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Collections

Library Collections

Overview

The C-GCC Library provides collections and services that support student learning, faculty teaching, and community engagement. In addition to resources aligned with our two-year programs, the library houses strong collections in fiction, literature, history, and art, along with extensive materials documenting the history of Columbia and Greene Counties.

As part of SUNYConnect, students and faculty have access to library resources across the entire SUNY system. Our catalog, powered by Alma/Primo (Ex Libris), makes it easy to search and manage materials from C-GCC and other SUNY libraries.

The library’s physical collection includes about 65,000 books, along with periodicals, archival microfilm, DVDs, and specialized collections. Materials are arranged using the Library of Congress classification system, with the exception of Faculty Reserves and maps.

The library also subscribes to dozens of online databases providing access to scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, e-books, streaming video, and audio. Shared SUNY subscriptions expand access to high-quality research content. Students and employees also receive complimentary digital subscriptions to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Highlights of Our Collections

 

Digital Heritage Collections

Access the CGCC Library’s digital heritage and history collections. These digital collections contribute to the story that makes this region extraordinary and complements the C-GCC Library’s local history and rare book collections.

Collections include:

  • The Arthur Koweek Collection of images documenting urban renewal in Hudson, N.Y.
  • Barns of the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains: An Introduction
  • Claverack Hamlet
  • Columbia-Greene Community College History Collection
  • Lost Main Street Catskill

DVD Collection

Includes documentaries, classics, and curriculum-supporting titles, with a focus on significant American and international films. Located on the 1st floor with the McNaughton Collection.

Ettelt Children’s and Young Adult Collections

Founded in 2000 in honor of librarian Harold Ettelt, this collection supports education and child development studies. It features award-winning titles and diverse books reflecting race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and ability. Popular with the Day Care Center, students, and faculty.

Faculty Reserves

Course-related materials placed on reserve by faculty, along with faculty writings and college yearbooks. Borrowing is limited to C-GCC students, faculty, and staff.

Main Circulating Collection

Located on the library’s upper level (Main Building, Room 100). Open to students with a C-GCC ID and to community residents (16+) with valid ID.

Map Collection

Includes USGS maps of local counties and a range of historical and world maps. Materials are for in-library use only.

McNaughton Book Collection

A rotating subscription plan offering popular fiction and nonfiction titles.

Microfilm and Newspaper

In 2023, the C-GCC Library received a major donation of historic newspapers, including the Catskill Daily Mail and Hudson Register Star, with issues dating back to the early 1800s. The collection, nearly 400 reels of microfilm and over 1,200 bound volumes, offers a rare record of Columbia and Greene County history. Microfilm is available for research, with preservation and digitization efforts underway. Other historic regional and local newspapers are available in microfilm format. Readers allow viewing, scanning, and copying.

New Additions

Monthly title lists highlight newly added books and media, organized by Library of Congress Subject Headings. Most materials are available to residents of Columbia and Greene Counties.

Online Databases & Catalog

Available 24/7 with student or employee login credentials. Subscriptions provide access to scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, e-books, streaming video, and audio. The library also offers complimentary digital subscriptions to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Databases can be searched individually or through our catalog, Primo.

Rare Books & Local History

Features older, hard-to-find titles and specialized works exploring the history of Columbia and Greene Counties.

Reference Collection

Non-circulating resources such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, statistical sources, and biographies.

Other Special Collections

  • Includes selected works from Founding Faculty member and Professor Emerita Diane Koenig.
  • Local Authors Book Collection: Signed works by local authors, housed in a 1st-floor display case (non-circulating).