Library
The Blanche Skiff Ross Memorial Library is your hub for research, study, and academic support. Whether you need a quiet place to focus, a space to collaborate with classmates, or expert help from library staff, the library is here for you.
Spaces and Facilities
The main floor offers areas for individual study, group work, class instruction, and assistance from librarians and staff. Quiet study areas are available throughout all levels of the building. The second floor houses the Conference Room, the Study Lounge, and two private study rooms with computers, all available for individual or group use. Also on the second floor, the Commuter Student Room provides a dedicated space for commuter students, featuring a computer, television, comfortable seating, a mini-fridge, and a storage locker. A treadmill/walking pad is also available on this floor for anyone to use.
The Study Lounge is the only location in the Library where food is permitted. Drinks are welcome throughout the building but must be in covered, spill-proof containers.
The library offers 16 computers for student use, along with scanners and a print release station offering both color and black-and-white printing, scanning, and copying.
The Mac Lab is available for meetings and study when not scheduled for classroom use. It seats 16 and has 5 large-screen televisions for group presentations and screen sharing.
The lower level is a shared library and academic space housing the Jann Rudd Weitzel Education Lab, which includes a dedicated classroom and education faculty offices. The library’s Media Lounge, equipped with a large-screen TV, cable access, and DVD/Blu-ray equipment, is also available for student use. The lower level offers multiple study areas suited to a variety of learning styles.
Collections
The library provides access to more than 55,000 items across the following locations:
- Main Floor: Fiction, manga, and graphic novels; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies materials; DVD/Blu-ray collections (Popular Movies and AV Cabinet), Yearbooks and Board Games.
- Circulation Desk: Textbook and Faculty Reserves; graphing calculators; and loanable items including device chargers, umbrellas, bicycles, and hammocks.
- Second Floor: Stacks, Reference, and Oversized collections.
- Lower Level: Education and Juvenile collections.
Digital Resources
The Library's webpage (http://cottey.edu/library) provides access to your Library account, the Library and MOBIUS catalogs, and a wide range of online resources. These include more than 40 research databases, 250,000 academic eBooks, 17,000 eBooks and audiobooks through the Libby app, streaming movies, and print and digital magazine collections. You can also view the current Textbook Reserve and Faculty Reserve Collections.
Search “Locate” – the Library Catalog – Use Locate to search the Library’s Books and OverDrive Collection
Search “OpenRS” – the MOBIUS Catalog – Use OpenRS to search and request MOBIUS Library materials
Borrowing and Access
Your Comet Card serves as your Library card and is required to check out materials and access the building.
Checkout periods are as follows:
| Material Type | Loan Period |
|---|---|
| Library books | 28 days |
| DVD/Blu-ray discs | 28 days |
| Textbook Reserve materials | 2 hours (in-Library use only) |
| Faculty Reserve materials | 2 hours to 3 days (per instructor specifications) |
MOBIUS and Interlibrary Loan
If a book you need is not available at the Ross Library, you may request it online through the OpenRS MOBIUS Consortium. If the item is not available through MOBIUS, you can request it through the library’s interlibrary loan service.
Policies and Fees
Unauthorized removal of Library materials is a violation of the Honor Code. If a Library item is damaged or lost, you are billed for the replacement cost plus a processing fee. The same applies to items borrowed from other libraries through OpenRS MOBIUS or interlibrary loan. Theft of Library materials is illegal and may be reported to the appropriate authorities.