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Reference Collection
 
The Reference Collection -- encyclopedias, dictionaries, bibliographies, handbooks, atlases, and similar materials used within the library -- is located on the second floor. Print and online indexes to periodicals, newspapers, and government documents are available. Please ask for assistance.

Periodicals & Newspapers
 

The library subscribes to approximately 200 current print periodical titles in many disciplines. In addition, several thousand online periodical titles are included in the library's online catalog. A publication finder is available for searching these full-text e-journals. The most recent issues of magazines, journals, and newspapers are placed on shelves on the lower level of the second floor. Bound periodicals are shelved alphabetically by title on the first floor. Back files of selected newspapers and journals are available on microfilm in the Microformats Collection on the second floor.

Academic Search Complete, Project Muse, JSTOR, and other online resources provide access to full text periodicals.

The titles of all of the Library's periodical and newspaper holdings are included in the online catalog.

To learn more about the library's current newspaper and magazine subscriptions, visit our News & Magazines Guide


Special Collections
Special Collections at Hampden-Sydney College include manuscripts, books, oral histories, photographs, and other materials. It is the mission of Special Collections to gather together resources that document the diverse culture and history of Hampden-Sydney College, Alumni, and Faculty, as well as that of Prince Edward County and South Central Virginia at large.

  • Hampden-Sydney Collection: The Hampden-Sydney Collection includes books and a small number of manuscripts that are associated with the College, including history as well as works by faculty members and alumni. Most books in the Hampden-Sydney Collection are shelved in a special section on the fourth floor. All items from the Hampden-Sydney Collection may be found in the library catalog. If you are unsure about the location of a specific item, please ask a library staff member for assistance with finding and retrieving materials from this collection. Patrons may request rare books or manuscripts from the Hampden-Sydney Collection via our Research Request Form, after which a library staff member will contact the patron to set up an appointment to view the materials.
  • Manuscript Collections: Manuscript collections in both the College Archives and Special Collections are listed in a separate Archival Catalog. Though direct access to most collections is not provided online, patrons may peruse online finding aids in order to locate pertinent research materials. Where digital components do exist, they will be linked through the Archival Catalog, or may be directly accessed through our Digital Collections Portal. Please note that Hampden-Sydney College Archives & Special Collections has a large backlog of unprocessed archival material that Bortz Library is working continuously to bring to light; patrons searching for specific archival matter or records that are unable to locate information in our general, archival,or digital catalogs should contact Dawnelle Ion, Archival & Digital Projects Librarian, for a consultation.
  • Union Philanthropic Literary Society: The UPLS Collection consists of the books owned by the debate societies and donated to Hampden-Sydney College in the 19th century. UPLS books are housed in open stacks on the 4th floor, but they do not circulate. All items from the UPLS Collection may be found in the library catalog. If you are unsure about the location of a specific item, please ask a library staff member for assistance with finding and retrieving materials from this collection. Rare and valuable books from this collection are shelved in the vault, and can be accessed by request at the circulation desk, or via our Research Request Form.
  • Rare Books: Included in Special Collections is our Rare Books Collection. Rare Books are items that are considered valuable due to scarcity, age, printing and binding method, or material components, and have either been collected by the College or generously donated by patrons. This non-circulating collection is shelved in an environmentally controlled storage vault, located in the basement of Bortz Library. Rare Books may be searched for in the general library catalog, and access requested at the circulation desk or via our Research Request Form.

Children's Collection

The Children's Collection is maintained primarily for community use. It is located on the lower level of the second floor at the end of the current periodicals area. Most, but not all, of the collection is entered into the online catalog.


Government Documents Collection

Documents published by the United States government and by the state of Virginia are located on the fourth floor. The collection has been updated to reflect the new policies of the Government Printing Office and Federal Depository Library Program as it moves to a primarily digital format. Relevant digital documents have been added to the Library's online catalog. The library guide listed below is a useful tool for your research using U.S. government resources and agencies.


Microforms Collection

Most microform (microfilm and microfiche) materials are located in storage on the first floor. Assorted periodicals and newspapers, as well as a small collection of government documents, are available in microform. Some film, including The Farmville Herald and Hampden-Sydney Tiger, and a microfilm reader/printer is available on the main floor. Please ask for assistance at the Circulation Desk.


Video, Audio, Slide, and Software Collections

An extensive collection of sound recordings (audio compact discs) and DVDs are located on the second floor. Additional resources including VHS tapes, slides, and software, should be requested in the FTC. Resources may be checked out for five days. All media resources are included in the library's online catalog. Limit your search to the location "Fuqua" to eliminate print resources.


Online Resources

Click here to view a list of the library's Online Resource subscriptions. Access to the library's Online Resources is restricted to Hampden-Sydney College Users only.

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Circulation
(434) 223-7227
Reference (434) 223-6302
FTC (434) 223-6293
   Email reference@hsc.edu
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257 Via Sacra 

Hampden-Sydney, VA

23943



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