Yocum Library

The Yocum Library is the academic library of Reading Area Community College, located at 10 S 2nd Street in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania. It sits on the college's riverfront campus near the Schuylkill River, within walking distance of Penn Street and the surrounding downtown business district. The library serves RACC students, faculty and staff as their primary research and study facility, and it also functions as a point of access to information for residents of Reading and the wider Berks County area.

As a community college library, Yocum operates with a dual purpose. Its first responsibility is to support the credit and non-credit programs taught at RACC, which range from liberal arts transfer tracks to nursing, allied health, business, criminal justice, computer information systems and the skilled trades. Its second role is as a public-facing building on a campus that has been part of the redevelopment of Reading's downtown, giving local residents a quiet place to read, research and work.

Collections and Research Materials

The library maintains a general academic collection chosen to match the subjects taught at the college. Holdings include circulating books, reference works, periodicals and audiovisual materials such as DVDs. Course reserves are a significant part of day to day operations: instructors place required texts and supplementary readings on reserve so that students can use them in the building without purchasing every title.

Alongside the physical shelves, the library provides access to subscription databases covering journal articles, newspapers, e-books, streaming media and subject specific resources in health sciences, psychology, literature, history and business. These databases are available to currently enrolled students and college employees, and library staff can explain what is accessible on campus versus from home. For patrons who need material the library does not own, interlibrary loan and regional borrowing arrangements extend the range of what can be requested.

Typical collection and service points include:

• Circulating books supporting general education and career program coursework
• Reference materials, encyclopedias and subject handbooks for quick fact checking
• Course reserve items placed by faculty for short term use
• Periodicals, newspapers and online journal databases
• DVDs and other media, including titles tied to film, humanities and health courses
• Research guidance on citation styles such as APA and MLA

Study Space and Building Features

The building is organized so that different kinds of work can happen without interfering with each other. There are open tables, individual seating, areas suited to reading at length and spaces where small groups can meet to prepare presentations or work through problem sets. Patrons who need to concentrate generally find the upper levels quieter, while the lower level sees more foot traffic and service activity.

Computer workstations are available for research, word processing and coursework, and printing is handled through the library for registered users. Wireless internet covers the building for those who bring laptops or tablets. Restrooms, seating alcoves and natural light from the building's windows are part of what regular visitors tend to mention when describing the space, and housekeeping standards throughout the building are kept high.

Academic Support Services

One of the features that distinguishes Yocum from a standalone public library is the concentration of academic support services inside the same building. Tutoring resources, including writing assistance, are housed here, which means a student can find sources, draft a paper and get feedback on that draft without leaving the premises. Writing support generally covers thesis development, organization, grammar, documentation of sources and the mechanics of academic style, and it is used by students across disciplines rather than only those enrolled in English courses.

Library staff also provide instruction in information literacy. This includes classroom sessions arranged by faculty, orientation for new students and one to one help at the service desk with narrowing a topic, choosing appropriate databases, evaluating sources and assembling a works cited page. For students returning to school after time in the workforce, this kind of hands on guidance is often the practical difference between frustration and a finished assignment.

Staff and Service Approach

The library is staffed by professional librarians and support personnel who handle circulation, reserves, technology questions and research consultations. Visitors who use the building regularly describe the staff as approachable and willing to work through unusual requests rather than turning them away. That flexibility was particularly evident during periods when building access was restricted and alternative arrangements had to be made for borrowers.

Accessibility and Parking

The Yocum Library has a wheelchair accessible entrance and a wheelchair accessible parking lot, so patrons using wheelchairs, walkers or mobility scooters can reach the building and move between service points. The downtown location is also served by local bus routes, and the campus is reachable on foot from much of the central city. Visitors who are unfamiliar with the campus may want to call ahead to confirm the best parking area for their visit.

Visiting the Library

Hours follow the college's academic calendar, which means schedules differ between fall and spring semesters, summer sessions, intersession periods and holidays. Anyone planning a trip, particularly during semester breaks or around holidays, should call ahead at +1 610-607-6237 to confirm that the building is open and to ask about service desk coverage for tutoring or research help.

Community members who are not enrolled at RACC can ask staff about borrowing privileges, on site use of the collection and which electronic resources are available to guest users. Licensing agreements place limits on some databases, so the answer varies by resource, and a quick phone call is the fastest way to find out what applies to a particular need.

Place in the Reading Community

Reading Area Community College has long been one of the main points of entry to higher education in Berks County, enrolling recent high school graduates, adults changing careers, veterans and students who begin here before transferring to four year institutions. The Yocum Library is the research backbone of that mission. For many people in the city, it is also simply a dependable place to sit with a book, finish a project or prepare for an exam, a short walk from the center of downtown Reading.