Using the Library

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Current Hours

spring '25 Hours:

Santa Maria Library Hours:
Mondays-Thursdays: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Fridays: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturdays-Sundays: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Chat Hours:
Mondays-Thursdays: 8 a.m.- 10 p.m.
Fridays: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturdays-Sundays: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.

LVC Library Hours:
Mondays-Thursdays: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fridays: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays: Closed

Expert Research Assistance

Need help getting started on a research project? Stuck in a database? Just not sure where to start, where to go or what you need? Ask a librarian! Use our Ask a Librarian E-reference service to chat with us or send us an email. Feel free to drop by the library too, we're always at the Reference Desk.  

Book Lending

Students, faculty and staff can request books and other materials from the AHC Library by placing a hold in the library catalog. Most circulating books will be available to check out for three weeks at a time and will automatically renew two more times, for a total loan period of 9 weeks, if no one else has requested the book. If someone requests your book you will be notified via AHC email to return the book to the library by the due date. 

Getting started with the library catalog? Review this guide for the basics.

Looking for access to course textbooks? Check the library catalog for textbooks in the course reserves collection, Books for Bulldogs collection or from the online textbook collection. 

Textbooks in the Books for Bulldogs (B4B) collection can be checked out for the entire semester. Once the request has been submitted, the student will be notified by email when and where the items are available for pick-up. After you have placed a request and receive notification your book is ready for pickup, you can pick up books during library hours as shown above or as specified in the email notification.

1. Search for your book(s) here in the library catalog. If it is in the catalog and is available to borrow, place a hold request. Wait for a confirmation email with further instructions on how and when to pick up your book(s). Or, if it is available as an online textbook (PDFs), please sign in to access the book PDFs for up to 2 hours. 
2. Is your book not in the catalog? Please E-chat or stop by to speak to a librarian.

Instructors: Are you an instructor that would like your textbook available to be borrowed online? Please submit this form.

Other Library Materials

The libraries offer much more than just books. You can borrow DVDs, plays, laptops, hotspots, anatomy models, geological mineral kits, and much more. We offer many materials for in-house use as well such as magazines, journals, zines, reference books, and maps. The Santa Maria library has a robust Children's Book collection and Art Book collection, along with subscriptions to several art and photogrpahy magazine publications. Find many of these items in the library catalog or info under the Borrow page of library website. For specific loan periods for these items reference the catalog item or reach out to us.