Library/Learning Resource Center

Division: Learning Resource Center

Library/Learning Resource Center (LRC)

Visalia Campus: Lodgepole Building | Hours: Monday – Thursday: 7:30 am – 8:00 pm | Friday: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm | Saturday: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm | Phone: (559) 730-3825
Hanford Campus: Education Building, E66 | Hours: Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm | Phone: (559) 583-2538
Tulare Campus: Upstairs in Building A | Hours: Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm | Phone: (559) 688-3087
Website: https://www.cos.edu/en-us/library

The COS Library/LRC supports student success, community advancement, and information literacy by providing equal access to quality resources and services to our students, faculty, and staff in a safe and inclusive environment at all three campus locations and online. Each Library/LRC is staffed by a dedicated team that provides support to all students, faculty, and staff. A librarian is available during all opening hours at the Ask a Librarian (AAL) desk to assist with research and citation needs in-person, over the phone, by email, and through live chat. At the Circulation Desk, students can check out library materials such as library books, course reserve textbooks, anatomical models, and laptops. The library has a comprehensive general non-fiction collection in multiple subject areas, a robust fiction collection, a children’s collection, and a collection of periodicals, including newspapers and journals. Many resources are available in electronic format to students, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on or off campus, through MyGiant. The library offers large group study rooms, tables, lounge seating, study cubicles, student computers, and mobile device charging stations, providing a variety of quiet spaces for work and study. The library has a computer classroom with audiovisual equipment, where students can attend library instruction sessions. 

  • Library Instruction: Librarians provide in-person and online instruction to support students’ development of information literacy skills. Faculty Librarians work with teaching faculty to provide information literacy instruction across disciplines. These sessions include instruction in the use of Library resources, information retrieval, and plagiarism and citation, among other topics. Librarians also teach credit-bearing information literacy classes that fulfill the College of Sequoias Information Competency requirement. 

  • Ask a Librarian: A librarian is available at the Ask a Librarian (AAL) desk during all open hours at each campus to assist with research and citations. Support is offered in person, by phone, email, and live chat.  

  • Student Helpdesk: The Library/LRC has a Student Helpdesk to assist with computer use. Staff can help with password resets, Canvas, MyGiant, BannerWeb, Office 365, formatting, student email, and more. 

  • Study Rooms: The Library/LRC in Tulare and Visalia have study rooms for students to use. Students may reserve a study room for up to 2 hours in Visalia and 3 hours in Tulare. 

  • Items for Checkout: Books, textbooks, calculators, anatomical models, laptops, and headphones are available for checkout. All locations offer a print collection based on the course offerings of the campus; students may also request library materials from any COS campus. 

  • Databases: Students can access our extensive electronic databases which include academic articles, journals, magazines, newspapers, and streaming videos. All of our databases are available to students any time, on or off campus, through MyGiant.