Judgment of Compliance: The College certifies COMPLIANCE.
Narrative:
Using various formats and forums, the library is responsive to the needs of students, faculty/staff, and community members for orientation to and instruction in the use of library resources. These include, but are not limited to, group instruction in the library and classrooms and individual instruction by telephone, through email, and during one-on-one library visits. A librarian provides in-class and in-library information literacy sessions to meet the research and/or other needs as requested by the faculty, students, staff, and other library patrons in the community. Library tours and informational sessions can be scheduled using the online Instruction/Tour Reservation (Link requires internet connection.) form found on the library webpage (Link requires internet connection.).
All degree program students except high-risk developmental students must take an orientation course, ACA 111 College Student Success, before graduating from WCC, preferably during their first or second semester at the college. Regular and timely instruction in this course provides students assistance and learning activities related to all aspects of the library. During Spring 2005, the ACA 111 course will be taught online, which has opened another opportunity for library services. The library staff has developed an online tutorial instructing students on how best to use informational resources available in the library and online. This tutorial will be placed online during Spring 2005 and is currently under review by WCC staff, with a planned student review.
To vary delivery methods, basic library instruction is provided to students in ACA 111 via two PowerPoint presentations prepared by the library staff. Additionally, the staff has worked with individual instructors in developing hands-on exercises to give the students experience in using the library. The universal library PowerPoint presentation is available for any instructor who wishes to use it for a different course without the aid of a librarian.
In addition to usage in classrooms, the PowerPoint presentation was used in the library with nineteen classes during 2003-2004. The library staff conducted fifteen presentations to classes in English, business, ACA 118 College Study Skills, education, English as a Second Language, math, and humanities. Two presentations were made to the local high school classes during 2003-2004.
The library also schedules and teaches sessions on basic library skills, the online catalog, Internet usage, and an introduction to the North Carolina Libraries for Virtual Education (NC LIVE) for any instructor who requests them. These information sessions cover the breadth and depth of the collection as needed on a case-by-case basis. Individual instruction to students and other patrons is available on request at the circulation desk as is reference help in locating and using resources. Distance education participants receive prompt reference responses to the online Ask a Librarian (Link requires internet connection.) service, as well as assistance over the telephone.
The library website offers regular and timely instruction by providing access to North Carolina Libraries for Virtual Education (NC LIVE) and the Community College Libraries in North Carolina (CCLNC) catalog, as well as access to a collection of research and reference links, interlibrary loan, and e-mail reference. The Web Links page (Link requires internet connection.) leads to a wide variety of online library resources available anywhere with Internet access. This resource is periodically reviewed and updated with input from instructors, students, and local patrons regarding their informational needs.
Each semester students taking the college orientation class, ACA 111, are given onsite tours of the Academic Skills Center (ASC), or an ASC staff member visits the ACA 111 class. The students are made aware of the types of help they can receive for understanding class content, note-taking, test-taking, and other services available to them through professional staff and peer tutors. Students are encouraged to study regularly in the ASC and to come for help early in the semester. During their orientation sessions, new instructors are also informed of the services and the proper procedures to refer students and to give make-up tests through the ASC.
The Educational Support Technologies department supports various online services such as Distance Education, WCC Cruiser/WebAdvisor, the college website, online library, online communication tools such as Live Support or Helpdesk, news releases, online calendars, and Blackboard course info.
During registration and other high usage times, the EST staff strives to have staff and student user support readily available for Blackboard course info, WCC's course management system, and the WCC Cruiser/WebAdvisor. Students can obtain assistance in a variety of ways: phone calls, online chats, emails, and walk-ins. The coordinator of Distance Education and EST support staff also presents two fifty-minute introductory sessions, which are open to all students, faculty, and staff. The sessions introduce Distance Education, Blackboard, and WCC Cruiser /Web Advisor. Additionally, the EST staff is available for both walk-in and scheduled one-on-one training to all WCC faculty staff and students.
Over the last three years, training and related professional development needs for WCC students, faculty, and staff have been met through various sessions covering distance education, Principles and Techniques of Online Instruction (PTOI), Blackboard Course info, online course development, Campus Cruiser, WebAdvisor, development of multimedia materials, base computer use, web page development, etc. EST staff accommodates the college demands by offering flexible training options, for both group and individual sessions, in the Faculty Resource Center, the classroom, or the faculty or staff member's office.
In sum, formal instruction is offered to all WCC students on the resources and services provided by the library, the Academic Skills Center and various educational support services. Initial training is provided in the college's orientation course, ACA 111, College Student Success. College Student Success is usually scheduled in the student's first semester of attendance and is a requirement for all degree-seeking students. Other training, as stated previously, is provided on an individual basis through a variety of options.
Based upon the overall satisfaction results from the 2000 – 2004 Student Satisfaction Surveys, the college concludes that training in the use of the resources and services provided by the library and other learning/information areas (ASC and Educational Support) has fulfilled WCC student needs.
