A. Holly Patterson Library

The A. Holly Patterson Library supports students in an active learning environment, providing research assistance and access to information in multiple formats produced worldwide. Group and individual study spaces, anatomy and physiology models, reserve copies of current textbooks, over 200 computers for student use, and information literacy instruction conducted in electronic classrooms round out the Library’s offerings.

When classes are in session, the Library is open over 70 hours per week with night and Saturday coverage. Over 483,000 persons visited the library last year. They borrowed books and non-print items; used periodicals and reference works in print and online formats, as well as reserve copies of textbooks and other required materials; accessed the Internet; and used the library’s facilities for group and individual study. Over 4 million database searches were conducted, resulting in almost 388,000 document downloads. In addition, our participation in the interlibrary loan network allowed us to acquire needed items from other libraries while we supplied their patrons with requested items.

The physical collection now numbers over 210,000 books and non-print items and over 100 print periodical titles. Electronic database subscriptions, accessible from any computer through the Library’s webpage, allow for ready access to information published in thousands of newspapers, journals and reference works in full-text, audio and video online formats.

By taking advantage of several resource sharing projects, Nassau offers access to a wide array of electronic information sources. The New York State Library’s Novel project provides library users with a wealth of full-text journal and newspaper articles. Nassau Community College belongs to the State University of New York’s SUNYConnect program that provides seamless access to a worldwide virtual library of information to any SUNY student, at any computer, anywhere. Additional resources are also made available through Nassau’s membership in the local library consortium, the Long Island Library Resources Council.

The Library’s Reference Unit is pleased to offer several online services through the Library’s website. By clicking on our “Ask a Librarian” link, members of the College community may chat with a librarian whenever the Library is open or post an e-mail reference question and receive a response within 24 hours. Our “Interlibrary Loan” link allows faculty, staff and students to submit Interlibrary Loan requests for books or periodical articles. Furthermore, our “Book a Class” link allows faculty to make online requests for Information Literacy instruction sessions.

A principal part of the Library’s mission is instruction. Library faculty provide individual information service in all public service areas throughout the year. Our Information Commons currently houses over 200 public access computers used by students for research. In addition, students may use the wireless internet network with their own laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices. The Library also offers individually designed lectures on library research to college classes, typically serving students by teaching 400-500 scheduled sessions per year. Classes are typically taught in a lab-style lecture room featuring 30 student computers for hands-on instruction. In addition, librarians teach several sections of the three-credit course, “Introduction to Library Research” and the one-credit course, “Essential Research for College Success,” each semester.

The Library is housed in a four-story building located between Clusters A-D and E-F.