Current Students | Faculty and Staff | Alumni | Parents

PLU Library

Request Library Instruction

Search Library Website:

253.535.7507
library@plu.edu
Reference Librarians' Hours:
9am-7pm M-Th
9am-3pm F
Request library research instruction for your class
(click here, or scroll down, for request form)

Library instruction includes, but is not limited to:


...all of which can be tailored to your class, subject discipline, and specific research assignment. Bring your class to our instruction center in the library basement, or have us come to you. If you aren't sure what you need, contact Gail Egbers, Instruction Librarian, at 253-535-8869. All librarians teach library research, usually in the subject areas for which they are responsible.

Fill out the form below to schedule an instruction session. We will reply within three business days. Please make your request as far in advance as possible to ensure the best learning experience for your students. Only faculty may schedule an instruction session. If you are a student, please talk with your professor about scheduling a class, or contact a librarian to meet with one of us individually.

Instructor's Name (last, first):
E-mail Address:
Phone:
Department & Course Number:
Course Name:
Day of Week:
Month:
Date: at
Expected Number in Class :

Special Needs(disabled, international students, etc.):


Librarian to cover (topics + time):

Locate Information Effectively

1. Library Research 101—highly recommended for all 100 level classes. Introduces First Year students to the library resources—library catalog, reserves, journals, databases, library web page--once over lightly. (60-75 minutes, includes hands on practice)

2. Advanced library catalog use—set up book lists, save searches, and set up automatic searching on topics.
(10-15 minutes for demonstration; more with hands on practice)

3. World Cat—how to find books that are not in PLU’s library. Recommend you also schedule #7.
(10-15 minutes for demonstration; more with hands on practice)

4. Advanced EBSCO—set up “My Ebsco” account. Set up “current contents” notifications.
(10-15 minutes; includes hands on practice)

5. Searching Databases—focuses on databases that are important for your discipline/courses/project. Tell us about your assignment and we’ll tailor the session to databases that support it. Discuss search structure, choosing terms, narrowing topics, limiting to appropriate journals, etc.
(15 minutes demonstration per database; longer with hands on practice)

6. Finding journal articles—how do you locate a specific journal article when you have a citation? What does PLU have in print, microform, and online? Recommended for 100-200 level classes
(10 minutes for demonstration; longer with hands on practice) (or go to http:// for online tutorial)

7. Interlibrary loan—how do you find and request research materials that PLU doesn’t have in our collection?
(10-15 minutes for demonstration; more with hands on practice time)

8. Using NetLibrary (Full text online book collection)—what do you do when you’re searching the catalog and see PLU has a book via NetLibrary? Goes well with #2.
(5-10 minutes for demonstration; more with hands on practice)

9. Specialized Reference sources—need your students to find Bible commentaries or DSM IV? An introduction to sources of data and information that is useful to beginning researchers.
(15 minutes for demonstration; more with hands on practice)

Evaluate Information Effectively & Appropriately

10. Distinguishing between scholarly/peer reviewed journals and popular/newsy magazines. Recommended for 100-200 level classes.
(15-20 minutes; includes hands on exercise)

11. Primary vs Secondary sources-- Will teach students to distinguish between primary and secondary source material in a particular discipline.
(20 minutes; includes hands on exercise)

12. Using Internet effectively —includes Wikipedia, Google Scholar, and other legitimate Internet resources. Discuss how to evaluate websites.
(15-30 minutes for demonstration depending on topics; longer with hands on exercise )

Use Information Effectively & Ethically

13. Academic integrity/Plagiarism -- Students learn about the ethics and issues of academic integrity, with examples of paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting.
(15 minutes for lecture; more with hands on exercises)

14. Citations--Students will demonstrate mastery of skills needed to interpret a variety of citations correctly.
(20 minutes with hands on exercise)

Library Assignment (Please send copy if available):

In collaboration with the instructor, reference librarians present classroom sessions that are tailored to complement specific assignments, subject areas, resources, or other needs of the faculty or students. Library Instruction aims to help student researchers develop a broad understanding of skills and concepts related to the identification, location, retrieval, management, and presentation of information in an increasingly automated and networked environment. Most often, sessions combine demonstrations of electronic resources, discussions of search strategies, and hands-on practice. Librarians create print guides for in-class distribution and make materials available on the Web. Instruction helps students to become effective participants in the modern information world and to develop skills and concepts they will need to continue their education beyond their years at PLU.