Instructional Services Policies

The Instructional Services department coordinates all formal educational activities at the Marx Library. Our priority is integrating instruction into identified research-intensive courses. To identify your courses as such, please contact your Subject Liaison Librarian. In addition, Instructional Services coordinates the development and publication of print and online support materials such as subject research guides or LibGuides.

If you are interested in library orientation, please contact Elizabeth Shepard (erugan@southalabama.edu or (251) 461-1575).

Policies

Requesting

Please request library instruction through the Library Instruction Request Form.

Scheduling

• Request 2 weeks in advance to allow sufficient preparation time for librarians.
• Sessions are scheduled first come, first served. Please schedule early to ensure the date and time slot that best fits your students' needs.
• Sessions are not typically scheduled during the first two weeks, or last two weeks, of the semester. If you have a special circumstance that may require instruction during these periods, please contact the Instruction Coordinator Librarian, Beth Shepard (erugan@southalabama.edu or (251) 461-1575).
• Students should come prepared with ideas for possible topics/specific research need. Please schedule instruction at a point in the semester when students are aware of the assignment requirements and have had time to consider what their research focus might be.

Faculty Involvement

• Attend the session with your students. We encourage instructors to be active during the library session. In addition to providing valuable insight, your presence encourages students to be engaged in the instruction experience.
• Pair instruction with a specific research assignment. Library instruction will be more effective when students have an opportunity to practice the skills and strategies taught in the session. If you would like to collaborate with a librarian in the planning/design of a research assignment, please contact your Subject Liaison Librarian to schedule a consultation.
• Provide a copy of your syllabus and/or assignment when requesting instruction. This information will help your librarian to select the most appropriate resources and activities for your students.

Please use this form to comment on anything related to the library's instruction program.  All comments are sent directly to the Instruction Coordinator Librarian only and will be kept confidential.