Vanguard University of Southern California

Faculty Information

Services

Resources

Collections

Miscellaneous

Book Ordering 
Electronic Book Order Form

Databases 

Archives

Book Budget Information 

Bibliographies of VUSC Holdings in Subject Areas 

Electronic Periodicals 

TREN Fiche 

Confidentiality of Records 

Cassette Tape Duplication 

FirstSearch 

 Children's Literature

Library Hours 

Checkout Policies 

Library's Homepage 

Costa Rica Extension Library 

Library of Congress Classification System 

Checking out Journals 

Library Staff 

Curriculum Materials 

New Books & New Book Lists 

Instruction

Periodical Lists 

DVDs Copiers

InterLibrary Loan 
Electronic ILL Form (Book)
Electronic ILL Form (Periodical)

Reference 

ERIC fiche 

 

Loan Periods 

  VANPAC

Morris Pike Drama Collection 

   

Periodical Ordering 
Electronic Periodical Order Form

  

Pentecostal Collection 

  

Photocopying 

  

Rare Books 

  

Recall of Books 

  

Videos 

  

Reserves 

        

Annual Reports 

Contact person: Mel Covetta (x2406 or mcovetta@vanguard.edu

Annual reports for many businesses are found on the Internet. Online annual reports are often placed on a company's website. Consult Yahoo's directory of companies, or try to guess the URL (http://www.microsoft.com, for instance). 

Bibliographies of VUSC Holdings in Subject Areas 

Contact people: Alison English (x2404 or aenglish@vanguard.edu) Mel Covetta (x2406 or mcovetta@vanguard.edu) and Mary Wilson (x2405 or mwilson@vanguard.edu). 

The library faculty are glad to provide bibliographies of VUSC's book holdings in any subject area or for any special collection. We can provide you with a printout in call number, author, or title order, with the entire bibliographic information included. 

Book Budget Information 

Contact people: Alison English (x2404 or aenglish@vanguard.edu) for general budget information and Elena Nipper (Ext 2403 or enipper@vanguard.edu for current budget expenditures. 

Ordering for periodicals is done through EBSCO and UMI and takes place in April prior to the current year. Mel Covetta sends a list of current subscriptions to each department or divisional chair for decisions about deletions or additions. Books can be ordered when the fiscal year begins in July after the periodicals have been encumbered. This ensures that monies are still remaining in each budget. Currently, expenditures for periodicals consume about two-thirds of the budget. 

Elena Nipper sends the status of departmental/divisional expenditures to the chair several times during each semester. Book/material orders must be received in the library by February 15. Any remaining funds will be spent at the discretion of the Head Librarian. 

Book Ordering 

Contact person: Elena Nipper (x2403 or enipper@vanguard.edu

An integral part of the library's mission is to support the curriculum of Vanguard University of Southern California. Through savvy book and journal ordering, classroom faculty have a major role in assuring that the collection is vital and that students are able to complete the majority of their assignments in our library. Because of our limited book budget and the possibilities of duplication in ordering, it's important to follow established procedures. One of the best tools to identify books to order is Choice Reviews Online.

To order a book, submit the online order form. Include as much information as possible. If you are ordering from a dealer's catalog (for example, Edward Hamilton), it's always helpful to have the catalog forwarded. Department/Division chairs will be notified by email of requests. 

Elena checks our catalog to make sure we don't have the item you want. She'll notify faculty if an item is out of print. When the item arrives, it's sent to Mary Wilson for cataloging and final book processing, spine labeling, barcoding, and final cataloging. Mary notifies faculty when the book is ready to be checked out. 

If a book is needed for a class--for example, to be placed on reserve--we can place a RUSH on it for the entire process. By including a note on the online order that you need the material on a RUSH or by calling Elena, we'll be alerted to order and process material ASAP. 

Cassette Tape Duplication 

Contact person: Mel Covetta (x2406 or mcovetta@vanguard.edu

Tapes of Chapel and Lewis Wilson Pentecostal Institute lectures can be duplicated and are available for a nominal fee. 

Checkout Policies for Faculty 

Contact person: Jack Morgan (x2410 or jack.morgan@vanguard.edu

Faculty are able to check out materials for the entire semester. While reference materials, the Pentecostal Collection and periodicals do not normally circulate, faculty may check out these items for a short period. At the end of each semester, faculty will receive a list of items they still have checked out. At that time books can be renewed or returned. Faculty will be billed for the replacement cost of lost items. If other family members are going to check out using your card, please contact Jac,. Faculty emeriti and adjunct faculty have the same checkout privileges as full-time faculty. Please note that the librarians reserve the right to recall items that are checked out if other patrons need them.

Checking Out Periodicals 

Contact people: Mel Covetta (x2406 or mcovetta@vanguard.edu) or Jack Morgan (x2410 or jack.morgan@vanguard.edu

Periodicals do not normally circulate. However, faculty may check out periodicals for a short period of time. Since check-out statistics are kept and periodicals are checked out through the computer, please ask a desk worker to get the periodicals you need. 

Children's Literature 

Contact person: Mel Covetta (mcovetta@vanguard.edu

Each year we purchase a few children's books, mostly those which are Newbery or Caldecott Award winners, to add to our collection of about 600 books. These are located on the second floor. The Children's Literature collection is designated with the call numbers curric fic. For example, curric fic B756 1990 is the call number for a 1990 edition of Caddie Woodlawn by Brink. 

Confidentiality of Records 

Contact person: Alison English (aenglish@vanguard.edu

The library uses the American Library Association Code of Ethics as our guide for confidentiality of check-out and circulation information. If students or faculty ask who has an item checked out, we do not disclose that information. Nor do we tell faculty which students have checked out items placed on reserve. We will disclose how many times that item has been circulated, however. We are glad to contact whoever has checked out an item to make arrangements for him/her to return it for another patron's use. 

Costa Rica Extension Library 

Contact person: Mel Covetta (mcovetta@vanguard.edu

VUSC maintains a collection of over 8000 books and periodicals at its Costa Rica Study Center in San Jose for the use of VUSC students and missionaries on the field. 

Curriculum Materials 

Contact person: Mel Covetta (mcovetta@vanguard.edu

The library has a small collection of curriculum materials to support our Liberal Studies major and Graduate Education program. These may be checked out for the normal 3-week period. 

Databases and CD-ROMS 

Contact person: Alison English (aenglish@vanguard.edu

We subscribe to a growing number of online and listed below. For more information, consult About Our Databases

Database 

Description and Location 

Access Science 

Online McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology 

American National Biography (ANB) 

The Online supplement to the 24-volume ANB set, published in 1999. You can find the set in the Reference Room by the library computer lab. 

ATLA 

A large religion-oriented database of periodicals, dissertations, essays in edited books, and book reviews. When you reach the search screen, use the pull-down menu to select ATLA (which has full-text articles).
ATLA is available off campus with a password and user ID. Ask a librarian for help.

BioOne Full-text bioscience journals.

Britannica Online 

Encyclopedia Britannica 

Choice Reviews Online Reviews of scholarly books and a great collection development tool for faculty.
Contemporary Women's Issues Full-text access to global information on women in over 150 countries. Indexes books, journals, newsletters, research reports, fact sheets. Coverage back to 1992.

CQ Researcher

Lengthy reports on issues; excellent source of info for debates, speeches, etc.

CQ Weekly

Current information covering Congress and legislation

ERIC Online 

A huge education-related database that is useful in other disciplines also. 

FirstSearch 

FirstSearch provides access to 66 databases, including Article 1st, Contents 1st, Sociological Abstracts, Dissertation Abstracts, Book Review Digest. 

Gale Literature Database 

Contains critical analyses of works and authors, plus biographical information. 

INFOTRAC 

Probably the most popular database we have. InfoTrac includes two databases: Expanded Academic ASAP is a general academic database that covers several disciplines; General BusinessFile ASAP is a business-related database. Both databases have many full-text articles back to 1995, with a backfile back to 1980 (citations and some abstracts). Location: WWW on campus only. 

JSTOR 

VUSC's subscription to JSTOR allows us to access entire runs (with the exception of the last 3-5 years) of full-text periodicals through the WWW on campus only. 

Lexis-Nexis 

Contains full-text newspapers articles for many newspapers back 20 years. Also has company, business and legal information. 

MLA 

Index to periodicals in literature, language, and linguistics. No full-text. When you reach the search screen, use the pull-down menu to choose the MLA index. Accessible off campus with a user ID and password. Ask a librarian for help.

NetLibrary

VU's subscription to about 2000 ebooks, which can be "checked out" and read online. These can also be accessed off campus if an account has been set up while on campus.

OED online 

The Oxford English Dictionary 

Opposing Viewpoints Pro and con essays on controversial topics. Full-text
Oxford Reference Full-text of many of the Oxford reference books.

Proquest Direct 

Similar to InfoTrac; covers general and scholarly periodicals, with some full-text articles 

PsycINFO 

A huge database useful for psychologists, educators, communication researchers, and sociologists. Available through the WWW on campus and off campus with a username and password. Ask a librarian for both. The database allows 1-5 simultaneous users. 

RTA (Religious and Theological Abstracts) 

An outstanding periodical database which was Religious and Theological Abstracts in hard copy. No full text.

Other Databases 

MEDLINE 

A huge medical database produced by the National Library of Medicine. Useful particularly for Anatomy and Physiology classes and Exercise Science. 

MELVYL 

Access to the University of California's catalog. You can search for books and the titles of periodicals. No searching for periodical articles available. 

 

DVDs

Contact person: Mary Wilson (mwilson@vanguard.edu)

The library has about 700 dvd titles. Most of these are classics chosen from the AFI lists of the 100 best dramas and comedies. Others are current and popular movies. These are on three-day loan with no renewals, though faculty and staff can have them out a little longer, such as over a weekend. Tell the attendant at the circulation desk the date you'd like to bring the items back.

Electronic Periodicals 

Contact person: Alison English (aenglish@vanguard.edu

Through JSTORInfoTrac, and ProQuest,  VUSC faculty have access to a number of full-text journals. JSTOR includes entire runs of research journals (with the exception of the last 3-5 years). 

ERIC Fiche 

Contact person: Mel Covetta (mcovetta@vanguard.edu

Graduate Education students may order a stipulated number of fiche from ERIC each semester. These fiche are then cataloged under the call number mfch ED (example: mfch ED 377 981) with the last numbers being the ERIC accession number. They are available for library use only and are located at the Circulation Desk. Currently, we have about 500 fiche in this ERIC collection. 

 

FirstSearch 

Contact person: Alison English (aenglish@vanguard.edu), Mel Covetta (mcovetta@vanguard.edu) or Mary Wilson (mwilson@vanguard.edu

FirstSearch is an extraordinary database of about 20 databases produced by OCLC, through which we also catalog our collection and access InterLibrary Loan. The databases cover nearly every discipline. Accessing FirstSearch may be done off campus with a password and user ID. Ask a librarian for help. 

Instruction 

Contact people: Alison English (x2404; aenglish@vanguard.edu) Mel Covetta (x2406; mcovetta@vanguard.edu) Mary Wilson (x2045; mwilson@vanguard.edu) or Pam Crenshaw (x2408; pcrenshaw@vanguard.edu)

We believe that the library can be and should be a classroom like any other on campus. If our students are truly to become lifelong learners, they must learn to negotiate their way through simple and complex research strategies and tools, and they must know when each is required. Additionally, they must learn to evaluate and question sources and "authorities." Critical thinking is required at every step of the research process. Ideally, research instruction should be developmental and tied to specific and meaningful assignments. We hope our "Ten Suggestions for Better Library Research Assignments" information (now under development) will be helpful as you plan research for your classes. 

The Library Faculty wish to partner with Classroom Faculty in making research instruction vital and achievable for our students. We're available to help in several ways: 

  • to teach the tools of research for an hour or longer for your class 

  • to help you create research assignments 

  • to advise you about whether our collection will support a research assignment you are planning 

Please do not assume that students, even those in your upper division classes, know how to "do research"! 

InterLibrary Loan 

Contact people: Pam Crenshaw (x2408 or pcrenshaw@vanguard.edu)

Through OCLC and InterLibrary Loan we can access thousands of periodicals and millions of books throughout the United States. The cost to us varies from $3.00 (minimum cost for processing through OCLC) to $15.00 (and more in rare cases). We have reciprocal agreements with about 70 libraries, wherein we will provide them free copies if they do the same for us. Obviously, we try to obtain as many ILLs from these providers as possible. Faculty ILLs are charged to the appropriate department/division. E-mail Pam with your request.

Library Hours 

During Fall and Spring semesters, the library hours are 

Monday-Thursday 7:30 AM-11:00 PM 
Friday 7:30 AM-5:00 PM 
Saturday Noon-5:00 PM 
Sunday 2:00 PM-8:00 PM 

The library is closed during Chapel on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-10:30 AM and on Wednesdays from 10:00-11:00 AM. The library is also closed on major holiday weekends. Vacation and summer hours vary. To confirm hours during these times, call (714)556-3610, Ext. 263, 419 or 420. Holiday hours are also posted under Library Hours on our home page.

During the last two weeks of the semester, the library stays open until midnight Monday-Thursday. 

Library's Home Page

Loan Periods 

Contact person: Jack Morgan (x2410 or jack.morgan@vanguard.edu

Most items circulate for three weeks. Reserves may circulate for 1-hour; 2-hours (library use only); 2-hours (may be taken out at 11PM and due at 8AM); 1-day; 2-days; 3 days; 1 week. 
Music CDs have a 3-day loan period. Videos and DVDs can be checked out for 24 hours. 

Morris Pike Drama Collection 

Contact person: Alison English (x2404 or aenglish@vanguard.edu

Morris Pike, faculty emeritus in drama, donated his collection of about 250 modern plays to the VUSC library when he retired in May 1998. This collection is housed on the second floor. 

New Books & New Book Lists 

The new items we access monthly are listed in VANPAC, our online catalog under the subject heading New Books. At the search screen, change keyword search to subject. Type in New Books, and then click the Browse button. You'll see a list of months (New Books January 2002, etc.) Click on any month you wish to search and you'll get a list of the new titles.

Pentecostal Collection 

Contact person: Pam Crenshaw (x2408 or pcrenshaw@vanguard.edu) or Mary Wilson (x2405 or mwilson@vanguard.edu)

The Pentecostal Collection reflects both VUSC's heritage and current research in Pentecostalism. Currently, this collection of about 950 titles is housed on the first floor in two glass cabinets and in a storage closet. Items for inclusion are chosen by either Ed Rybarczyk, Director of the Lewis Wilson Institute of Pentecostal Studies, or Mary Wilson or Pam Crenshaw. The collection will eventually include materials from the Southern California District Council of the Assemblies of God and the General Council of the Assemblies of God. 

Items are usually checked out for in-library use only. Guests must leave their driver's license or keys at the circulation desk. Faculty who are researching heavily in the movement may check out items for a longer period of time with a librarian's permission. 

Periodical Lists

Periodical Ordering 

Contact person: Mel Covetta (x2406; mcovetta@vanguard.edu

The best time to order periodicals is in April, after departments/divisions have received a list of current subscriptions from Mel and have decided what will be reordered or cancelled. EBSCO, our periodicals jobber, prefers that orders are placed along with our April annual renewal. Journals can be added at any time, however. An online order form  can be submitted for periodical orders.

Photocopying 

Contact person: Jack Morgan (x2410 or jack.morgan@vanguard.edu)

Departments and divisions usually have a copy card in the library for faculty use. Ask at the Circulation Desk for your departmental card, and please remember to return it!

Rare Books 

Contact Person: Mary Wilson (x2405 or mwilson@vanguard.edu)

The library has a small collection (225 volumes) of rare books.Most of these are older than 1890, or have special significance such as an author's inscription. The collection is housed in a locked glass case on the second floor. 

Recall of Books 

Contact person: Jack Morgan (x2410 or jack.morgan@vanguard.edu)

Occasionally, the library must ask a patron to return an item before the checkout period expires. Often this happens because a faculty member has requested the item be placed on reserve. In that case, items must be returned immediately. At other times patrons simply need to use items checked out by someone else. The librarians are glad to contact whoever has the material checked out to facilitate an exchange. 

Reference 

Contact people: Alison English (x2404 or aenglish@vanguard.edu); Mel Covetta (x2406 or mcovetta@vanguard.edu); Mary Wilson (x2405 or mwilson@vanguard.edu) Pam Crenshaw (x2408 or pcrenshaw@vanguard.edu)

Reference librarians are available throughout the week with the exception of Saturdays. 

Reserves 

Contact person: Pam Crenshaw (x2408 or pcrenshaw@vanguard.edu

Faculty reserves are located at the Circulation Desk. To place an item on reserve, faculty must fill out a form indicating the class in which the item will be used and the type of reserve (1-hour, 2-hour, 24-hour, library use only, etc.). Please do not tell students that material is on reserve until it is actually in the library. In the past, professors have casually mentioned in class that they are going to place items on reserve and students leave the class expecting to find the items already in the library, processed, and ready for them. Allow at least a day for materials to be processed

Archives 

Contact person: Pam Crenshaw (x2408 or pcrenshaw@vanguard.edu)

The VUSC Archives is a collection of yearbooks, catalogs, promotional materials, student handbooks, and memorabilia pertaining to our history. The Archives includes a collection of notebooks of various minutes, memos, publications, newspaper articles, etc., from all departments within the VUSC community (back to 1992). 

 

TREN Fiche 

Contact person: Mary Wilson (x2405 or mwilson@vanguard.edu)

The library has approximately 3500 microfiche produced by the Theological Research Exchange Network, which has a searchable on-line database of titles. Many theological institutions participate in this network by submitting theses and dissertations written by their students. In addition, papers presented to the Evangelical Theological Society are included. These fiche provide examples of research and bibliographies on many theological topics and represent varying points of view. They are cataloged in VANPAC and are available at the circulation desk for library use only. 


 

Videos 

Contact person: Jack Morgan (x2410 or jack.morgan@vanguard.edu)

The library has a small collection of about 300 videos. These range in subject matter from speeches of JFK to Shakespearean plays. They can normally be checked out for 24 hours, though faculty may have longer a checkout period.