Ask a Librarian

To access the Online Catalog and databases from your Cougarweb dashboard

1. Enter http://www.collin.edu in your web browser URL bar at the top of your screen and press your return key.
2. Click the light blue CougarWeb Login button in the upper right side of the screen. 
3. Enter your username and password in the appropriate boxes and click the Login button.
4. Click the Library tab at the upper left of the web page under the Collin College logo.
5. Find the box in the middle that says Sources for Papers and Projects.
6. For the online catalog, click on “Library catalog, find books, DVDs, and more.”
7. For the databases, click on “Find articles in databases.

Your CougarWeb login is the same username and the password you use to login to your campus email.

• Books, audio books, music CDs, and software check out for 3 weeks.
• Circulating DVD/VHS check out for 7 days.
• Classroom DVD/VHS and Classroom Software check out to faculty for use outside the library for 7 days. Classroom DVD/VHS and Classroom Software are available for in-library use by students. 
• Some TI graphing calculators check out to current credit students for 4 hours for use anywhere on campus. Limited quantities may be available for 5-day or 14-day checkout for use off campus. Only one calculator may be checked out at a time.

Currently, Frisco, McKinney and Plano campuses use the TracCard system to print as a way to add money for printing. Please ask at one of the library service points to get help with purchasing a TracCard. 

Printing costs vary at each library. Please ask at your local campus library reference desk before printing.

The library strongly suggests that you make every effort to turn in your textbook to the Bookstore you rented it from to ensure proper and timely credit. If you can't go to your campus bookstore, you can create a Rental Return UPS Label. The price of the return shipping label is $5. Per the website:

"You will need your order number to print the UPS shipping label. This can be found in the confirmation email from your online order OR if you rented your textbook in store, find it in any of your rental reminder emails. The UPS label can be printed on or before your Charge Date."

 

Steps to cite an article in an EBSCOhost database:

1. Click the article title from your results list.
2. Look at the list of icons on the right side of the screen
3. Click the Cite icon 
4. Select the appropriate citation style
5. Copy and paste the citation alphabetically into your Works Cited (MLA), Reference (APA), Bibliography (Chicago) page
6. Correct any formatting errors (For MLA, make sure to use the Database name rather than EBSCOhost). 

There are many options available for faculty to schedule library instruction. Faculty can contact their liaison librarian, schedule online, call the libraries, or visit us at the Reference desk..

COVID-19 - Online Library Services and Collections offers more information about the libraries.  Individual campus libraries also have guides for students.

• Frisco Campus (Preston Ridge) Library
• McKinney Campus (Central Park) Library
• Plano Campus (Spring Creek) Library
• Technical Campus Library
• Wylie Campus Library

Collin Libraries are quarantining returned items up to 5 days. Though these items may stay on your account until the quarantine period has finished, you will not accrue fines for the additional days. All return dates are carefully tracked. If you have any questions about your returned items, please Contact Us.

• Faculty/Staff: 20 books
• Students: 10 books
• Community Members: 5 books
• Texshare: 2 books

Late Fees

Materials available to registered students, faculty, staff, and community borrowers

• Books, Music CDs, Audio Books and Software - $0.25/day
• DVD/VHS - $0.50/day

The following materials are only available to registered students, staff, and faculty

• TI-83 and 84 graphing calculators - $10/day
• Laptops - $20/day
• Reserve Materials - $1/hour
• Study Room - $5/hour 

For more information regarding check-out limits, fines, and renewals for community borrowers, please review the Community Use of Library page of the Library Guidelines and Procedures 

Librarians are available to answer questions and provide instruction on using library resources in person during certain hours and for additional hours online. You can email and chat with us using our Ask a Librarian service. Faculty and students can also email subject liaison librarians directly for more in-depth consultations to support teaching and learning. For more information on library research, textbooks and free online tools, please also visit COVID-19 - Online Library Services and Collections.

If you have not purchased/rented the textbook from your campus bookstore, you can check with your campus library to see if they have a current textbook on reserve (at the circulation desk) for a two-hour, in-house use only, Some campus libraries may have a new edition for the 3-week checkout period (With two renewals if the book does not have a hold placed by another student.) but more often than not, it will be an older edition. Check with your instructor to see if the older edition will work for your class before depending on that older edition. Please note that some textbooks may be eBooks with only a bookstore purchase option available. 

The libraries have extensive online resources available to current students, faculty, and staff of Collin College during all hours of the day. These include ebooks, full text journal, magazine and newspaper articles, and videos. Log in to CougarWeb, choose the Library tab. Choose Find Articles in Databases or the other more specific links in the middle column. Collin students who are enrolled in credit classes that are currently in session and Collin faculty and staff can also check out physical items from the libraries during our in-person hours.

Check=Out Limits for circulating:	Community Users	Registered Students	Faculty and Staff
Audio Books	3	5	5
Music CDs	3	5	5
Books	5	10	20
DVD/VHS	3	3	3
Software	3	3	3
Total Items checked out	5	15	30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information regarding check-out limits, fines, and renewals for community borrowers, please review the Community Use of Library page of the Library Guidelines and Procedures 

Different materials have different renewal rules.

• Users may renew circulating books, music CDs, audio books and software by phone or online twice provided there are no holds on the material.
• Calculators and laptops may be renewed in person at the originating campus. (Registered students, staff, and faculty check out only.)
• DVDs may be renewed in-person.
• Overdue materials must be presented in person, and fines paid, for renewal.

For more information regarding check-out limits, fines, and renewals for community borrowers, please review the Community Use of Library page of the Library Guidelines and Procedures 

This may be subject to change. Please phone your campus circulation desk with any questions.

Calculators and Laptops must be turned in at the library circulation desk. DO NOT put them in a drop box.

Desmos offers an online graphing calculator, mobile apps, and other math tools. Texas Instruments (TI) offers a free 90-day trial to their TI-SmartView Emulator software for the TI-84 Plus Graphing Family. Common Sense recommends these digital graphing tools.

You can find the listing of all the Collin College Campus libraries on the Library In-Person Hours page on the Collin College website.