The Learning Commons Library at Blackhawk Technical College has a variety of services and materials that are available to all Blackhawk students, faculty and staff. Here you will find some quick links to our services and materials. 

Online Materials

The library provides free access to thousands of books, articles, feature films, documentaries and more. All online materials can be accessed on and off campus with your 9-digit student ID   

• If you are looking for eBooks or audiobooks on a range of subjects try searching Encore Library Catalog. Read our eBook guide for more information. 
• If you are searching for academic, scholarly and professional articles search in one of our article databases. 
• If you are new to the research process try Academic One File (Gale) and use the Topic Finder and Browse Topics options
• If you are looking for current and historical newspapers. Access the New York Times online by activating your account with your BTC email address.  Find articles from a range of publication in the US Newsstream and Newspaper Source Plus or review our Newspaper Guide. 
• If you are searching for online streaming videos including documentaries try searching in Films on Demand and/or Alexander Street Video
• If you are search for articles in business and finance, try Business Source Premier or Statista database for market research and statistics.
• If you are searching for health sciences articles, try CINAHL Complete, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Nursing and Allied Health or MEDLINE. 
• If you are searching for Social Sciences (Psychology, Sociology,) and Communication articles search in Academic OneFile or Academic Search Premier. 
• If you are searching for articles for Criminal Justice Studies, try Criminal Justice Abstracts and Academic OneFile
• If you are searching for articles in humans services and/or education try Education Research Complete, ERIC, Academic OneFile and Academic Search Premier 
• If you are searching for articles on information technology, engineering and technology search in Computer and Applied Sciences Complete
• If you are looking for quality free encyclopedia and reference materials try the Britannica Library
• If you are searching for general science information search the Science Reference Center
• If you are looking for test preparation materials for college and career bases exams and test, try Learning Express Library and College Admissions Test Preparation and review our Test Preparation Guide. 
• The A to Z database list and Encore library catalog will give you access to our complete online collections. 

Physical Collections including Equipment 

• Educational equipment loans (Laptops, WiFi Hotspots, Headsets/Headphones). Find more information about the loan program in this FAQ and our Equipment Loan Guide. 
• Books, newspapers, physical media at Central Campus and Monroe Campus, search the Encore Library Catalog for available titles. 
• Interlibrary loan, request print and physical library materials from other libraries using the WISCAT catalog to search and request or the Interlibrary Loan Request form.  

Research Assistance and Library Help

We offer in-person and online help. The library helps you with searching for and finding sources for your assignment, evaluating and selecting sources, navigating library databases and catalogs.  You can get help in many ways:

• One-on-one research assistance appointments. Appointments can be in-person or online via Zoom. Schedule an appointment via Starfish. 
• Drop In support at the Library Help Desk in the Student Success Center room 2200 on central campus

• 24/7 Library Chat. Chats are answered by local Blackhawk library staff and by librarians nationwide. 

• Over the phone: 608-757-7705

• Email: library@blackhawk.edu 

• Online library guides with curated resources for your program and detailed instructions for finding resources