Library Policies

Checking Out Items

  • Policies regarding borrowing and renewing items and paying fines (including placement of lost materials) are located on the Borrow, Renew, Request, and Pay Fines page.
  • Users may be asked to present a current Central Piedmont ID to use resources

Materials

Noise Level in the Library

Central Campus Library

First and Second Floor 

  • Normal speaking voice, cell phone ringers muted

Third Floor 

  • Noise level: quiet, minimum talking, cell phone ringers muted

All Other Library Locations

  • Normal speaking voice, cell phone conversations taken outside the library,  cell phone ringers muted
  • Quiet study areas: noise level: quiet, minimum talking, cell phone conversations taken outside the library,cell phone ringers muted

Food in the Library

  • Central Piedmont Library allows food and covered beverages in most library spaces. Please respect signage indicating areas where food or drink are not allowed.

No Food Areas

  • Makerspace (Central) / Near 3D Printers (all locations)
  • Reading Room (Central)
  • Computer Areas (all locations)
  • Archives (covered beverages OK).

Guest Computer Use

  • The library reserves the right to limit guest user access during peak usage.

Interlibrary Loan 

Materials that are not requested by interlibrary loan include:

  • Items already owned by Central Piedmont (including items from online databases).
  • Textbooks currently in use for Central Piedmont classes.
  • Books from the Charlotte/Mecklenburg Public Library (including the Law Library)
  • Media items such as DVDs and CDs.

Materials may be borrowed from other libraries using the Interlibrary Loan service.

Central Piedmont Library does not charge for the interlibrary loan service.  However, there may be a fee charged by the lending library. You must indicate on the form the maximum cost you are willing to pay. We will make every effort to borrow items for free.

We do not borrow from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library, nor do we borrow current class textbooks. Please do not use this form if you want to borrow a book from the Central Piedmont Library.

Warning Concerning Copyright Restrictions

The Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material(s). Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives 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 other than 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.

Before you continue, you must read and agree to our Interlibrary Loan Policy:

1.0 Borrowing Materials

1.1 Eligible Borrowers

Any current student, faculty, or staff member of Central Piedmont will be entitled to ILL service unless the person has had borrowing privileges suspended at this library.

1.2 Submitting Borrowing Requests

Interlibrary loan requests must be submitted electronically from the library homepage.

1.3 Processing Requests

Requests will be processed by this library within one business day. Response from lending libraries may take from two to three weeks. The lending library dictates circulation policy for the requested materials. Any fees, fines, or set due dates are determined by the lending library and Central Piedmont Libraries and our patrons must comply with their policies.

1.4 Materials Restricted From This Service

  • 1.4.1 Charlotte/Mecklenburg Public Library holdings (including the Law Library).
  • 1.4.2 Items already owned by CPCC (including items from online databases).
  • 1.4.3.Items currently in use for CPCC classes.
  • Exceptions may be made at the discretion of ILL staff under unusual circumstances.

1.5 Notification of Interlibrary Loan Material Arrival

Patrons have the responsibility of keeping themselves informed of the status of their requests. Interlibrary loan Library staff will notify patrons by e-mail when a request arrives.

1.5.1  Requests not picked up in 7 business days will be returned to the lending library and may not be requested again by that patron for the remainder of the semester.

1.6 Duration of Loans

The lending library specifies the length of time materials may be kept, usually from two to four weeks. The lending library dictates circulation policy for the requested materials. Any fees, fines, or set due dates are determined by the lending library and Central Piedmont Libraries and our patrons must comply with their policies.

1.7 Renewals

Renewal of materials should be requested prior to the date due. Once the materials are past the due date, a renewal is not an option. Renewals may be done in person, by telephone (704.330.6107), or by email to brian.sexton@cpcc.edu. The lending library may or may not grant the request.

1.8 Fees

Central Piedmont Library does not charge for the interlibrary loan service. However, there may be a fee charged by the lending library. You must indicate on the form the maximum cost you are willing to pay. The patron will be responsible for the amount indicated they are willing to pay. We will make every effort to borrow items for free. Central Piedmont faculty and staff conducting research for a department must pay the initial cost and request departmental reimbursement.

1.9 Charges for Overdues, Lost, and Damaged Materials

  • 1.9.1 Overdues: $1 per day will be charged for overdue interlibrary loan. If an interlibrary loan material is overdue for more than five days, the patron's borrowing privileges from this library will be suspended until material is returned. Fines apply to any faculty, staff, or students making interlibrary loan requests.
  • 1.9.2 Lost or Damaged Materials: The patron is responsible for the replacement cost of the book plus a processing fee to be determined by the lending library. If the materials are overdue and there has been no contact with the patron after one week, the patron will owe $90 in replacement charges. This fee will be waived once the material is returned. However, the patron will still be responsible for any overdue charges incurred.
  • 1.9.3 Payment of Accrued Penalties: Once a fine has been accrued, no further interlibrary loan requests will be processed until the fine has been paid in full.

2.0 Abuse of Interlibrary Loan Service

After two or more overdues, the patron's interlibrary loan privileges will be suspended until the end of the next semester.  For example, if the overdue books are due in the fall semester, the patron will be ineligible for another interlibrary loan request until the following summer semester.

Central Piedmont Library reserves the right to refuse interlibrary loan service to any patron who does not follow the interlibrary loan policy.

Interlibrary Loan Staff

For questions, email Brian Sexton — library specialist, Reference and Interlibrary Loan. 

One-on-One Student Appointments

  • Library Chat is our first-line service for students needing assistance. Students can get help with research questions, topic development, and citations.
  • In-person appointments at campus libraries must be scheduled at least 12 hours in advance.
  • Walk-ins are subject to librarian availability.
  • Individual librarians may choose to offer open office hours and/or reserve the right to redirect students to the appointment form and the 12 hour advance notice policy.
  • Appointments are limited to 30 minutes at a time.
  • Students may not book more than one appointment per day and no more than two per week for a particular assignment.
  • Librarians reserve the right to refer students to a more appropriate Central Piedmont Library support service (see below).
  • If a student cannot make a scheduled appointment, s/he is asked to cancel with the library staff. Repeated no-shows may result in a loss of appointment privileges.
  • Librarians do not proofread student papers for grammar and mechanics.
  • All emails will be returned within 24 hours of the next school day. This means that emails sent on Fridays - Sundays are subject not to be returned until Monday, barring holidays.