ABOUT AMEC-BCCM LIBRARY
AMEC-BCCM Library is the learning and information resource center of Ago Medical and Educational Center-Bicol Christian College of Medicine. It basically serves and responses to the informational, educational and research needs of AMEC-BCCM students and faculty. It is located at the third floor of AMEC-BCCM Medical Building, Rizal Street, Old Albay, Legazpi City 4500. This library is generally classified as a combination of both the academic and special types of libraries since its academic resources primarily serve a specific type of client(s): those who are aligned or connected with medicine and other allied health sciences.

AMEC-BCCM Library currently houses a combination of print and non-print sources which are aligned with medicine and other allied health sciences. To facilitate a better learning experience for students and faculty alike of AMEC-BCCM, it provides adequate and essential facilities such as memorabilia/museum area, discussion rooms, students’ nook, Internet section, OPAC (online public access catalog) stations, and an audio-visual area which can be used for lectures, seminars/conferences and other activities/functions.

AMEC-BCCM Library staff is currently spearheaded by a Chief Librarian.

THE LIBRARY’S VISION, MISSION AND OBJECTIVES:

VISION:
The AMEC-BCCM Library aspires to give exemplary service for medical education through innovative, upgraded technology through relevant, varied collections as in print, non-print and digital/electronic organized for easy access and retrieval to support for quality education, healthcare, research and functional community service.

MISSION:
The mission of AMEC-BCCM Library is to empower, prepare students in their quest for excellence in the medical and health professions through effective lifelong learning considering ethical standards and updated resource materials in different formats. OBJECTIVES:
 1. Comply with CHED standards and other accrediting organizations regarding library personnel, facilities, collections, etc.
 2. Collaborate with academic council regarding evaluation, selection and acquisition of relevant materials per program.
 3. Organize and arrange information sources to facilitate its location and for easy retrieval.
 4. Motivate library clients for thorough study habits through good environment.
 5. To link with professional organizations for updating of library management and others.
 6. To join in a library consortium for opportunities that may benefit students, librarians and the institution.

AMEC-BCCM LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF:
The administrative division and staff of AMEC-BCCM Library work hand-in-hand to deliver the best practices of library management, as well as maintenance of library collections, delivery of innovative library services, and coordination with professional organizations and the institutional administration for the overall improvement of the library in general.

Presently, AMEC-BCCM Library has a staff of only three (3) due to staff limitations brought about by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, all of which are professional licensed librarians. The names of AMEC-BCCM Library personnel are indicated below:

MR. JON EDWARD A. OSERIN, RL
Librarian

MRS. CENDY L. LOPOS
Library Staff

AMEC-BCCM LIBRARY HOURS:

8:00 AM-5:00 PM (No noon break)
Monday to Friday (New Normal Setup)

8:00 AM-6:00 PM (No noon break)
Monday to Saturday (Regular Setup)

RULES AND REGULATIONS:

AMEC-BCCM Library Users:
The AMEC-BCCM Library users are bona fide students, faculty members, academic non-teaching staff (ANTS), hospital employees, alumni and external researchers. These users should always write in the logbook provided at the library entrance every time they will make use of the library’s resources and services.

Courtesy and Politeness Inside AMEC-BCCM Library:
AMEC-BCCM Library is a place conducive for study, research and reading. Therefore, library users are strictly reminded to be quiet, neat and orderly when inside the library premises at all times. All library users are asked to observe the following:
 • Books inside AMEC-BCCM Library are to be used properly and appropriately. Writing on the book’s pages as well as sitting on them should be avoided. Destruction of library property is strictly prohibited, and any library user caught in the act of such will lose all library privileges.
 • Loitering during class hours, loud talking, smoking, sleeping and littering inside the library premises are strictly prohibited.
 • Food and drinks are not allowed inside the library premises.
 • Mobile phones and laptop computers are permitted inside the library premises as long as they do not disturb other library users.
 • Phone calls that are urgent must be answered OUTSIDE the library.
 • Courtesy should always be practiced when transacting in the reference section or when borrowing or returning books from the library’s reserve section.
 • All users of AMEC-BCCM Library are expected to be honest and transparent.

Dress Code for Students, Faculty and Other Clients:

ALLOWED:
 • T-Shirts
 • Polo/Collared Shirts
 • Long Sleeves
 • Blouses
 • Skirts/Dresses (at least 3 inches above the kneecap)
 • Pants
 • Ripped jeans
 • Shoes
 • Sandals

NOT ALLOWED:
 • Tank tops
 • Crop tops
 • Sleeveless undershirts (sando)
 • Off-shoulder tops
 • Backless tops
 • Skirts/dresses (more than 3 inches above the kneecap)
 • Shorts
 • Bull caps or any other hat
 • Slippers

AMEC-BCCM Library Internet:
To augment the research and informational needs of its clientele, as well as the utilization of the library’s physical resource materials, AMEC-BCCM Library has a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) connection that students, faculty and other clientele can connect to in order to gain access to the Internet. The client must properly coordinate with the library staff regarding the library Wi-Fi’s password. The library Wi-Fi’s password must never be shared with others, unless otherwise they properly ask for it.

Internet Section Rules and Regulations:
The following rules apply to the Internet Section of AMEC-BCCM Library:
 • Students are required to show their library cards to the library staff-in charge before using the computers at the Internet section
 • Internet section computers may be used for information retrieval for academic and research purposes only, as well as data searches. STRICTLY NO ENCODING.
 • Sessions at the Internet Section may be requested prior to the intended schedule.
 • NO OPENING OF SOCIAL MEDIA SITES and other irrelevant websites (chatting, gaming and entertainment) at the Internet Section. Disciplinary action will be imposed to those who will be caught in the act.
 • Copyrighted information may not be reproduced or used without prior written permission from the publisher or the owner.
 • Computers at the Internet Section may only be used up to 5:00 pm.
 • Library Internet section users who will be found violating the rules and regulations will be subjected to disciplinary action.

CIRCULATION POLICIES:

Type of Library Patron	No. of Items Allowed	Reserve Section Resources	No. of Items Allowed	Circulation Section Resources
Administrative Officials	1	1 week; renewable 1x	1	1 week; renewable 2x
Faculty Members of AMEC/BCCM	1	1 week; renewable 1x	1	1 week; renewable 2x
Graduate School/Medicine Students	1	3 days; renewable 1x	1	3 week; renewable 2x
Undergraduate Students	1	3 days; renewable 1x	1	3 week; renewable 2x
Support Staff -Library	1	3 days; renewable 1x	1	3 week; renewable 2x

 • All AMEC-BCCM Library borrowers must present their valid library cards and the books to be borrowed for proper issuance.
 • Resources coming from the AMEC-BCCM Library Reserve Section are only allowed to be borrowed either inside or outside the library premises for only 1 hour. However, borrowing time can be renewed or extended for another 1 hour if the resource is not needed by other library users.
 • Inspect the book/s you wish to borrow for missing/mutilated pages.
 • If the library resource was borrowed before the library’s closing time at 5:00 pm, the library resource is to be returned to the library on or before 8:30 am the following day. (If the library resource was borrowed before library closing time on a Friday, then the resource is to be returned on Monday, on or before 8:30 am)
 • Borrowers are required to return their books on the exact due date to avoid paying overdue fines.

Special Borrowing Privileges for Faculty Members:
 1. A bona fide faculty member of AMEC-BCCM may authorize a representative to borrow library resources for him/her by presenting the ff. to the Reserve Section/Circulation Section staff:
  • Authorization letter duly signed by the faculty member
  • The faculty member’s library card
 2. The faculty member is responsible for all library resources that will be borrowed under his/her name
 3. Extended borrowing time may be granted to a faculty member during semestral break/summer vacation as long as he/she is fully aware of due dates.

How Can You Renew Library Loan?
 • Personally at the Library Reserve/Circulation Section
 • By contact numbers of the library
 • Online (through OPAC)

The following library items are not to be renewed:
 • New Acquisitions
 • In-demand books
 • Overdue books
 • Books that have been reserved for another library user
 • Books that are not due enough for renewal

Library Fines:
Overdue resources from AMEC-BCCM Library will be charged 5.00 pesos (Php. 5.00) per book per day exclusive of Sundays, regular holidays and sudden suspension of classes.

Lost Library Item:

 • If a library item/resource is lost, the library should be informed immediately.
 • All library users are responsible for the replacement of the lost library item, plus the overdue fines that have accumulated.
 • Lost books should be replaced with the same title, edition and author.
 • In case the library user suddenly found the library item/resource after it is reported as “lost” and returns it to the library, and the item is still in good condition, then the user will be required to pay only the accumulated overdue fine. Since there are some books that are expensive, lost book should be replaced within a month after it has been reported lost.
 • Processing fee of one-hundred pesos (Php 100.00) will be added to the cost.
 • Shipping fee of five hundred pesos (Php. 500.00) will be added for books that are purchased overseas.

ASK-A-LIBRARIAN

In this service, questions are received and filtered by one of the librarians of AMEC-BCCM Library. Only valid and legitimate questions directly addressed or related to the library are entertained while other questions which are not library-related at all are forwarded to other departments of the institution which is concerned with the inquiry.

A librarian will respond to acceptable reference questions within two (2) working days of the Library. For incorrect e-mail addresses, no response will be sent to the sender of the question.

Ask-A-Librarian may be done through the ff. mediums:
 • SMS Messages (text)
 • Chat Messages to AMEC-BCCM Library Facebook Page (Messenger)
 • E-mail

The following queries will not be accepted for response:
 • Non-library related queries
 • Topics outside library domain
 • Commercial inquiries
 • Highly-detailed bibliographies and library pathfinders
 • Answers for quiz bees, contests, games and puzzles
 • Questions that require a too specific answer
CURRENT AWARENESS

This kind of library services seeks to inform library users and clients about new acquisitions in the library, as well as other latest developments in the library, through the use of the library website.

DOCUMENT DELIVERY

Document delivery services refer to simple requests such as photocopying of desired portions of a certain print material and must be subjected to the library’s rules and regulations regarding the use of copyright. Online request for documents is allowed, but the ff. are the only types of library patrons allowed:
 • Administrative Officials of the Institution
 • Faculty Members of AMEC/BCCM
 • Currently enrolled students of either AMEC or BCCM

Guidelines for Document Delivery:
 1) The library user may inquire and fill-out the request form for documents at the reference desk at the Library’s Circulation Section.
 2) Scanned or photocopied documents can be sent through e-mail, PDF file format, or can be picked up from the library personally by the client.
 3) The library user is to be advised of the service and its corresponding charges. These must be paid at the Library’s circulation section, which will forward the payment to the cashier of the institution for formality purposes.
 4) When requested documents are ready to be picked up, the library user will be informed of such by phone or by e-mail.
 5) All requested documents must be claimed at the reference desk.

INTERLIBRARY LOAN

 • Interlibrary loan is defined as the process of resource sharing among libraries. In the case of AMEC-BCCM Library, interlibrary loan is encouraged, provided that the library has a prior written agreement with another higher-learning institution.
 • The external researcher must present a duly-signed letter to the librarian/library staff first and coordinate with the library management regarding his/her information query.
 • If AMEC-BCCM Library has the resource that the external researcher needs, then the resource must not be allowed to be utilized outside the library premises due to limited number of copies, as well as the library management’s values of liability and accountability.
 • Borrowers and researchers must abide by the rule that all library resources are IN-LIBRARY USE only.

LIBRARY TOUR
Tours are available for certain individuals and groups upon a written request with the librarian.

LIBRARY INSTRUCTION PROGRAM
 1. This refers to the library orientation and electronic resources training to teach library and information skills and at the same time, promote the importance and relevance of information literacy.
 2. Library Orientation for Freshmen Students –this session is divided into three (3) major parts:
  • An overview of the library’s rules and regulations, procedures, services, facilities and resources
  • Basic information retrieval process (both on-site and online through OPAC)
  • How to use electronic resources (e-books, e-journals, databases, etc.)
 3. Electronic Resources Training (done in collaboration with the IT Department) –this training session includes lecture on the various online resources that may augment the informational and research needs of AMEC-BCCM Library users.
 4. Faculty members and other members of the AMEC-BCCM community can avail of the library instruction program on a schedule basis. Those who are interested may visit the library personally or may send a message to the library’s Facebook page (AMEC BCCM Library) or to the library’s e-mail address (amecbccmlibofficial@gmail.com)

LIBRARY FACILITIES
 • Conference Hall (Upper Room) –this massive room located at the second floor of AMEC-BCCM Library and is intended for institutional activities such as seminars and conferences, as well as library orientations for students of both AMEC and BCCM. This hall can accommodate to up more or less 100 people.
 • Student Nook –this enclosed, secluded area is intended for students who wish to study or read in the library without any noise or distractions disturbing them.
 • Faculty Discussion Rooms –they are available for the use of only bona fide AMEC-BCCM faculty and students. Inquiries for the utilization of these rooms should be done in coordination with the library administration.
 • Memorabilia Section –this is a special area of the AMEC-BCCM Library wherein yearbooks of previous batches of students are found, as well as the personal effects of the founder, as well as objects of utmost significance to the history of the institution. Situated a few steps away from the AMEC-BCCM Library proper.
 • Internet Section –this section of the library is where students and other library clients can utilize the library’s Internet services for their study, research and informational purposes. Internet workstations are STRICTLY for informational and research purposes only.
 • Circulation Section –in this section, students and other library clients can freely browse an assortment of books all about medicine and health sciences. AMEC-BCCM Library currently implements the so-called “open-shelves” system, in which students can safely browse the library shelves without interruptions.