Who is eligible for this service?
Online instructors are eligible for this service. Requesting/utilizing this service is subject to the dean's approval.
What is the preferred method of requesting this service?
Send an e-mail to library@baker.edu
Where would the forum be located?
The Library forum would be located in the Discussion Board area.
What services would be available through this forum?
Library research, and APA support.
How are these services different from the regular library services?
This is an extension of the regular library services, giving that extra support your students might need. Having a "personal librarian" available in the classroom makes it convenient for the students and easier for the librarian to understand your students' needs. The interaction in the forum will be beneficial even for those students who are shy or uncomfortable asking for help.
Upon creating the forum, what would be the role of a librarian in this class?
A librarian would be designated as a Teaching Assistant in your class. Subscribe feature will be turned on, so the librarian gets alerted every time there is a new post. The forum description will clearly indicate that the forum is restricted for library related questions. If there is a course related question, will have it posted in the main forum for the instructor to answer. By the same token, instructors could also enhance a librarian's response, if it would align better with the course requirements and outcomes.
Which areas of the class will librarians go in?
All interaction with the students will be strictly in the Library Forum. Librarian will go into the Seminars area to get an idea about the course materials and assignments. And may also use the Communication feature to e-mail a student privately, when necessary. As Teaching Assistants, librarian will have access to the Control Panel, although may never go in there.
When and how long will the librarian be available to the students?
Whenever and as long as you feel the need for library support for your students.
Can I specify the week the forum starts and the number of weeks it should be available to students?
Absolutely! You specify when a librarian should come in and for how long.
Could the availability be extended?
Yes! You can ask for specific dates and then extend it till the course finishes.
What is the turnaround time for responses via this forum?
Baker policy of 24-hour turnaround time for responses will be followed. During normal business hours, it may be a bit sooner. Evening and weekend services will be only on need-only basis.
How much ahead of time should I request this service? Can I ask for it in the middle of a session?
Yes! You can ask for this service anytime: but we need a 24-hour lead time to get access to your class and set-up the forum.
Is it possible to establish a permanent request for a library forum in specific courses I teach regularly?
This is possible, although it would be better if you submitted a request every time you need a library forum in the class. This will help especially when you teach multiple sections.
Can I request a customized handout for my section of a course?
Yes, we could create a Research Guide with course- and assignment-specific information. Be sure to let the librarians know if there is a change in the course structure or material so that the guide could be adjusted per your new requirements.
Can I give you additional material to be added to the courses I teach?
That would be great! Your external links or specific documents could be added to the guide. We could make the guide available only to the classes you teach, you would have the added advantage of getting usage statistics, and we have a link checker feature in the LibGuide program that will alert us when a link is modified or broken.