Most of our students know that Madison College includes regional campuses in Reedsburg, Portage, Fort Atkinson and Watertown.

But did you know that we also have libraries at each of those locations? In addition to the four regional libraries and our main location at the Truax campus, we also have library spaces at Downtown and West.

Library staff is available to help you regardless of where you take classes. In this column, I’ll fill you in on what’s new and introduce some services most helpful to students at the regional campuses. 

Q: Can I have books from another location sent to me at my campus?

A: Absolutely! We encourage students to utilize our intercampus loan system. Think of us as one giant library with a number of different branches. The only items we cannot send are reserves and textbooks. First check the catalog to see if the item you’re looking for may be at your library, but shelved in a location you hadn’t thought of.

To use the catalog, visit our homepage at: http://library.matcmadison.edu and enter a quick search under the Books/AV tab. If the item is held at one of our other locations, or doesn’t seem to be in the catalog at all, you may fill out an interlibrary loan form, which is located at: http://matcmadison.edu/ILL.

This form works both for items we own and those we don’t. We will call you or email you when your item arrives. If you have questions about your request, contact the staff at your campus library.

Q: How can I contact a librarian if one is not currently at my campus?

A: Since librarian support is limited at the regional campuses, we have made it easy for you to get help when you need it. We support students via phone, Skype, text and email. You can find all of our contact information at: http://libguides.matcmadison.edu/libraries. You can even follow us with your favorite social media tool: we’re on Facebook, Twitter and now Pinterest.

Q: What else is new at the regional libraries?

A: Building construction has begun and we will have new library spaces by the end of the year at Reedsburg, Fort Atkinson and Watertown. The new libraries will include group study and multimedia studios for students to use. At Reedsburg we have recently updated our collections with new DVDs, books and recreational titles. We are also in the process of replacing our VHS collections at Portage, Watertown and Fort Atkinson.  Ask your librarian for more information. As always, we welcome suggestions about our collections, services and spaces!

Drop us a note at http://matcmadison.edu/Suggestions-Libraries.