Ask a Librarian

Log in to MyLamarPA.  Click on the blue My Library tab near the top of the page.  

Scroll down the page that appears until you see a section called Databases by Subject Area and a list of bullet points.  

Click on the appropriate subject area to find online databases.  Full-text articles can be found within these databases. 

    

If a book is not on the shelf because it has been checked out, then you might want to submit a completed Hold Request Form.  A library staff member will contact you when the book has been returned.

If a book is not on the shelf because the library does not own a copy, then a library staff member will try obtaining the book from another library through Interlibrary Loan (ILL).  Please note:  you might have to wait several days for a book to arrive through ILL, depending on the distance of source.

Students and faculty of Lamar State College-Port Arthur may check out books from any of the following libraries, provided that they are able to show their current LSC-PA ID card: 

Lamar University-Beaumont Library

Lamar State College-Orange Library

Port Arthur Public Library

Click on our homepage to find helpful information.

The phone number for IT support is (409) 984-6150.  The IT support desk is available during library hours.

Yes.  If a book has not been placed on hold, then it can be renewed for another two weeks.

Books can be renewed either in person or online.

The Gates Library purchases most textbooks for classes being taught during the current semester.  If the library has the latest edition of your textbook, it will be kept on reserve at the circulation desk--library use only, with validated student ID.

Previous editions might be available in the stacks for check out.

To see whether or not the library has any textbook, please refer to the online catalog.  Search by title or author (last name first).

EBSCOhost does not have the full text available for all articles it indexes.  On the detailed record screen, check the left-hand side of the page to see whether or not there are links to the full text.

If an article is available only in PDF format, then you will need to click the link to open it.  The HTML format of full text is located below the article citation and abstract.

Please note:  you can limit your searches to retrieve only items with full text.  On your results list screen, under Refine Results, check the "Full Text" box.

If you need an article that the library does not own, then you can request it through interlibrary loan.

You can borrow most books for two weeks.  Videos can be borrowed for one week.

answer

When a journal has been “peer reviewed," it means that articles published in it have been subjected to a rigorous approval and editing process by other scholars in that discipline.  

Other terms used for "peer reviewed" are "scholarly" or "refereed."

Yes, there are.  The library conference room is ideal for small group study, comfortably accommodating eight people.

The library also provides four smaller AV rooms equipped with televisions and DVD/VHS players.  Each AV room can accommodate two people.

Please contact the circulation desk at (409) 984-6218 for making room reservations.

Yes. e-Books, streaming videos, and audio can be accessed through links near the top of the Online Resources page.

Streaming music can be accessed in the Audio section of the Performing Arts page.

Linked to the library's home page is a Guide to Planning Your Research - Citations & Plagiarism.  Of particular help are the online style guides located near the bottom of the page (under Citing Sources).

After a five-day grace period, the fine for an overdue item is 10 cents per day, excluding weekends and holidays.

Students, faculty, and staff of Lamar-Port Arthur can use their wireless devices inside the Gates Library, as long as they have a username and password issued by the IT department.  Please contact the IT support desk at (409) 984-6150 for help with usernames and passwords.