Information for Faculty

 

Information Literacy & Instructional Support | Course Reserves

Copyright & Other Scholarly Communication Topics | Collection Development

Faculty Borrowing | Collections and Features | Faculty Studies| Contacts | Technical Assistance

 

 

INFORMATION LITERACY & INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT

What is information literacy?

Trexler Library Statement on Information Literacy

Trexler Library supports the development of information literate students who can discover, organize, analyze, create, and share information in order to achieve their academic goals and to enhance their independent, lifelong learning habits.  Information literate students will thereby develop an intellectual framework for critical analysis and reflection of diverse information resources. 

Read the entire Statement on Information Literacy.

How do I incorporate information literacy into my assignments and courses?

Library Instruction

Library instruction sessions take many forms, but often are tailored to a specific research project. Librarians can recommend particular resources, demonstrate search techniques, discuss resource evaluation methods, consider how items can properly be incorporated into research, and more, all in our hands-on classroom. Working in partnership with the faculty, librarians help define assignments to enhance your information and literacy course goals. A session can be schedule for part of a class period, an entire class period, or even span multiple class periods.

Library instruction can be scheduled in a variety of ways:

Note: Please allow at least one week for class preparation.

Student Referrals

Subject librarians are available to work one-on-one with students on a referral or drop-in basis. Contact the subject specialists listed above.

Assignment Ideas

The assignment ideas listed at Alternatives to the Research Paper may help you adapt your existing assignments or develop new assignments.

Contact the Library Instruction Coordinator, Jen Jarson (jarson@muhlenberg.edu / 484-664-3552) or your Subject Specialist Librarian to discuss these and other assignment ideas.

Other Instructional Support

Librarians are available to assist with:

  • Integrating information literacy components throughout the course and syllabus.
  • Developing course-specific online research guides.
  • Teaching students about proper citation of web and print resources.
  • Supporting faculty in incorporating instructional media in the library's Information Commons.
  • Developing informational-related pedagogy for faculty Blackboard/Moodle sites.
  • Understanding and applying copyright for both classroom work and individual scholarly communication.

Contact the Library Instruction Coordinator, Jen Jarson ( jarson@muhlenberg.edu / 484-664-3552) or your Subject Specialist Librarian to discuss other opportunities.

 

 

COURSE RESERVES

You may place items from the library, or your personal collection, on reserve. Items on reserve include:

  • books and book chapters
  • articles
  • videos
  • audio
  • links to online materials

Requests can be submitted in a variety of ways:

Reserve periods are for 2 or 4 hours, and 1, 3, or 7 days. Students may take out one AV item or 2 printed materials at one time. Requests to place items on reserve should be made 3-5 days in advance of class assignments to ensure access for your students. During the first two weeks of a semester there is usually a backlog of requests which will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Please submit your requests as early as possible.

If an item has already been placed on reserve for another course, we ask that you obtain permission from the faculty member who has placed the item on reserve before using it for your own class.

Materials placed on reserve must comply with copyright laws. In general:

  • The library or the instructor should own a legally obtained (not pirated) copy of the item being placed on reserve.
  • Duplications of small portions of a legally obtained copy can be placed on reserve. For duplications in larger amounts, especially duplication of an entire work, library staff may need to request permission of the copyright holder.
  • ILL items can be placed on physical reserves so long as they adhere to fair use. ILL items may be posted to electronic reserves only with permission of the copyright holder.
  • Items from the library’s reference collection can be placed on reserve with permission of the subject specialist.
  • Reserve items should be considered supplementary readings, not replacements for textbooks.

The above copyright guidelines all operate within the concept of fair use, described in detail in the Copyright section below.

Electronic reserves is now available. For more information, contact Jonathan Macasevich, Public Services Assistant, at trexlerreserves@muhlenberg.edu / 484-664-3606.

 

 

COPYRIGHT & OTHER SCHOLARLY COMMUNICATION TOPICS

Copyright

For information on copyright at Muhlenberg College, see the Copyright Policy and related information.

Data Management Plan Toolkit

For information on resources for writing and following a data management plan in compliance with National Science Foundation requirements for all grant recipients as of January 2011, see the Data Management Plan Toolkit.

 

 

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

Trexler Library is responsible for the collection and stewardship of scholarly and general interest materials which support the College's liberal arts education and lifelong learning mission. The collections are developed to serve the current students, faculty, and staff of the College Community. The Library selects resources for its collections primarily in support of the current and anticipated curriculum of the College, and secondarily in support of current and anticipated research needs as determined by available funding. Faculty members are encouraged to participate in the development of the library's collections by recommending new and out-of-print materials.

Departmental Allocations

A portion of the library’s allocation for books & monographs is distributed on an annual basis to each academic department. These funds are managed by your departmental liaison, in conversation with the librarian liaison, to purchase materials in support of:

  • all courses taught by members of that department, including interdisciplinary, FYS, and Capstone courses
  • major and minor subject areas taught by a department, with the recognition of the increasing interdisciplinary areas that include these topics
  • major and minor interdisciplinary programs (e.g., Women's Studies) overseen by a faculty member in that department  

It is important to note that half of the distributed funds must be spent on books. The remainder may be spent on other formats such as audio-visual. Departmentally apportioned funds may not be spent on:

  • databases or other serials requiring a subscription
  • textbooks
  • course lectures

Departments are encouraged to suggest items outside this policy when matching funds can be provided. Please read the Collection Development Policy and Textbook and Course Lecture Materials Collecting Guideline for more information about the library's collection development program.

For details on the roles of librarian liaisons, departmental liaisons, and interdisciplinary program liaisons, please see Liaison Program of Trexler Library: Role Description.

Parents' Fund

Additional funding is available from the Parents' Fund. This money is available to any full-time faculty member for purchasing materials in support of teaching a particular course, especially a new course. Application forms are distributed once a year, with allocation of funds determined by the Library Committee.  Please see the Parents' Fund Request Form for more information.

Helpful Selection Tools

Trexler Library subscribes to a number of tools that can assist you in selecting items for purchase. Your Librarian Liaison is available to answer questions, provide suggested materials, or help you to use any of these tools:

  • Choice Reviews Online – Choice offers monthly reviews of current undergraduate-level publications with topical bibliographies. Allows setup of personal profile enabling email notification of new reviews in your areas of interest. Allows creation of lists that can be emailed to departmental liaison for purchase.
  • RCLweb – Resources for Colleges (RCL) is a highly selective, core list of 60,000 titles in all subjects. Includes books, CD-ROMs, databases, and web sites. Allows creation of lists that can be emailed to departmental liaison for purchase.
  • Bowker Book Analysis System (Login as User: general, Password: logmein) – This analysis tool shows our current collection strength based on RCL and which RCL titles we do not have.
  • Books in Print – BIP is extensive database of published and forthcoming books, audio books, and videos including bibliographic information, pricing, and reviews from major sources. Allows creation of lists that can be emailed to departmental liaison for purchase.

How to Place an Order for Books or AV Materials

Requests to purchase materials should be sent to your Departmental Liaison who reviews the requests and forwards those approved to the Librarian Liaison.

Requests can be sent in any of several forms:

Any requests of particularly urgent instructional need can be labeled as a “rush” order. Please note if items are for Course Reserves.

Questions about collection development and purchase requests can be directed to your Departmental Liaison, your Librarian Liaison, or the Acquisitions Manager, Karen Gruber (gruber@muhlenberg.edu / 484-664-3570).

Checking the Status of Orders

You can monitor the progress of an order online. To do this, search for the title in the library catalog. The status of the title will indicate the item’s progress.

  • If the order has been submitted, the item status in the catalog will read “one copy ordered on (date).”
  • If the item has arrived at the Library and is being processed and cataloged, the status will read “one copy being processed.”
  • When the item has been added to the collection and is ready to be checked out, the catalog will display the item’s location, call number, and circulation status.

 

 

FACULTY BORROWING

  • The faculty loan period for books is 120 days.
  • Books from the New York Times Bestseller collection are due in 21 days.
  • Videos and DVD’s circulate for 3 days.
  • Audio books circulate for 21 days.
  • Periodicals do not circulate, but special arrangements can be made for limited loan periods.
  • All circulating items can be renewed online via the My Account feature on the library homepage or by calling the Circulation Desk (484-664-3500).
  • Faculty may renew items up to 5 times online, while the 6th renewal must occur with actual items at the library.

Proxy Borrowers

Faculty may appoint students who assist them as proxy borrowers. These students need a “deputy card,” which can be arranged for by calling the Circulation Desk (484-664-3500). The faculty member is responsible for proxy borrowing.

Recalls

Please contact the Circulation Desk (484-664-3500) if you need to request recall of an item currently in circulation.

Obtaining Materials Not Owned by Muhlenberg College

Materials at other libraries can be efficiently searched using WorldCat, which is accessible from the Library Catalogs page and in the Online Reference Shelf.

  • Interlibrary Loan is available to all college faculty, students, and staff, normally taking from 4-14 days, depending upon searching, sources, and distance. To submit a request online, visit http://www.muhlenberg.edu/library/more/ill/index.html. Requests for books can also be submitted directly through WorldCat. To check the status of a request, please contact the Interlibrary Loan office (484-664-3510).
  • Reciprocal borrowing agreements allow college faculty, staff, and students to borrow materials directly from LVAIC institutions (Cedar Crest, DeSales, Lafayette, Lehigh, and Moravian). You need to present your Muhlenberg ID at each library to use this service.
  • PALCI Faculty Direct borrowing allows Muhlenberg faculty to visit major research libraries in Pennsylvania and New Jersey in person and borrow directly from their collections. Most libraries limit borrowing to circulating books. To gain access to Faculty Direct borrowing, visit Trexler Library’s Circulation Services and fill out a form to present to the participating library. You are responsible for returning materials to the participating library according to that library’s loan period policies. For more information, call Circulation Services at 484-664-3500.

 

 

COLLECTIONS AND FEATURES

Collections

General Collection

In its general collection, Trexler Library:

Specialty Collections

Trexler Library also provides several specialty collections that can enhance the learning experience. Samples include:

Features

  • Wireless Internet access
  • Screening classroom seating 32 (reservation required)
    • Contact the Circulation Desk at 484-664-3500 to make a reservation.
  • High-tech Information Commons (may be reserved on a one-time basis)
    • Contact the Library Instruction Coordinator at 484-664-3552 to make a reservation.
  • Fully-equipped computer labs including Library Instruction room with tech wall
  • Information Consultation Center staffed with Writing Tutors and Librarians
  • Faculty studies
    • Use this form (Click here for a full description) to apply (by application each year) for a faculty study. A limited number of studies are available. Contact the library secretary, Karen Bydlon, with questions (kbydlon@muhlenberg.edu / 484-664-3551).
  • Silent study floor on Level C
  • Group study rooms and spaces
  • Small conference rooms (Fulford and Rare Books Rooms) (reservation required)
    • Contact the Administrative Offices at 484-664-3551 to make a reservation.
  • Laptop and tablet computers for student checkout
  • Photocopy bypass key available to faculty
    • Ask at the Circulation Desk (484-664-3500) for more information

Building Hours

See Trexler Library Hours or call 484-664-3500.

 

 

CONTACTS

 

 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Accessing Online Resources from Off-Campus

Off-campus access to library databases is available to Muhlenberg College faculty, staff and students. See Accessing Databases Off-Campus for more information. For additional help, please contact your librarian liaison.

Computers & Software

Trexler Library features three computer labs (B-01, B lab, and the Information Commons), as well as a number of computers throughout the building. These computers provide access to the College's standard software offerings.

The computers in the Information Commons on Level A feature additional specialty tools. A list of these tools, as well as suggestions for how to use them for assignments in the classroom, is available.

Contact your subject specialist with questions about computers or software in the Library.

 

 

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