WR 121 Erwert - education: Contact a librarian

One of the requirements for this course is a consultation with a librarian!  We hope that this will be a very fun and productive part of your assignment.

When should you schedule the conference? Some steps in the process of your assignment:

• Refining your topic:  a librarian can help you brainstorm the scope of your topic for a college essay, and suggest strategies for beginning your research.
• Finding sources: a librarian can suggest search strategies for researching your topic on the web, and let you know about some excellent sources for college assignments available through the library website that won't be found on the open web.
• Finding specific statistics or facts:  if you are searching for specific data to help make your case and you are striking out, perhaps a librarian can help.  A rule of thumb:  if you can't find what you are looking for after 10 minutes, it's time to contact the library. 
• Evaluating sources:  a librarian can provide insights on the credibility of sources, which you are required to write about in your annotated bibliography.
• Presentation formats:  librarians have experience with a wide range of technologies for presenting information.
• Citations:  librarians answer LOTS of questions about citing different types of information in different citation styles.

You can work with a librarian multiple times for extra credit!

Which librarian or library service should you use? Some options:

Research help appointments, a 30 minute online or on campus session

• Schedule a research help appointment with a PCC librarian
  • Online appointments available Monday - Thursday 9 a.m to 7 p.m.,; Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4: p.m.
  • On campus appointments available Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on all four campuses
• Schedule a research help appointment with Roberta, your class librarian
  • Online Monday afternoons 
  • In-person Wednesdays and Thursday at the Southeast Campus Library
  • Online Thursday 3:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Chat with a librarian

• Chat with a PCC librarian during library hours
• Chat with an after hours librarian 24/7 (PCC chat rolls over to this service after hours.  You may be chatting with a librarian from Great Britain and Australia!)

Email a librarian

• Email a PCC librarian directly at refer@pcc.edu
• Email Roberta, your class librarian, from the classlist or directly at rrichard@pcc.edu

Post to the Ask a Librarian discussion forum

• Post a question to the forum at the bottom of the class Discussion page, and your class librarian and fellow classmates can reply.

Visit a librarian on campus at the Research Help desk.

How should I prepare for the consultation?

No preparation is necessary, but the session will be most productive if you come with specific questions.  When you schedule an appointment, you will be asked what you would like to work on.  Giving a librarian advanced notice about your questions will help her or him to be prepared for the session.