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About the Library

An overview of library policies, codes of conduct, collections, classifications, and procedures.

Library Policies

  • For Tusculum faculty, staff, and students, your Tusculum University ID card and number serves as your library card.
  • Complimentary cards may be issued for alumni and students of reciprocating institutional libraries (upon presentation of a valid ID) may be obtained at the circulation desk at the Greeneville campus library.
  • Tusculum University students who wish to obtain a library card from ETSU must complete a responsibility form. (Ask at the front desk about the responsibility form)
  • For all other patrons, you must have a Greeneville/Greene County Public Library (GGCPL) card with no outstanding fees or fines to to recieve a complimentary library card from the Thomas J. Garland Library.
  • The library has four group study rooms and one AOS & Communter Lounge (Room numbers: 316, 317, 318, 319, 320) located on the upper floor. These rooms are available for course-related study or faculty/staff meetings during library open hours. These rooms are not soundproof so occupants should be considerate of their neighbors.
  • Group study rooms are provided for the purpose of collaborative learning and are employed on a first-come, first-serve basis for up to a 4 hour time period.
  • Users are asked to please be civil with one another and share these rooms in a spirit of cooperation. In the event of a problem, the library staff may ask individuals to move to an independent study carrel or another study area within the library.
  • While in use, study rooms should not be left unattended at any time. If a room is left unattended, its use will be forfeited during busier times.
  • Should you have any questions, please call the library circulation desk at (423) 636-7320 or extension 5320.
  • Study rooms are to be kept locked at all times, when not in use. A requesting patron must check out the key to the designated study room from the front desk. The key MUST be returned to the Circulation Desk when finished or at the time of closing.
  • Tusculum University ID cards or equivalent will be retained at the Circulation Desk, to be returned to the patron when the study room key is returned. The patron checking out the key is responsible for its return and for the condition of the area.
  • Study room keys should not leave the library at any time.
  • The Information Literacy Room (ILR) is located in Room 206 in the Garland Library. With seating for 30, it houses an instructor workstation, overhead LCD projector, and projection screen. The ILR's primary purpose is to provide a space for librarian/faculty/student collaboration and information literacy instruction sessions in a structured environment that limits interruption while allowing availability of computers in the Information Commons in the Garland Library.
  • The ILR may not be scheduled as a regular teaching classroom for any regularly scheduled classes during any semester. To do so would prevent other faculty from scheduling the room for Information Literacy sessions.
  • Information Literacy sessions are taught by Tusculum University Librarians in collaboration with TU faculty and staff. Tusculum University faculty are encouraged to contact the library and speak to the appropriate librarian to schedule an information literacy instruction session.
  • Faculty should contact the library to reserve the Information Literacy room.
  • Administrative and professional staff of Tusculum University wishing to schedule the ILR for faculty and staff workshops related to library and information research should contact Library Director Kathy Hipps to make arrangements.

Procedure for requesting a session in the ILR

  1. Contact the library at least 3 days in advance to speak with a librarian and to schedule an information literacy instruction session.
  2. If available, the room and technology will be reserved for the session time period requested by the faculty member. If a session is no longer required, it should be cancelled by phone call or email to the librarian with whom it was scheduled.
  3. During the session time period students will have access, at faculty request, to use the Information Commons lab for research or session exercises.
  4. If the ILR is unavailable at the requested time, an alternate date/time may be chosen or arrangements made to provide Information Literacy Instruction for the faculty’s class in the open computer lab in the Information Commons or in the faculty member‘s classroom.
  5. If an instructor would like to bring a class for library research during class time, arrangements can be made to reserve the computers in the Information Commons for a specific time. Such arrangements should be made as far in advance of need as possible.

The library reserve service allows faculty and administration to place books, assigned readings, and other material on reserve at the circulation desk.

Please use the following guidelines when placing materials on reserve for class use:

  • A Reserve Request Form must be completed for each separate item being placed on reserve. Copies of this form can be obtained at the circulation desk, or the form can be downloaded and printed from the linked document below. You may also fill out a digital version of the form for library items, using this Course Reserve Request Form.
  • Please allow 48 hours processing time for reserve materials.
  • If the reserve is a library book or audiovisual resource, speak with a librarian regarding any overnight circulation that is allowed for the students of the specific course and include information on the form.
  • Due to space limitations, reserve material cannot remain in the library permanently. Materials may stay on reserve for the length of time indicated on the Reserve Request Form up to one semester. Email reminders will be sent out to retrieve loaned materials.
  • If the reserve is a photocopy, it is the responsibility of the instructor to make sure the material is legible.
    •  A complete bibliographic citation must be included with all photocopies.
    •  Please provide no more than two (2) copies of photocopied Reserve readings, one stapled for reading in the library, one with a paper clip for making copies. No two-sided copies.
  • Personal books and other materials are accepted for reserve. While all efforts will be made to safeguard these items, the library is not responsible for any damage or theft of personal items. Barcodes for circulation purposes will be attached to a bookmark in order to preserve the condition of any personal items loaned for reserve.

The following materials may not be placed on reserve:

  • Periodicals from the Tusculum Library collection- This ensures that these materials are accessible to all library patrons.
    • Faculty members are welcome to submit photocopies of articles for reserve, provided they fall under Fair Use guidelines, or written permission has been obtained.
  • Materials from the Special Collections or the Reference Collection.
  • Materials from other Libraries.
  • Any material in violation of the Copyright Law:
    The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose except private study, scholarship or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. This may apply to software and other non-print formats as well.
  • To create an atmosphere conducive to study, a degree of quietness must be maintained throughout the library building.
  • Please place cell phones on silence or vibrate before entering the library.
  • This is a tobacco free campus. Please do not bring ANY tobacco products or cigarettes into the library.
  • There is no smoking allowed (including e-cigarettes and vapes) within the library.
  • Please take all cell phone calls outside.
  • Please do not engage in long social conversations with staff and student workers on duty.
  • Be respectful to the library staff and fellow students.
  • Keep conversations to a minimum. Students working in groups are encouraged to utilize the library's study rooms.
  • Please use headphones and keep the volume low.
  • Please clean your space. Return items and furniture to their proper places and collect your belongings before leaving.
  • All items taken from the library must be checked out at the front desk. Have University I.D.s ready.

The Library Staff (including work-studies) reserve the right to ask you to leave if the noise level is too high.

The Thomas J. Garland Library is now part of the Tennessee Academic Library Cooperative, also known as TALC. This means if you are a currently enrolled as a student (or employed as a faculty or staff) either full or part time at Tusculum University, you will be able to borrow items from other participating Tennessee libraries (including UT, ETSU, MTSU, and many others). Follow this link for a full list of participating libraries. A few things to note: In order to participate, you must be able to log in to your campus portal to show that you are enrolled for the current semester. You will also be asked to show your campus ID. (If you don't have a campus ID, you may be asked to present a driver's license or some other government-issued photo ID.) The borrowing privileges only apply to circulating materials. You will not be able to access the participating institution's databases using your Tusculum login. You may be able to access databases and other e-resources when at the participating library, as is the case with most academic libraries, but the TALC agreement does not extend to off-campus database access. As a TALC borrower, you agree to follow rules and guidelines established at the lending library. This includes returning materials in time and paying replacement costs of materials and fees, if charged by the lending library.