The other day I needed to go to the Fortier Library here at the College to arrange to use one of the study rooms for an upcoming meeting. When I arrived in the library, it was amazing how many people were there. They were engrossed in a myriad of tasks: some were using the study rooms to work on group projects; others were busy at work at the many computer workstations; some were in the library stacks, looking at books. While I waited to talk to the busy library staff, I asked one of the students at a computer what she was doing. She said she was using one of the library's online databases to research a paper. I asked her what she can find in the databases and she showed me the long list of databases that includes EBSCOhost, and the library catalog of the Community College System (CCSNH) libraries. I asked her what she could do if she could not find the information she needed in one of these databases and she told me that she would ask the library staff to get her materials from other libraries, through interlibrary loan.
I was so impressed with what this young woman was doing in the library that I asked Katie Doherty, the Director of Learning Resources/Librarian, how many people take advantage of these wonderful resources. She told me that although we are one of the smaller campuses within our Community College System, our students and community members use the library extensively. Last year, the library circulated more books and other materials than all but the two largest of the CCSNH libraries. Also, we get more materials from other libraries from around the state and North America through interlibrary loan than do any of the other System libraries.
As the only academic library in the North Country, we are truly a resource that is one of the better kept secrets in the region. We have a collection of over 17,000 volumes in print as well as online access to over 35,000 books. Students can use these online books from anywhere they can get Internet access. The Fortier Library is the northernmost depository of NH state documents. They receive most documents issued by NH state agencies; the documents are listed in the library's catalog and kept in filing cabinets. The library subscribes to 125 magazines and journals in print, and our students and community members also have access both on campus and off to the full-text of articles in literally thousands of journals electronically. There are 22 computers in the library at the Berlin location that students use to access the Internet to do research as well as type up papers and work on assignments. Our Littleton Academic Center has its own library and all our students, no matter where they are taking classes, at the centers in Conway, and Woodsville and other locations, have access to the NHCC-Berlin Fortier library's resources.
Learning to use these resources can be overwhelming but Katie Doherty works with a number of classes, both in Berlin as well as at the academic centers, to help students learn what is available and how to access them, both on campus and off.
The Fortier Library is also used by students from other colleges, including Granite State College and Plymouth State University. The NHCC-Berlin Fortier Library is open to the public. During the academic year, the library is open Monday through Thursday from 7 am to 9 pm, Friday 7:30 am to 7 pm and Saturday 9 am to 2 pm (hours during college breaks vary). Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Did you know that the Fortier Library also co-hosts book discussion series and other programming with funding provided by the NH Humanities Council as well as traveling exhibits. To access the library’s home page go to http://www.berlin.nhctc.edu/services/lib/.
Come visit one of the North Country's best kept secrets! We hope to see you soon in our library!
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