SCampus Student Guidebook

Information Resources

Libraries

Doheny Memorial Library
(213) 740-2924
3550 Trousdale Parkway
www.usc.edu/libraries

The USC Libraries develop collections and services that support and encourage the academic endeavors of faculty, students and staff; build a community of critical consumers of information; and help develop engaged world citizens. With more than four million books and thousands of electronic journals and databases, the USC Libraries actively support the discovery, creation and preservation of knowledge.

The USC Libraries provide significant collections in the areas of architecture, cinema and television studies, international and public affairs, American literature, philosophy, Latin American studies, Korean studies, Southern California regional history and many other disciplines.

If you are not sure where to start, Leavey Library is a good place to go. The staff at Leavey will help you with your research needs and provide referrals to the other libraries on campus.

For information on all USC libraries and collections, visit www.usc.edu/libraries. Current library hours and locations are available at www.usc.edu/libraries/locations.

Edward L. Doheny, Jr. Memorial Library

The largest of the USC libraries is Doheny Memorial Library, which contains most of the research collections for the humanities and social sciences. Doheny Library also houses Special Collections, the Cinematic Arts Library, Music Library, East Asian Library and the Intellectual Commons.

Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Library

Leavey Library provides an environment for intellectual inquiry and discovery geared toward undergraduate learning needs. Leavey Library features a core collection of books and journals, two electronic information commons with nearly 200 computer workstations, more than 50 collaborative workspaces, two hands-on learning classrooms, a multimedia auditorium and more than 1,400 reader seats in a variety of formal and informal arrangements. Leavey provides faculty and students with tools to accomplish research using both traditional and electronic resources. Within Leavey, librarians and staff provide assistance for faculty using technology and information resources to develop materials for instruction and research. Librarians and student navigation assistants are available to assist students with print and electronic resources.

The library is open 24 hours a day, except from midnight Saturday to 9 a.m. on Sunday, during most of the academic year.

Specialized Subject Libraries

USC has many libraries that feature specialized collections and archives, including the Helen Topping Architecture and Fine Arts Library, Roy P. Crocker Business Administration Library, Cinematic Arts Library, East Asian Library, Gerontology Library, Music Library, Hoose Library of Philosophy, the Science and Engineering Library and others.

Library Card

Your USCard also serves as your library card. Simply present your USCard at any campus library circulation desk to activate full library privileges. Your library card will remain valid and will be renewed automatically as long as you are an enrolled student.

Getting Help

USC provides expert reference assistance to students at all campus libraries. The Ask-a-Librarian electronic reference service (www.usc.edu/askalibrarian) allows students to receive answers via phone, email, online chat or in person. During the academic year, library and computing assistance is available 24 hours a day (except from midnight Saturday to 9 a.m. on Sunday) in the Leavey Library Lower Commons.

Online Catalogue and Electronic Resources

USC’s online library catalogue, HOMER, available on the Web at library.usc.edu, will guide you to books, periodicals, government documents, microforms and dissertations held in libraries on the University Park campus.

In addition, the university subscribes to a wide variety of article databases, online catalogues, dictionaries, encyclopedias, electronic journals, visual materials and much more. To access these resources, visit the USC Libraries homepage at www.usc.edu/libraries.

Other Services

Interlibrary Loan

The USC Libraries’ provide an interlibrary loan service that processes more than 35,000 requests each year. Students may borrow scholarly materials not available at USC by placing an interlibrary loan request. Online request forms are available at www.usc.edu/libraries/services/idd/interlibrary_loan.

Reserve Materials

The USC Libraries maintain electronic and hard copy reserve systems. Leavey Library hosts most paper reserve materials for many general education classes. Items currently on hard copy reserve are listed in HOMER, USC’s online catalogue, via the Reserve Desk feature. Hard copy reserve materials may be checked out from a library for a limited time (usually for two hours or one day). Electronic reserve materials are available through the Ares System at www.usc.edu/libraries/course_reserves.