At the end of the month, the newspapers are recycled.