Library Services

Library Cards

Students and staff are eligible to receive full borrowing privileges at campus libraries. A current Southwestern Illinois College photo ID and with library barcode is required to check out materials and make interlibrary loan requests.

• go to Public Safety to have a photo taken and an ID card created
• visit the library front desk to have a barcode attached to your ID card

This ID is used to check out materials from the library.

Residents of District #522 who are 18 years of age or older and are not enrolled or employed by Southwestern Illinois college may register for a community library card. A card fee of $25 is charged per year. Proof of residency (check book, tax, water, electric bill or other residency proof), age, and social security number are also required.

Southwestern Illinois College Library cards/Photo IDs are valid at all SWIC library campuses.

Patrons are responsible for all materials checked out on their card. Materials will only be checked out to the registered SWIC Library cardholder. The Public Safety Office and the Library’s circulation desk staff should be notified immediately when an ID is lost or stolen. Patrons are held responsible for material charged to their card prior to library notification.

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Checkout

A library card must be used to check out all material.

All materials except reserve items may be renewed twice except when requested by another student. Phone renewals are available if the material is not overdue. There is a 5 book limit per subject area, with an overall limit of 15 items.

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Overdues/Fines

Overdues will be charged at the rate of 10 cents per day per item. Overdue videos and compact discs are $1 per day. All of these over dues have a $4 maximum fine per item.

Interlibrary loan fines are charged according to the loaning library's fine policy.

Lost or misplaced materials should be reported promptly to the circulation desk.

All materials must be returned and all fine records cleared at the end of each semester before transcripts can be released and registration completed. Patrons with overdue items or fines will not be allowed to borrow materials.

There is a minimum $5 charge for mutilation of barcodes and other library materials. The barcodes are for automation purposes & are not part of the security system.

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Interlibrary Loan

Books and magazine articles not available at Southwestern may be requested through interlibrary loan. Use the automated catalog to place a hold on a book that is in our library system. To request a book not in our system or a magazine article not owned by Southwestern, fill out a form at the circulation desk. There is a limit of 10 books and 10 articles per person. Copies of articles are 10 cents per page. You will be notified when your requested item arrives.

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Reciprocal Borrowing

Southwestern Illinois College is a participant in the Southern Illinois Learning Resources Cooperative (SILRC) Resource Sharing Agreement. This entitles Southwestern students and staff to borrow materials directly at SILRC libraries who are participating in this agreement. For more info click here.

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Info-pass

Southwestern is a member of the St. Louis Regional Library Network. Info-Pass provides one-time access to participating St. Louis area member libraries for direct checkout of materials. Info-Passes are available to students and staff with a valid library card and no outstanding overdues. All materials must be returned by the patron to the library from which they were borrowed. There is no charge for an Info-Pass. Contact the librarians for further information.

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Electronic Databases

Access to the periodical databases and other research databases are available online. Currently SWIC Students and staff may access periodical databases off campus:

For more information and required passwords, contact any of the campus libraries.

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Internet

Internet access is available for students, faculty, staff, and community patrons at each SWIC campus library. Contact the library circulation desk for more information.

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