Lether E. Frazar Memorial Library

Click on any of the following links for information:

• General Book Collection
• Reserve Materials
• Reference and Information Services
• Interlibrary Loan Service
• General Information Services
• Periodicals Collection
• Archives and Special Collections
• On-Line Systems
• Computer Lab
• Special Services
• Friends of the Library

Debbie Johnson-Houston, Director

The Library is named for the first president of McNeese State University. The collections and services of the Library are designed to complement the educational and research programs of the University.

The original building was erected in 1961. A four-story addition to the original structure was completed in 1974. A repair project is pending.

The general book collection is housed in open stack areas and is arranged by Library of Congress Subject Classification. This allows users the opportunity to browse and select books themselves. The location of specific books may be determined by using the online public access catalog. Individuals borrowing books from the general collection must present an official university identification card or Friends of the Library card membership to an authorized person in the Circulation Department. Electronic books (e-books) are accessible through the Library’s online catalog and are checked out online.

Books and articles designated by faculty for reading by members of a class may be obtained from the Reserves section of the Circulation Department. The length of time that students may use reserve material is determined by the Instructor. In addition, study guides for standardized tests are also available for limited check-out periods. Individuals must present a university or Friends of the Library identification card to an authorized person in the Circulation Department.

Personnel are available in the public service areas (Reference, Interlibrary Loan, Circulation, Serials, Government Information, and Archives) to provide assistance to library users. Information service may range from providing a simple direction to a more complex search for information using library databases and other materials.

The Reference Department houses general and specialized materials including atlases, dictionaries, encyclopedias, indexes, abstracts, and book reviews. The department contains several computer workstations for students to use for information and research needs, many of which have scanners. There are also several seating areas amenable to group or individual study.

The library catalog and many information databases covering all of the disciplines at McNeese are accessible from the library’s home page. Library patrons needing assistance in using these resources are welcome to visit the reference librarians at the reference desk, which is staffed during all library operating hours. Patrons may call, email, or send an instant message to reference librarians for assistance. The reference librarians are also available by appointment for personalized research assistance.

Reference librarians also conduct library instruction classes at the request of faculty. These sessions cover the use of the catalog to find print and electronic books; the use of databases to find scholarly journal articles and other types of materials; information evaluation; and academic integrity.

A growing number of automated services are available for bibliographic searching and information retrieval. Catalogs, periodical indexes, and full-text databases are offered via the LOUIS Information Network. Internet workstations are available in the Reference Room for information and research needs. Librarians are available to provide search assistance. Public access computers and scanners are available in the Reference area. The Reference Desk is staffed during all library operating hours. Assistance for online users is available via phone, e-mail and instant messaging. Reference librarians also conduct bibliographic instruction classes at the request of faculty and one-on-one with students upon request, using the Book-A-Librarian service.

Through its Interlibrary loan service, the Library will borrow materials necessary for research if the material is not available on-site. Material borrowed through interlibrary loan is subject to the rules of the lending library. Requests can be submitted electronically. Services have been enhanced by an electronic delivery system for articles, a statewide union catalog, and a courier service.

The Government Information collection is located on the fourth floor of the Library. The Library is a selective federal depository for United States government information on various subjects. It is a complete depository for Louisiana documents and receives some publications of international, local, and regional governmental bodies. Federal, state, and international information is accessible in electronic formats. Holdings are listed in the Library’s online catalog and many items may be checked-out. Most of the information is also accessible in electronic format.

The Library’s periodicals collection is housed on the second floor of the library and includes magazines, journals, and newspapers. These may be available as unbound individual issues, bound back volumes, or as microforms. From the Library’s website, full-text e-journals are accessible from the A to Z list. Readers and printers for microforms as well as video/dvd equipment are available for viewing videos and telecourses. General and specialized indexes and abstracts used for locating information in periodicals are located in the Serials and are available on-line through the LOUIS System and the library’s web page.

The Archives and Special Collections Department maintains materials which reflect the history of McNeese, Lake Charles, and Southwest Louisiana area. Materials include published resources, such as McNeese Review, the Contraband, the Log, student theses, rare books, and local history books. The department also collects archival resources, including personal papers, business records, correspondence, photographic materials, audiovisual materials, works of art, and maps. The Department maintains an online digital library of images and other electronic resources beneficial to using and accessing our materials.

The Library is a member of OCLC through its regional network, Lyrasis. OCLC is the largest on-line bibliographic utility in the world. It is capable of providing shared cataloging data and access to research collections nationally and internationally through Interlibrary Loan. As a charter member of the Louisiana Online University Information System (LOUIS), the library has an automated link to other academic libraries in the state. The library is a full participant in the Louisiana Library Network (LLN). This alliance of academic, public, and school libraries provides patrons with access to on-line resources which include journal databases, the INTERNET, and holdings from other academic libraries in the state. Additional materials needed to support the university’s academic needs are purchased idependently by the McNeese Library and are available in print or web-based formats. Patrons may now access LOUIS through the library Web site at http://library.mcneese.edu. Off-campus access to licensed resources is provided for the McNeese academic community (and other authorized users) through remote authentication.

A TASC computer lab exclusively for students, equipped with personal computers and copy facilities, is located on the second floor of the library. It is open during most hours of library operation. Users have free access to word processing software, e-mail and Internet based resources. Some full-text materials are accessible via the LOUIS System and the library’s web page. In addition, the library maintains a computer facility in the Reference Department to accommodate the needs of all non-student library users. In addition, the library maintains computer workstations throughout the buidling that are available for all library users.

Photocopiers, audio and video equipment, scanners, large group meeting rooms, group study rooms, and individual study areas are available. A coffee kiosk is located in the lobby.

Membership in the Friends of the Library group is open to anyone. Friends are entitled to all Library privileges, such as interlibrary loan. Membership may be used as a means to place books in the collection in honor of or in memory of someone. Funds generated by Friends of the McNeese Library memberships sponsor special library activities such as readings, lectures, exhibits, and workshops. Friends receive special invitations to all library sponsored events, including the annual Friends of the Library book sale which is scheduled each fall.