Instructional Services Department, Idaho State University Library

Instructional Services

Instruction

Our mission is to help you learn to use library resources efficiently and effectively. We offer a variety of seminars, workshops, and classes that will teach you how to navigate the library and how to find the best information for your research. You can also arrange to meet with the instruction librarian for individual instruction, or you can drop by the reference desk for informal help at any time.

Contact

For scheduling, call (208) 282-5609 or email: libinst@isu.edu
For questions about instruction, please contact Spencer Jardine, Coordinator of Instruction, at (208) 282-5609.

Scheduling/Requesting Instruction

Check the Instruction Calendars to see if either classroom is available on the day you'd like to hold your class.

IF-University Library Center: Library instruction in Idaho Falls occurs on the University Place and EITC campuses. A mobile computer lab with 24 laptops can be used in the CHE classrooms. At EITC, a computer lab with 22 desktop computers can be scheduled. All students may use their personal laptop computers (especially in classes with more than 24 students). Library instruction can be provided in CHE distance classrooms.
Alternate Rooms: includes scheduled First Year Seminar scavenger hunts, tours, and library instruction given in other locations, both on and off campus.
Library-Meridian: offers instruction within Meridian campus classrooms and computer labs for distance and non-distance classrooms alike depending on faculty and student needs. Distance education via the Collaborate software is also available.
Library Room 212: includes 26 computer workstations, a projector, a screen, a tech podium, an ELMO, a whiteboard, a blackboard, and demonstration software.
Library Room 266: includes 42 seats, eight tables, a projector, screen, tech station, podium, ELMO, television, and whiteboard. Located in back (left), northeast corner near the study rooms.

Then fill out and submit one of the following forms, or invite us to an event with your Google Calendar. To request a Library Room using the Google Apps, follow these instructions. Instruction requests will be processed as soon as possible. Email libinst@isu.edu or call the Coordinator of Instruction (282-5609) if you have any questions or concerns regarding your request.

Library Instruction Ideas

Here are just a few kinds of instruction sessions/services we can offer:

Basic research strategies with the catalog and article databases
Finding a book in the catalog and on the shelves
Research hour (we can open the computer classroom for your students to conduct research with a librarian on hand to offer reference assistance)
Customized databases (usually for upper-division and graduate students within their disciplines). Ex: Web of Science, MLA Bibliography, PsychInfo, ERIC, etc.
Conducting a literature review: finding dissertations, requesting books and articles via interlibrary loan, specialized article indexes/databases, etc. (mainly for those writing a thesis i.e. graduate students)
Library tours and scavenger hunts
Academic Integrity/Plagiarism tutorials and discussions
Jeopardy (Library edition: a game in which students compete to answer questions about the Library. A tour, SearchPath Tutorial, or handout should be taken or studied before this activity to make it more successful.)
Guidance with library-created tutorials such as SearchPath
See also our Instructional Services Handout

Tutorials

List of Tutorials

Evaluations

Policies and Procedures

Oboler Library Classroom and Conference Room Use Policy

Staff Directory

Kristi Austin	Jolene Barnett-Stephens	Mary Lou Beran
Karl Bridges	Beth Downing	Cathy Gray
Ruiling Guo	Philip Homan	Spencer Jardine
Regina Koury	Jenny Semenza	Sandra Shropshire

Idaho State University