About Us

The HCC Libraries provide services that support Houston Community College students, faculty, and staff. We ask for your cooperation in maintaining an environment in which all library customers can use and enjoy the Library’s resources, services, and facilities. All students, faculty, staff, and community members using the libraries are responsible for behaving in a manner conducive to a healthy library environment.

In a manner consistent with these goals and the HCC Student Code of Conduct, each student shall be charged with notice and knowledge of, and shall be required to comply with, the contents and provisions of the College’s policies, procedures, handbooks, rules and regulations concerning student conduct, which also include regulations concerning public health procedures. All students shall obey the law, show respect for properly constituted authority, and observe correct standards of conduct. Failure to abide by these expectations may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion. Students are reminded that in HCC libraries they are expected to follow the Eagle Honor Code, including the following provisions which apply to behavior in the library:

• Demonstrate courtesy, even when others do not.
• Behave in a responsible manner, always exercising self-discipline.
• Obey all library rules.
• Respect the rights and privileges of students, faculty, and other College staff and volunteers.
• Respect the property of others, including College property and facilities.
• Cooperate with and assist the College staff in maintaining safety, order, and discipline.

All HCC employees are expected to comport themselves at all times in a manner consistent with the standards set forth in Board Policy DH (Local) and its accompanying regulations. The expectations of community member behavior will be consistent with the behavior expected of HCC’s students, faculty, and staff. Any library user or guest who disrupts the library or has violated any of the rules of the library may be asked to leave, removed from the library, subject to disciplinary action (up to and including expulsion or termination of employment), or arrested by HCC Police, as permitted by law. Severe offenses may result in exclusion from all HCC facilities, resources and services.

2.001.1 Disorderly Conduct and Behaviors

Librarians and library staff will not tolerate disorderly behavior on the part of library users that disrupts library services. Failure to comply with directives given by College District personnel and failure to provide identification when requested to do so by College District personnel shall be prohibited.

As described in HCC’s Student Code of Conduct and Board Policy FLB (Local), Disorderly Conduct includes but is not limited to the following:

1. Behavior of a boisterous and tumultuous character such that there is a clear and present danger of alarming persons where no legitimate reason for alarm exists.
2. Interference with the peaceful and lawful conduct of persons under circumstances in which there is reason to believe that such conduct will cause or provoke a disturbance.
3. Violent and forceful behavior at any time such that there is a clear and present danger that free movement of other persons will be impaired.
4. Behavior involving personal abuse or assault when such behavior creates a clear and present danger of causing assaults or fights.
5. Violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud, or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which there is reason to believe that such conduct will cause or provoke a disturbance.

In addition to Disorderly Conduct, the libraries prohibit the following behaviors.

1. Engaging in conduct that constitutes harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, or bullying directed toward another person, including a student or employee; [See DIA series, FFD series, and FFE as appropriate]
2. Intentionally, knowingly, or negligently defacing, damaging, misusing, or destroying College District property or property owned by others;
3. The violation of the Acceptable use of Technology including but not limited to CR (Regulation):
1. Maintaining, creating or transmitting, through electronic means, any images and/or messages that could reasonably be construed to be offensive for content that is, amongst other things, degrading, threatening, libelous, harassing, sexual, racial, or discriminatory.
2. Causing a computer to malfunction or to interrupt its operation without the consent of its assigned user.
3. Altering, damaging, or destroying data, or destroying a computer program without the consent of its assigned user or licensee of the data or computer program.
4. Performing acts which are wasteful of computing or networking resources or which unfairly monopolize these resources to the exclusion of others. Examples include, but are not limited to, sending mass mailings or chain letters, creating multiple unnecessary print jobs or processes, online gaming or gambling, or obtaining unnecessary output or printed material.
5. Attempting to circumvent data protection schemes or exploit security loopholes at any facility and/or that affect any technology resources.

For more information on behavioral expectations at HCC, please see HCC’s Board Policy manual and Student Code of Conduct. In the event that there is a conflict between these Library Guidelines and Procedures and the law, HCC Board Policy, and any system-wide handbook, the law, Board Policy, or system-wide handbook shall control, in that order.

2.001.2 Unaccompanied Minors and Relatives on HCC Property and HCC Libraries

As stated in HCC Board Policy GDA (Local), Minors and relatives requiring special care shall not be permitted on College District property unless they are directly supervised by a parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult. Minors and relatives of College District employees requiring special care shall not be allowed in College District work areas. Minors and relatives of enrolled students requiring special care shall not be permitted in classrooms unless they are invited by the classroom instructor for instructional purposes.

Relatives requiring special care shall mean any person connected with another by blood or affinity that requires continuous health or medical-related assistance due to a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition. The parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult must be present at all times whenever the minor or relative is on College District property. These requirements shall not apply to minors enrolled in courses or to minors participating in College District-sponsored events or activities.

The College District shall not be responsible for the care and supervision of minors or relatives of employees or enrolled students and shall not be liable for any injury or harm to minors or relatives that result from the negligence of care by the responsible party.

2.002.1 Visitor Use Guidelines

The primary goal of the HCC Libraries provide services that support Houston Community College students, faculty, and staff. HCC provides visitors access to HCC libraries within specified guidelines in order to ensure priority access for HCC students and employees. These guidelines supplement, but do replace any applicable HCC Board Policies and state and federal laws.

1. HCC librarians and library staff expect visitors to be aware of and to familiarize themselves with all HCC policies and procedures and Library Services guidelines and procedures, including the behavior standards described above. Failure to comply with HCC policies and procedures and Library Services guidelines and procedures may result in loss of library privileges, potentially subject the visitor to disciplinary action, and/or possible arrest or removal by HCC Police, as permitted by law. Severe offenses may result in exclusion from all HCC facilities, resources and services.
2. Any HCC visitor may be required to show a current government-issued photo ID prior to using the library and abide by the specified guidelines for use of resources and facilities.
3. If computers are available, visitors may request guest credentials using their current government-issue photo ID. Those credentials provide up to 2 hours of computer access.
4. Visitors are expected to use library resources, including space, in a manner that reflects prioritizing access to HCC’s students, faculty, and staff.

2.003.1

HCC Students, Faculty, Staff or affiliated institutions can check out a study room for 2 hours.

2.003.2

Study rooms are available on a first come, first served basis. No advanced reservations.

2.003.3

Library directors or their designees can consider requests that do not meet the study room guidelines.

2.003.4

Each Library reserves the right to request ID verification of HCC student status.