Library Resources FAQ
If you have a question that is not listed here, please refer to our Ask a Question page!
Your Library Borrower ID and PIN
- What is my Borrower ID? What is my PIN?
- Does my Borrower ID need to be Validated?
- How do I Validate my Borrower ID?
- I had my Borrower ID Validated, but still can't access online resources. What's wrong?
Finding Books & More
- How do I search for books?
- Once I know the item I want, how do I locate it on the library shelf?
- How do I access electronic books?
- What are the guidelines for checking out library materials?
- I found an item I want to borrow, but it's not available at West campus (it's either checked out, or owned by another library.) How can I get this item?
Finding Articles
- How do I find an article on my research topic?
- How do I choose a database to search?
- What is a library database?
- How do I find a peer-reviewed article?
- How do I find out if the library has a specific journal or magazine?
- I found an article, but I don't see the text. Why not?
- Are databases the only resources for finding articles in the library?
- I am receiving an error message when I try to access a database. What's going on?
Your Library Borrower ID and PIN
What is my Borrower ID? What is my PIN?
The Borrower ID is the number on the back of your Valencia picture ID. Your PIN is the last 4 digits of your VID number.
The 14-digit Borrower ID number is shown highlighted in yellow on the back of this Valencia Student ID card. This card was issued prior to August 12, 2008.
Does my Borrower ID need to be Validated?
To check if your Borrower ID has already been Validated, click here to access My Account.
- If you can access your library account, you are ready to begin using library resources.
- If you CANNOT access My Account, your Borrower ID has NOT been validated and your library account is not yet active.
How do I Validate my Borrower ID?
You can have your Borrower ID validated in person, over the phone, or online.
If you have a Valencia Student ID card, please have the following information ready: your full name, VID number, and Borrower ID number.
If you have not yet obtained your Valencia Student ID card:
- Click here to request your temporary Borrower ID. You will not be able to complete your assignment or to access the resources until you have received an e-mail response back from the library. This temporary ID will allow you to access all of the online resources needed for this assignment.
I had my Borrower ID Validated, but still can't access online resources. What's wrong?
- If you received an error message, please see Database Error Message FAQ.
- Make sure you typed the borrower ID correctly; no spaces. If your Borrower ID is your VID number, include the V plus 8 digits. If your Borrower ID is a 14-digit number, include all 14 digits. The PIN number should always be 4 digits.
- Be sure you are accessing the resource through the Library Website. If you search for and try to access it through a web search engine such as Google, you will not see the correct log-in screen that allows you to identify yourself with Valencia.
- Your ID could be expired, or this could be a temporary problem with the resource you are trying to access. Please contact the library at 407-582-1432.
Finding Books & More
How do I search for books online?
Search for books, audiobooks, electronic books, DVDs, and other items in the library's online "LINCCWeb" Catalog. Using the catalog, you can:
- Search for a specific title or author.
- Search by general keyword.
- Limit the search to a specific material type format, for example, E-books only.
Once I know the item I want, how do I locate it on the library shelf?
- Click on "VALENCIA/WEST" to check item availability.
- Note the Call Number. Each library item has a unique Call Number designated according to the Library of Congress Classification System. Items are arranged on the shelves alpha-numerically by Call Number.
- Also note the Collection and any other special designations.
How do I access electronic books?
Begin by following the steps listed above for "How do I search for books online?" Once you have found an E-book you would like to access, click on the "LINCC eResources" link. You will be prompted to log in with your Borrower ID and PIN number.
What are the guidelines for checking out library materials?
Please see Check-Out & Borrowing Procedures.
I found an item I want to borrow, but it's not available at West campus (it's either checked out, or owned by another library.) How can I get this item?
You may request most items to be put on HOLD or sent to West from another library. For details, please see Interlibrary Loan & Hold Procedures.
Finding Articles
How do I find an article on my research topic?
Access to thousands of journal, magazine and newspaper articles is available through electronic, full-text resources, called Databases.
Click on the title of the database you want to search. If you're outside of the library, you'll be prompted to log in using your Borrower ID and PIN number.
Once you successfully log in, you can browse by topic or search the database by keyword to find a list of relevant articles contained in that database.
Go to Find Articles in Databases.
How do I choose a database to search?
First, decide what your needs are.
- What is the subject area?
- What kind of information do you need (ie, current news? scholarly research? pro and con viewpoints? primary documents? images?)
On the Full Text Resources page, use the links under Databases by Subject to see details about databases that specialize in the type of information you need.
Hint: Check to see if your topic is included in the Subject Guides! For many of the hottest topics, we've put together these guides to the most promising sources to get you started.
What is a library database?
A library database is a searchable, electronic collection of selected scholarly resources, including academic journals, magazines, documents, essays and/or multimedia. A library buys subscriptions to databases for student use.
Most databases offer quick access to the full text of scholarly journals and magazines. Databases also offer access to back issues, sometimes with very extensive archives. Use a database when:
- you need to collect journal and magazine sources for academic research
- you want to find electronic versions of published materials that are protected by copyright and therefore not free on the web.
- you want to quickly find research that has been done in a particular field
- you want to research the history of a topic or find older articles
How do I find a peer-reviewed article?
A library database is a good place to find scholarly and peer reviewed resources. Databases that contain peer reviewed journals usually offer a checkbox where you can limit your search to "Peer Reviewed Only," sometimes also called 'Refereed." To find this option you may need to click on an Advanced Search feature.
How do I find out if the library has a specific journal or magazine?
If you already know the name of the magazine or journal you want, such as Time or Wilson Quarterly, go to
Browse All Databases by Journal Title. This link can also be found in the Advanced Options section of the Library Databases page.
I found an article, but I don't see the text. Why not?
Some databases contain full text for only a portion of the articles they list. (Hint: To eliminate these "citation only" articles from your results, check the Full Text option when you search.)
If your article is available in full text, you may see a link that says either PDF Full text, HTML Full Text, or something similar. Clicking on this link will cause the full text to appear or pop up in a new window.
Be sure you are not using a pop-up blocker.
When full text isn't available in the database, click on the  button. This will show a list of other databases that may contain full text for that article.
If no services are found for your article, ask a librarian. You may still be able to get a copy from another library.
Are databases the only resources for finding articles in the library?
No. The library also maintains a collection of hard copy magazines and journals on the 1st floor.
I am receiving an error message when I try to access a database. What's going on?
Please see Database Error Message FAQ.
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