Subject / Division Assignments of Librarians
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How to Request Instruction for Your Classes (print version)

The librarians welcome and encourage you to bring your classes to the library for instruction. Please call or e-mail one of the reference librarians to schedule a class.

Debbie Cox

x7490

Cheryl Mansfield-Egans (evenings)

x7393

Gary Church

x7389

Daniel Stevens

x7487

Reference Desk

x7390


Guidelines for Library Instruction

To ensure the best results for your students, please follow these guidelines for library instruction:


Searching for Books and Other Items

Search for books and other circulating items at the LSC - Montgomery Library and throughout the entire Lone Star College System (LSCS) Library Consortium (which includes all of the Montgomery and Harris County public libraries as well) by using the Library online catalog (public access catalog). If you find the item but see that it is not held at your location, then proceed to "Requesting Consortium Loans: Circulating Items" below.

NetLibrary: Searchable books online available to you by using your activated library barcode. Thereafter, having set up an account, you can go straight to NetLibrary (www.netlibrary.com) and log in without needing your barcode should you choose to.

Guide to Books, Magazines, Newspapers, and Short Stories on the Internet: Browse large collections of short stories, speeches, and other full text documents available for free on the Internet.

Project Gutenberg for thousands of copyright free electronic texts. The collection includes works of fiction and nonfiction. Search for the work by author, title, subject or notes. Once located, download (via ftp) the entire work to your computer in text or zip formats.

Searching for Articles

The library consortium has abundant database resources for finding articles in journals, magazines, newspapers, and the like. The article(s) you seek may be available from one of our online databases. Check there first. If you know the periodical title you're looking for, find the A—Z list; it will indicate what periodicals we have available via database. If you do not have a specific title in mind, but are searching from information by topic/subject/keyword, etc., then go to the Subject List of databases. This access is available for anyone on campus and remotely for holders of valid library cards.

If you are still unable to locate your article, access the online catalog, click "Browse Search," and enter the periodical title in the "Serial Title Browse" box near the bottom. The resulting page will indicate whether any of our libraries have any copies. If we do, you'll see the title to the left; click it, and it will indicate where these titles are housed and the dates of the publications available. If you find the periodical issue that contains your article there, then simply request that copy online using the Consortium Loan Form.


Requesting Consortium Loans*
Circulating Items

Circulating items from any of the library collections in the LSC System (the "consortium"—consisting also of the Montgomery and Harris County public libraries) may be requested online with an activated library bar code. Search for the record in the online catalog. Select the title of the item you desire (or select "Show details"). Here you will find the item's record, location.and status. If it is not available at our library, then simply click "Request FIRST AVAILABLE COPY of this item." When prompted, enter the library barcode number on the back of your ID, or on your library card, and your PIN (the last four digits of your phone number). The item will be sent to the designated library within a few days if it is available for circulation. You will receive a phone call when the book arrives.

Articles

See Searching for Articles above.


Requesting Extra-Consortium Loans*

Extra-Consortium Loan is a service for LSCS students, staff, and faculty. There is generally no charge for this service. Exceptions to this are if the lending library charges for the service.

If you have searched our online catalog and online databases, as described above, and cannot find the circulating items or articles within the Lone Star College System Consortium, you may make your request online via Extra-Consortium Loan. These requests are handled by the District office. You will be notified by phone when the material is received.


Placing Materials On Reserve

You can place books and other materials on reserve for your students to check out for as little as two hours or as much as one week. When placed on reserve, these materials are located at the circulation desk. To place materials on reserve, you can download the Faculty Reserve Request Form from the college's web server (Microsoft Word document).


Anti-Plagiarism Resources plagiarism handout

You might find these resources useful to educate your students about plagiarism and to combat plagiarism in your classrooms.

The Center for Academic Integrity (from the Rutland Institute for Ethics at Clemson University)

"E-Cheating: Combating a 21st Century Challenge" (by Kim McMurtry, from THE Journal).  An article disussing plagiarism and offering tips.

MLA FAQs (from the Modern Language Association).  Answers to questions concerning documentation.

Owl Online Writing Lab (from Purdue University).  Good help--even has exercises.

Paradigm Online Writing Assistant (Chuck Guilford).  More help with writing papers and avoiding plagiarism.

Research Resources for Students and Educators (from turnitin.com). For students: plagiarism defined; tips about avoiding plagiarism; citation styles and guidelines; research and writing skills suggestions; answers to frequently asked questions on topics such as fair use, public domain, and copyright. For educators: suggestions on how to integrate plagiarism education into the classroom; tips on how to make assignments that discourage plagiarism; information about the causes of plagiarism; help on how to identify types of plagiarism; printable handouts about plagiarism, proper citation, and writing research papers.

TRIO (from the University of Washington). Anti-plagiarism information, software, and services.

Writing Tutorial Services (From Indiana University).  Lots of good help on writing papers, including avoiding plagiarism.


Collection Development (Help with library terms)

ADA Gifts
Continuations Guidelines Review
Cooperative Collection Devleopment Intellectual Freedom
Copyright Resource Sharing
Criteria for Selection Replacement Copies
Criteria for Withdrawal Reconsideration of Materials
Discretionary Collections Responsibility for Selection
Electronic Resources Withdrawal of Materials

The collection development guidelines of the Lone Star College System (LSCS) Libraries are designed for use as a planning and communication tool. They state the principles and guidelines to be followed in the selection of library research materials, in all formats. Although each library must determine the resources needed to support its own community and curriculum, these guidelines foster consistency in the quality of the selection process. They communicate the libraries’ collection development goals and guidelines to all interested parties, including librarians, faculty and patrons. While the guidelines are specific, they may be interpreted as broadly as the situation demands. This is intended to be a dynamic document, which will be revised as needed to reflect the curricular and informational needs of the college community.

Purpose

The collection development guidelines of the libraries provide a basis for the continual assessment, growth, and enrichment of the collection in accordance with the mission of LSCS. It establishes broad guidelines for the evaluation and selection of resources that will enhance the curriculum, promote scholarship, and supplement area library resources for students, businesses and the community. Each library will use these guidelines to formulate collection development procedures that reflect the needs of its unique patronage.

Guidelines Review

In recognition of the nature of today’s community college library and the obligation of the library to be responsive to change, the guidelines will be reviewed, and revised accordingly, at least every three years. Any revisions or amendments will be subject to the approval of the Library Executive Committee.

Responsibility For Selection Of Resources

The reference librarians are responsible for the development of the collection, with final approval for all selections resting with the library directors. Curricular needs are the primary consideration when selecting resources and librarians will endeavor to remain current regarding course assignments and curricular changes. General criteria for selection of materials are included at the conclusion of this document.

Librarians will encourage the active participation of faculty, administration, students, and community members in the selection process. However, in lieu of acquiring resources that do not meet the selection criteria, the libraries will make every effort to locate and borrow these resources through Interlibrary Loan (ILL).

Resource Sharing

The libraries of LSCS will participate in mutually beneficial resource sharing agreements both within and outside of the district in order to expand depth and breadth of resources available to the faculty and students.

Cooperative Collection Development

The libraries of LSCS practice active cooperative collection development within the college district in order to optimize the use of limited resources. Opportunities for cooperative collection development agreements outside of the college district will be considered with respect to support of the mission statements of the library program and LSCS.

Intellectual Freedom

The libraries strongly support the principles of the Library Bill of Rights and the various interpretations that have been adopted by the American Library Association. (Also in Appendix A in the library handbook available in the library.)

Reconsideration Of Materials

In the event that an objection to any library resource is expressed, the complainant may request that the item be reconsidered. The complainant will be asked to complete a Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form (see Appendix B). The completed form will be reviewed by the library director in a timely manner. The director’s decision to retain or withdraw a challenged resource will be made with respect to the principles of intellectual freedom and in accordance with District selection policy. The complainant will be notified in writing of the director’s decision.

Americans With Disabilities Act

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, information resources will be acquired which satisfy the reasonable accommodations provision of the act and provide equal access to information sources. Librarians and faculty may request resources in different formats to meet the needs of those with diverse abilities as demand warrants or if the resources are specifically targeted for a particular student population needing a specialized format. Assistive technology equipment and/or software is available on campus for students needing to adapt printed materials to different formats.

Copyright

It is the intent of LSCS that all members of the college community adhere to the provisions of the United States Copyright Law (Title 17, United States Code, Sect. 101, et seq.)

Continuations

Resources whose periodic updating or set fulfillment is important to the currency and completeness of collections will be purchased as continuations. Each title should be examined by a librarian or subjected to an extensive review process, before it is ordered as a continuation.

Electronic Resources

Electronic resources are considered an integral part of the libraries' collections and will be acquired using applicable criteria from "Criteria for Selection of Resources.” Electronic resources may include electronic books, journals, databases and government information sources in electronic formats. These resources may be paid or free subscriptions and delivered via the World Wide Web, compact disks, or other media. Electronic materials may be cataloged according to current procedures established by the LSCS Library Executive Committee in collaboration with Automated Library Services and the Bibliographic Authority Control Committee.

Replacement Copies

When considering a title for replacement, resources missing from the collection, declared lost, or those too worn for further circulation, may not automatically be replaced. The same criteria in effect for the selection of new resources will be used.

Gifts

The libraries accept donations of monetary gifts and library resources. All gifts must be accompanied by a completed gift form signed by the donor (see Appendix C). The director and/or reference librarians will work with donors of monetary gifts to select materials useful to the collection. The library accepts gift materials with the understanding that the librarians and library director reserve the right to catalog, discard, locate, and display gifts in the best interests of the collection. If adequate storage space and/or processing time are not available, the library director may decline the gifts.

Upon receipt of gift materials or monetary donations, the donor will receive an acknowledgment letter signed by the director. A notification of a gift purchase will be sent to a family or individual who has been honored or memorialized. A gift plate will be placed inside materials purchased with gift funds. All other gift materials will not receive a gift plate unless requested by the donor. All gifts become the property of LSCS. Appraisals of gift materials cannot be made by library personnel.

Weeding / Withdrawal of Materials

In order to maintain a collection of optimal usefulness, and to assure the best utilization of library space, librarians will engage in a continual evaluation of materials in all formats. Those materials that are no longer appropriate to the collection will be removed, with the final approval of the director. Criteria for withdrawal are listed at the conclusion of this document.

Criteria for Selection of Resources

The following criteria are considered in the selection of resources:

Additional criteria for selection of nonprint and/or electronic resources:

The following resources will be collected at the discretion of the individual colleges:

Criteria For Withdrawal Of Materials

The following criteria are used when removing resources from the collection:

*The names of these forms have not been agreed upon by the LSCS; until they are, you may notice some discrepancies in terminology.