LIBRARY AMBASSADORS AVAILABLE FOR ONLINE HELP
by Lydia Gwyn
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Tired of assigning research papers only to see a reference list full of unreliable web sources? Send your students to see our library ambassadors. Library ambassadors are trained undergraduates who work for the library providing research help to their peers. Think of ambassadors as research tutors, who can help your students navigate the library’s databases and resources to find quality, credible information for their research papers and projects. This academic year all ambassadors are deployed online in open Zoom rooms. Students needing research help can visit the library ambassador webpage (https://libraries.etsu.edu/use/libraryambassadors) and click on the links to drop into a virtual help session.
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FEATURED RESOURCE - FILMS ON DEMAND
by Jennifer Young
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Did you know that you have access to over 43,000 educational videos and over 320,000 video clips in our Films on Demand collection? They’re perfect for reinforcing in-class lectures or introducing new topics. Films on Demand provides the ability to create custom segments and playlists that can be embedded in your D2L course site. You can even add a personalized video introduction to the playlist to provide an overview or give context. The collection can be accessed at https://libs.etsu.edu/links/fod.html. Happy streaming!
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Book Review
by Rebecca Tolley
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Sarah McBride's Tomorrow will be different: Love, loss, and the fight for trans equality (2018) was just added to our Silver's collection of popular reading titles. Sarah's memoir is a twenty-first century coming of age and coming out story that covers all the bases. Near her last day as student body president at George Washington University, McBride came out to her university, family, and friends as transgender. The book shares her hopes, dreams, and fears as she makes herself vulnerable on many levels. From her experiences as a White House intern to the first openly trans person to speak at the Democratic National Convention, McBride provides an inside view of politics, lobbying, and what a life of advocacy looks like. She takes readers behind the scenes of her work for the Human Rights Campaign and her tireless efforts for trans equality in her home state of Delaware and more broadly across the USA. She joined the Delaware State Senate in January 2021 and serves as a role model for transgender youth and Millennials.
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SPRING WORKSHOPS
by Sara Maeve Whisnant
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Each semester Sherrod Library hosts the Library 101: “How to" Beginner Workshop Series. This semester we are expanding our offerings to include: Back to Basics: How to Navigate the Library Website, How to Navigate Citation Styles & Citation Management: Endnote and Mendeley, How to Begin Legal Research, and Ask the Librarians! Each of these workshops are offered online via Zoom.
The coordinator for this workshop series, RIS Librarian, Evan Schmoll, works with other librarians and staff to determine the offerings for each semester, organizes promotional materials, and connects attendees with the instructors. The series is designed to take you through each stage of the research process from navigating the library website and topic choice to writing your final paper. We wanted a way for students to collaborate with others and meet librarians who can offer research help. We found that when students attended the workshops, they often return to the library seeking answers to more subject specific questions. We receive feedback from attendees for each workshop session and are always working to improve or include new items which may be helpful to our researchers.
The Library 101 Series is offered every Wednesday beginning January 27 and ending March 24 at 12:00pm via Zoom. To register, please click here. For questions or more information, please contact Evan Schmoll at schmoll@etsu.edu.
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SHERROD LIBRARY SAVES STUDENTS OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS WITH OPEN AND AFFORDABLE COURSE MATERIALS
by Ashley Sergiadis
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East Tennessee State University suggests students should budget $1,350 a year for books for books. Sherrod Library is working hard to combat this number by helping faculty replace costly textbooks with free or low-cost course materials through two initiatives: Open and Affordable Course Materials Awards Program and Electronic Textbook Reserve.
Open and Affordable Course Materials Awards Program (previously Open Educational Resources Awards Program) began when the Sherrod Library’s Student Advisory Council decided to use the Student Library Fee to promote the use of Open and Affordable materials. During the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 academic years, Sherrod Library joined forces with the Center for Teaching Excellence to pilot an awards program that offered monetary incentive for faculty to use, customize, and create Open and Affordable materials. We estimate that the two-year pilot awards program will save students $275,000 the first time these materials are used in ETSU courses. The pilot program also produced great course materials by ETSU Faculty, all openly licensed for other educators to adopt and adapt for their needs.
We have been able to grow our awards program in its third year after receiving a $100,000 grant through the Tennessee Board of Regents. The grant is a collaborative effort among several units on campus to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion at ETSU by implementing Open and Affordable materials in courses with a high number of underrepresented students.
With Electronic Textbook Reserve, students can access their textbooks through library collections. Each semester, Sherrod Library identifies required textbooks that are either already available in our collections or could be purchased. Using funds from an ETSU Instructional Design Grant and Student Library Fee, we purchase those e-textbooks with unlimited licenses, meaning all students can access the e-textbook at the same time. Faculty are then provided a link to the e-textbook to include in their D2L course. During the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, Electronic Textbook Reserve saved students $250,000.
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SHERROD TECHNOLOGY LENDING
by Jonathan Wilson
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When all classes moved online in mid-March 2020, students' unmet needs for fast, reliable Internet service and adequate devices for participating in online classes quickly surfaced. Information Technology Services (ITS), Sherrod Library, and Student Life and Enrollment teamed up to lend the small supply of laptops available to students who needed them, but there were no mobile hotspots available. Getting more laptops and hotspots into the hands of students who needed them became the team's focus.
The group, expanded to include the Medical Library, submitted an application for an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) CARES Act Grant in June, 2020 to acquire 200 laptops and 200 hotspots for students and to provide "personal librarian" services, connecting these students with the range of university support services available. While the grant was not successful, ETSU self-funded the project. In early fall, ITS purchased 200 laptops and hotspots, supported in a large part with federal CARES Act funds earmarked to assist students with their online learning.
Adam Greever, ITS Help Desk Manager, developed the request routing system and orchestrates ITS acquisition, configuration, delivery, and support for the laptops and hotspots.
Dr. Michelle Byrd, Dean of Students, shares information about the program with advisors, faculty, and students and reviews and approves requests, sending them to Sherrod for fulfillment.
Jeri Paddock, Sherrod Library's Ask Us Services manager, handles equipment borrowing and lending (including shipping to distance students), correspondence with the students, and connecting them with their Personal Librarian (PL), Jonathan Wilson.
Jonathan Wilson, Sherrod Library’s Distance/Online Service Coordinator, contacts the students throughout the semester, providing library instruction and assistance with academic research. He also provides assistance with equipment issues and inquiries about student services, information technology, and academic support.
David Atkins, Dean of Sherrod Library, led the way with the IMLS CARES Act Grant application and advocating for university financial support; Dr. Michelle Byrd, Adam Greever, Dr. Trena Paulus, Celia Szarejko, Rachel Walden, and Jonathan Wilson.
During Fall 2020, 138 students received laptops and/or hotspots and help from their PL. The best result is that it made a difference in many students’ lives by having secure internet and a computer that allowed them to access the programs and classes needed for their academic career. According to comments from the participating students, “Better internet access-faster, more stable, saved money, saved time, less stress.” “Saved time having a very good and fast laptop computer to complete my numerous assignments and end-of-term projects was such a huge help that aided my fall term success.”
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SHERROD LIBRARY VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB
by Evan Schmoll
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Sherrod Library is excited to host its first ever virtual book club. With grant money from Student Activities, the Library purchased 40 copies of the book The Other Americans by Laila Lalami to offer to the first 40 student registrants. There will be two discussion meetings via Zoom: one on February 22 and one on April 5. If you are interested in participating, please email Evan Schmoll at schmoll@etsu.edu for more information.
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