Hekman Library for Student Success Tutors

Incoming students may have a variety of experience with libraries - some may have been through schools that didn't have libraries at all, or maybe only unstaffed library collections. It's important that we not assume students are already familiar with the basics of what libraries offer or how they work but make sure they feel comfortable to explore and ask questions. Here are some explanations of rules and procedures for students starting at library square one.

Hekman Library is the academic library of Calvin University and Calvin Seminary, which means it serves the students and faculty here first, but it is also open to the public. Students, faculty and staff at Calvin get to use their ID cards to check out resources and use different services - borrow books for class assignments, check out popular movies for a fun dorm night, print articles for a research project, view rare books about John Calvin in the Meeter Center, and lots more! They can also keep track of their activity (due dates, fines, etc.) by viewing their own library account online. To see your library account, click My Account on the library homepage here and use your Calvin login or ID code.

You can look online at all of Hekman Library's rules and policies on the website here, and the videos below will show you around the physical building and the homepage, but here are a few of the most important take-aways:

• Undergraduate students can borrow up to 50 books and 5 media items at once
• Most books are due back in 2 weeks, with an unlimited number of renewals (some items from special collections or media items like DVDs have shorter loan periods - see all types and details here)
• Upper levels in the library are generally more quiet areas (especially near the seminary study carrels on the 5th floor), though there aren't specific noise restrictions - the lower floors are considered more communal areas and have no noise restrictions at all 
• Food is allowed on the 2nd floor and beverages are allowed on the upper floors (as long as they are air-tight contained)
• Students and faculty can use their Calvin logins to use the computers on the 2nd floor and use their ID cards to print or make copies at any printer in the library - printing does cost $0.20 per page and scanning to email costs $0.10 per page, which comes out of your Calvin printing account (see here for more on where printers are located in the library and how to send print jobs)
• Wifi is available freely throughout the library (cell service can be spotty in places, though)
• Library hours are posted on the website here - during the school year, generally open M-Th 9 am-10 pm, F 9-5, Sat 1-5, Sun closed