FAQs
If you are a currently enrolled Southwestern College (SWC) student or current SWC faculty or staff member, you may borrow materials from the library. You may also use the interlibrary borrowing service to obtain materials from other libraries, and you are allowed off-campus access to our online information databases that support college instruction and research.
If you are a local community member, you can apply for a Community Borrowers card in the library. Community borrowers must be 18 years of age and a San Diego County resident.
Your SWC student or staff photo ID card serves as your library card as soon as you have it validated at the Library Circulation Desk. Remember to bring your SWC photo ID card with you whenever you visit the library.
Replacing an SWC student photo ID card costs $5.00 and can be paid for at the Cashier's Office located in the Student Services Center in the Cesar Chavez Building.
- During both the Spring and Fall semesters, Southwestern College Library at Chula Vista is open on Saturday and closed on Sunday. During intersessions, holidays, official campus closings, and for library branches at National City, San Ysidro, and Otay Mesa, library hours vary. Please check for posted schedule changes or call the Library at Chula Vista at (619) 482-6397.
- If you need help finding information or do not know how to get started on an assignment or project, your first stop should be at the Reference Desk, where a reference librarian will be happy to help you. A reference librarian is available when the library is open.
The Computer Commons on the third floor of the Library at Chula Vista offers Southwestern College students access to over 100 computer stations. Students have access to periodical and information databases, the internet, the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint), the library online catalog, electronic books, and other course-related software.
There are also computer labs for student use in Building 420 and in the Student Center. Be sure to take your SWC student photo ID card with you to the labs.
The general public can access computers and research materials in the Reference area on the second floor of the Library at Chula Vista.
Student textbooks are sold in the campus book store, Building 630. However, some instructors place copies of their textbooks on reserve in the library so that students in their classes may use them.
Check the Library Catalog to see if your textbook is on reserve in the library. You will need the book's call number in order to check out the book. Most reserve items are for library use only and can not be taken from the building.
All media in the library's collection can be searched using the Library Catalog - open How to Search for Media (PDF) for help. All media items are for use in the library building. Visit the Circulation Counter on the second floor of the Library at Chula Vista to check out your item.
Students must use all media programs in the library. The only exception is when a media program is used for a class presentation. Students must have their professors written authorization to check media out of the library building. Faculty and staff may take programs out of the library to preview or to use in the classroom.
The library offers a variety of study spaces, including study rooms and multimedia viewing rooms designed to provide a space for students to work on collaborative projects. The study rooms are located on the third floor of the Library at Chula Vista and multimedia viewing rooms are on the second floor. Users must check out a room key at the Circulation Services counter to access an available study room or multimedia viewing room. The study or multimedia viewing rooms cannot be reserved in advance.
You can access all types of articles using our Articles and Databases webpage. From the Library homepage, select Research. If you have trouble deciding which database best fits your need, please use our Ask-A-Librarian service for assistance. A Librarian at the Reference Desk can also assist you with using any particular database.
For print periodicals, use the Library Catalog and search by the periodical title or view our Periodicals Holding List online. Our print periodicals are restricted to library use only. Several photocopiers are available in the library so that you can take copies of articles home with you. Current periodical titles are available on the second floor of the Library at Chula Vista.
There is a daily delivery service between college locations. Ask a librarian or staff member to help you obtain library materials from the Library at Chula Vista or a library branch at a Higher Education Center. Library materials can be turned in at any Southwestern College Library location.
There is daily delivery service between college locations and the library can send videos and other media to you. Contact our Multimedia Services Department to help you obtain the multimedia materials that you need for your classroom from the Library at Chula Vista.
Multimedia Services department can duplicate audio, or video cassettes and CD-ROMs when the producer allows duplication. Contact our Multimedia Services Department for further information.