GCC Library Cards

All students registered for classes are issued an electronic library card automatically. Faculty and staff hired after summer 2024 are issued a library card automatically. Faculty and staff hired prior to this date may request a GCC library card in person or via email.

Student or faculty/staff ID cards serve as the physical library card and these can be requested in person in the library or online via myGCC.

Any community patron seeking to borrow GCC library materials that qualifies for a CWMARS card will be made a public library card. If a GCC library patron is not a student, GCC employee, or eligible for a CWMARS card, but possesses a compelling connection to the GCC community, a community borrower card may be issued.

GCC student library cards expire one academic year following the last semester of active enrollment. GCC staff and community borrower cards expire automatically two (2) years after their creation date, and can be renewed by replying to the email notification of expiration.

Library Card Opt-Out

Students, faculty, and staff may choose not to have a GCC library card created for them automatically. This impacts your ability to access GCC library resources, including some streaming film databases and the technology lending library.

If you would like to opt out of a GCC library card, please email library@gcc.mass.edu with your name, student ID number, and the request to opt out.

You can opt back in at any time by emailing library@gcc.mass.edu with your name, student ID number, and the request to opt in.

Library Card Privileges and Access

All GCC and CWMARS library card holders with accounts in active, good standing may borrow library materials. Some library materials, notably tech lending library materials, are available for checkout by GCC students, only.

All of our library’s digital materials can be accessed by anyone while on site in the GCC library, from either a desktop or from any device on a GCC internet connection. Off-site access to our digital materials is available to those with a GCC Student or GCC Staff library card, only.

The library card, or alternate ID to verify identity, must be presented when checking out library materials.

Finding Library Materials

Books (both digital and print, as well as DVDs, audio books, and more) are found using the GCC Library Catalog or by browsing the shelves of the library. If a book you want is checked out, you may place a hold on the book and it will be either ordered from another CWMARS library or held for you when the item is returned.

Digital materials in our collection can be found via our Discovery Search feature, or directly from any of our databases.

Lending Period, Renewals, and Returns

Books in the general collection circulate to GCC students and staff until the end of the current academic semester, as does most technology (for GCC students, only), with no renewals. For CWMARS patrons, books in the general collection circulate for 28 days with two (2) renewals.

DVDs in the general collection circulate for seven (7) days and have one (1) renewal for all library card holders.

Books & DVDs can be returned on campus, as well as to any CWMARS location. Laptops, hotspots, and other technological equipment must be returned on campus.

Non-Circulating Materials

The following items are for in-library use, only:

• Periodicals, including newspapers
• Reserve materials. Request reserve materials at the circulation desk
• Reference materials (any book marked “Ref” in the call number, found to the left of the reference desk)
• Rare books (any book marked “Rare” in the call number)
• MacLeish Collection—this material is available by appointment

Overdue Material

There are no fines for overdue material, but borrowers must pay the replacement value of unreturned or damaged material. Multiple reminders are sent for overdue material before a bill for the replacement cost is rendered. Borrowers may not check out additional materials until overdue items are returned.

Replacement costs can be paid via a credit card (in the library catalog) or check (in person or by mail). Cash and replacement items are not accepted.

Students who have not returned library materials that are a month overdue may have their college record flagged and will become subject to disqualification from registration and the withholding of grades, transcripts, diplomas, and certificates until items are returned or paid for.

For additional information about overdue technology equipment, please see the library’s TLL-specific policy.