The HoneyRock Library is a rich resource designed to enhance and support your study and work, including the ~4,000 print books on its shelves as well as the physical space. Don’t forget the thousands of online resources (databases, ebooks, ejournals) that are also available through the college's main Library website (library.wheaton.edu).
The library is shared space that is meant to be self service, which implies that it is your collective responsibility to use it wisely and in ways that do not negatively impact others.
Charlie Goeke is the onsite person responsible for day-to-day tasks such as checking in books that have been checked out by you and then returned, as well as reshelving books as needed and processing new books as they arrive. It is up to you to check out books to yourself, and to return them in a timely way. See the section below on Checking Out Books for more details.
Professor Steve Oberg, the subject librarian at the Library on the main Wheaton campus who supports OAL grad students, has overall ownership of the library collection and takes care of selecting books for it as well as supporting you in your research needs. When you have questions about use of materials in the HR Library (e.g. you can’t find a book that is supposed to be in the collection), start with asking Charlie Goke. Steve is also available remotely to help whenever needed. If you think the collection should have a copy of a book you find useful, get in touch with Steve. He can usually get it in a timely way, and he always welcomes feedback on how to enhance the collection.
Although located in Wheaton, Steve comes up to HoneyRock near the beginning of each semester to meet with you in person and orient you to the physical collection as well as to how to do research using the full suite of resources available through the main Library. Do not hesitate to ask Steve any question, no matter how simple or complex. He responds to email even on nights and weekends.
In order to find books in the library, you can browse the shelves or you can use Library Search (see below). If you’re only interested in what is located at the HoneyRock Library, after you input your search, look for the Location filter on the lefthand side and select “HoneyRock Library, Wisconsin.” To limit to ebooks or other online content, look for the Availability > “Available online” filter.
Libraries usually have a circulation desk with staff who help you check out books, along with security measures to ensure that books do not get taken out of the library without being checked out to someone. The HoneyRock Library is not that sophisticated, but there is a method set up for you to check out books to yourself using a dedicated computer and barcode scanner. During his onsite visit each Fall, Steve provides a separate handout of instructions on how to do this, and walks you through that process. A PDF of simple instructions with illustrations is also available.
An important aspect of the shared responsibility in using the HR Library is to not remove any item from the collection unless you have checked it out to yourself first. In addition, frequently people will pull a book off the shelf and use it within the library space, but not check it out. Or they may pull it off the shelf, then realize it is not something they need or want after all. Whenever this occurs and for whatever reason, please do not attempt to reshelve books. Instead, put them in a designated area for them to be reshelved. This allows us to get a better understanding of collection use and it also helps to ensure that books are in correct order on the shelves.
Although the HoneyRock Library has a lot of material to support you, you may find that you need books or articles from other libraries, including the main library. The main library offers fast and convenient services for you. There is a webpage on at library.wheaton.edu/students/distance that provides additional information. When he visits in the Fall, Steve provides more detailed and specific guidance.