Library : Learning Resource Center

The Learning Resource Center and George A. Piendak Library

Learning Resource Center Reception at BIC The George A. Piendak Library and Learning Resource Center (LRC) maintains an expanding collection of culinary, hospitality management, general educational and recreational books, audiovisual materials and periodicals (both print and electronic). The LRC has computerized circulation, cataloging and processing systems, which allow materials to be circulated more effectively. Our library is a member of several interlibrary loan programs, including the Maryland Interlibrary Consortium and the Maryland Interlibrary Loan Organization. Click here to download a .pdf with further information about the Maryland Interlibrary Consortium.

Electronic Databases

This program uses an online SHARC electronic card catalog system and enables BIC to have access to the holdings of private and state libraries throughout Maryland and the United States. The library receives approximately 120 serial titles and has more than 16,000 volumes on its shelves, as well as over 1000 AV (filmstrip/video/DVD) materials. Access to the Internet through the computer lab is available, and students have access to the following in-house online databases for their research:

EBSCO Research Database- Databases on this include Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, Hospitality and Tourism Index Complete; Health Source, ERIC, and others. (Also through MDL remote access)
National Newspaper Database- Provides full text coverage and indexing to current and retrospective articles in the Baltimore Sun, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and others. (Also through MDL remote access)
Hoover's Online- Company and business/industry information.
Lexis/Nexis Academic- Wide variety of current and retrospective news, business , legal, and reference information.
Opposing Viewpoints- Database which provides the pros and cons of current social issues, such as AIDS, censorship, eating disorders, gun control, etc. (Also through MDL remote access)
Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition- A compilation of authoritative articles organized by topic, has additional useful features such as timelines, world maps, statistical data, etc. (Also through MDL remote access)

Remote Access (off-campus access)

In addition to the databases listed above, all faculty, staff, and students have remote access to all of the Maryland Digital Library (MDL) databases to which our college subscribes.

Online catalog of Maryland Interlibrary Consortium (MIC), collections of Baltimore International College Library, Columbia Union College Library, Hood College Library, Loyola Notre Dame Library, Mount St. Mary's University Library, and Villa Julie College Library.

Students also have remote access to all of the Maryland Digital Library (MDL) databases to which BIC subscribes. Accessing these databases "off campus" can be achieved by logging in to the MDL homepage with your last name and 14-digit bar code, which can be found on the back of your school ID. (This bar code also enables you to check out books from the LRC.) Databases that are available through MDL are the Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, ERIC, Health Source (Academic and Consumer Editions), Hospitality and Tourism Complete and National Newspapers. Please let the LRC staff know if you have any questions - they will be glad to offer their assistance in the utilization of library resources.

Maryland Digital Library (MDL)- Databases that are available through MDL are the Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, ERIC, Health Source (Academic and Consumer Editions), hospitality and Tourism Complete, National Newspapers, Opposing Viewpoints, and Britannica Online.
SHARC- Online catalog

Library Hours

Monday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location

The Learning Resource Center (LRC) encompasses the George Piendak Library and its adjoining Computer Lab, which are both located on the 4th floor of the Commerce Exchange Building at 17 Commerce Street, Baltimore, MD 21202-3230

Library Staff

Wendy Baker- Director
Nina Baker-Lucas- Circulation Technician
Paul McAdam- Technical Services Librarian
Betsy Madero- Reference Librarian

Publications

The LRC issues numerous publications periodically throughout the year which assist instructor, staff, and students to access information effectively and in a timely manner. Examples include such guidelines as proper MLA citation format; the accessing of electronic databases (both in-house and thru remote access off-campus); criteria for evaluating websites; suggested reading lists for students; etc. Click here to view a current list of "hard copy" periodicals available in the LRC.

Copyright Law & Fair Use Policy

The LRC has created a Copyright Policy which adheres to the Federal Copyright Act of 1976. Basically, only the author of an original work has the legal right to make or distribute copies of their work. Exemptions are made for instructors, students, researchers, libraries, etc. under the guidelines of Fair Use.

Fair Use- Section 107 of the Copyright Act outlines the "Fair Use" guidelines for students, instructors, researchers, and others with these four factors:

The purpose of the use- whether the copied material will be used for educational or research purposes, or for commercial reasons
The nature of the work being copied- whether it is educational; recreational; or creative
The amount of the work being copied- both in portion and in significance
The potential market effect: whether copying the work interferes with its potential market value or sales

Under these guidelines, instructors may make one copy per student of the following copyrighted materials for educational use in the classroom: articles, short poems, short stories, and excerpts from larger works (not to exceed 10% of that work). However, under the guidelines of Fair use, instructors may not:

Make copies for classroom use if the same material is currently in use by another course at the same institution;
Distribute copies of the works by the same author more than once in any semester;
Make copies of any work that was used in previous semesters;
Make any copies of worksheets, lab manuals; standardized tests, or any "consumable" work.

Holdings

The LRC receives approximately 120 serial titles and has more than 16,000 volumes on its shelves, as well as approximately 1000 videos/DVDs. Various online research databases are available to all faculty, staff, and students through internet access. Our library is also a member of two interlibrary programs, Maryland Interlibrary Loan Organization (MILO) and Maryland Interlibrary Consortium (MIC). With MILO and the new Voyager Library Systems, computerized circulation, cataloging, processing systems, and SHARC online catalog, our users can access to the holdings of private and state libraries throughout Maryland and the United States more effectively.

Library Reserve Materials

In adherence to the Fair use provisions explained above, the library will accept photocopied materials for reserve use according to the following guidelines:

One single copy of a chapter, article, story, graphic, poem, essay, etc. may be placed on reserve;
This material may remain on reserve for one semester. To keep this material on reserve for more than one semester, instructors must request and receive copyright permission;
Anyone requesting the use of library reserve material must present a current valid ID. All library patrons are responsible for compliance with the Federal Copyright Act, which is stated on a sign near the library photocopier.
All instructors are required to complete the proper Reserve Form before placing materials on reserve

AV Equipment

All classrooms in the commerce building are equipped with:

Mounted TV
VCR/DVD player
Pull-down screen

Additional equipment for use in the Commerce Building are housed in the LRC and in the closet in Room 101. The equipment includes:

27" TVs with VCR or VCR/DVD players
Overhead projectors LCD projectors (with computers)
Camcorders

Room 106, which has a 35" TV and a VCR/DVD, may also be used by instructors.

For inquiries about equipment housed at Calvert, Redwood, or the Culinary Arts Center, please see the LRC staff.

AV Sign-Out Procedure: Keys

Room 101 and 106 -- Keys to both rooms are kept at the 3rd floor Reception Desk. Keys will be given out on a first come/first serve basis. Faculty who wish to use a key must sign it out from the 3rd floor Reception Desk.
All keys must be returned by the end of the day. Each person who borrows equipment is responsible for taking care of it and for letting the LRC staff know immediately about any maintenance problems (i.e. burned out bulbs, dead batteries, frayed cords, etc.).

Reservation of AV Equipment

AV equipment held in the LRC must be reserved in advance.
There is a great deal of demand for the use of this equipment. Instructors should reserve equipment as far in advance as possible, but at least 3 days in advance.
Reservations must be made with an "AV Equipment Reservation Form" available in either the LRC or the 3rd floor Faculty area.

Bibliographic Instruction & Information Literacy

The LRC staff is here to assist you with your informational and research needs, and we also look forward to working with your classes in the areas of bibliographic instruction and informational literacy. Baltimore International College has developed an Information Literacy Program in accordance with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) which is implemented across the curriculum. In order to accommodate the needs of all instructors in these areas, a "Request for Bibliographic Instruction/Information Literacy Form" should be completed at least one week in advance of the requested instruction, which will take place in either the LRC Computer Lab or the Reference area of the library. Note: To utilize the LRC Computer Lab for instruction (with or without the assistance of a librarian), all instructors are required to reserve this lab in advance in our logbook at the Circulation Desk.