LibGuides – Library Instruction – Interlibrary Loan – Course Reserves

LibGuides

The NECC Libraries offer a service designed to guide students to the most appropriate sources for a particular class or field of study. LibGuides are web pages where librarians gather and organize sources and provide research tips on topics ranging from Biology to Sociology. Because they are created by NECC’s librarians and highlight NECC library resources, they are uniquely useful for our students. LibGuides may be created for individual courses as well as for general subject areas. We have also published specialty LibGuides on topics such as When You Can’t Come to the Library and on using the NoodleTools citation helper.

LibGuides are searchable on Google and are easily accessed from the library web page.  They may be browsed or searched by subject or author. If you are interested in having a LibGuide to complement your course or subject area, please contact us. More guides will be added regularly.  We look forward to receiving advice from faculty on what topics to cover in the LibGuides we publish in the coming months.

Library Instruction

The NECC Librarians provide information literacy instruction for NECC classes. These sessions may be scheduled at any time the library is open. Days, evenings and Saturday mornings are included.   Sessions are taught by a Reference Librarian, but the class instructor must also be present. The sessions are highly recommended for Comp 101 classes, and are useful for any class which includes a research component.  Each of these sessions is designed to fill one fifty-minute class period.  Please call or email to reserve time for one or more sessions at your earliest convenience.

The three types of classes we offer are:

• Basic Library Instruction Session – In this session we will introduce the basics of library literacy. If students do not already have NECC library cards, they will be issued cards in class. The uses of the library card number in requesting books and accessing databases will be demonstrated. We will explain how to locate books within the NECC libraries, and how to request books and other items from NOBLE (North of Boston Library Exchange). We will discuss the importance of locating a variety of reliable sources when doing college level research. Library databases will be demonstrated, and the difference between the databases and the free Web will be discussed, as will the distinction between popular and scholarly periodicals. Students will be asked to complete an exercise demonstrating their mastery of the skills they have learned in class. This class will prepare students to make effective use of library resources as they begin a research project. Since students are also likely to have difficulty locating appropriate sources on the World Wide Web, you may wish to schedule an additional library session on World Wide Search Strategies.

• World Wide Web Search Strategies – Students are often at a loss to understand the difference between formal library resources, whether print or electronic, and the information they find on the World Wide Web using search engines such as Google. This class will clarify the difference as well as offer hints on quickly finding the best information using Google. We will demonstrate advanced Google search strategies, and tools such as Google Scholar. We will emphasize the importance of critical thinking when choosing web sites as sources of scholarly information, and provide guidelines for evaluating web sites as potential sources. Students will be asked to evaluate a web site, and to decide whether it is an appropriate source for college level research.

• NoodleTools Training – NoodleTools supplies a web based bibliography software program the library has purchased to assist students in properly citing their sources. NoodleTools supports MLA, Chicago, and APA styles. In this workshop, we will help students set up their personal NoodleBib accounts and to create bibliographies by inputting information about sources ranging from books to web sites. We will help students learn to distinguish among the various types of resources and learn to cite them accurately and ethically. This session is best timed at a point in the research process when students have begun to compile sources for their project. For the best learning outcome, it should be taught in a lab setting where each student has access to a computer. We will attempt to arrange this type of setting whenever possible. To schedule a class in Haverhill library at 978-556-3400 and ask for the Reference Department, oremail gstuart@necc.mass.edu. To schedule a class in Lawrence call the library at 978-738-7400 or email mhearn@necc.mass.edu.

Library Research Assignments

Incorporating library research into your class assignments can help your students to better understand how information is published and organized in the library and on the Web. NECC Librarians, with expert knowledge of the availability and organization of print and  electronic information available, can help you to design effective library research assignments that avoid confusion and frustration among your students. Librarians can also help you to prevent and detect plagiarism. Call Gail Stuart at the Bentley Library at (978) 556-3400 or email gstuart@necc.mass.edu and Mike Hearn at the Lawrence Campus  Library at (978) 738-7400 or email mhearn@necc.mass.edu

Online Courses and Distance Learning

With your help, librarians can make library resources and services more accessible to your distance learners. Contact Ann Grandmaison at the Bentley Library at (978) 556-3426 or  agrandmaison@necc.mass.edu.

It is easy to incorporate our electronic resources into your BlackBoard course with a few simple steps. To take advantage of this course enhancement, please contact one of the librarians

Suggesting Items for Our Collections

As experts in your academic discipline, you have a unique understanding of the current resources that will enhance the learning experience. We are dedicated to making these resources available to you and your students, and would appreciate your insight concerning our collections. If you have a particular item that you think would be a valuable addition to the libraries, please let us know.

Interlibrary Loan

Faculty may need to use materials that are not accessible or available in our collections.   In the event that information cannot be obtained from any of NECC’s sources, consult with a librarian or use the online request form.

The library will process up to 15 interlibrary loan requests per person each semester for NECC-related course work. Some restrictions apply.  Students and faculty requesting an interlibrary loan related to course work at another institution will be referred to that institution’s interlibrary loan services.

Course Reserves

Faculty may place reading materials on reserve at the Circulation Desk at either library for the duration of the semester. The items can restricted to “library use only” or may be checked out by students for a period of time chosen by the faculty member. Current “Reserves” are listed on a separate web page so that students can locate them easily. For more information, please contact Helen Mansur on the Haverhill campus, or Mike Hearn on the Lawrence Campus.