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First-generation Graduate Students and Resources

Posted by & filed under Library Resources.

Written by: Valerie Cummins 

Today’s post is concerning first-generation university students in graduate school and goes into resources and opportunities that are available to them from the UNT Libraries. 

First-generation students experience new challenges upon entering university, and many universities, including UNT, recognize this, and attempt to provide resource centers that are meant for their needs. Even with resources, first-generation students tend to experience less on-campus participation, use fewer university services, and graduate at lower rates compared to their peers from families with parents that already possess a bachelor’s degree (Tobolowsky et al., 2017). Continuing higher education beyond a bachelor’s can be especially challenging with many first-generation students coming from families that often expect them to “continue to live at home and carry out family duties,” while in school and then enter the workforce after finishing their bachelor’s (Martinez, 2018, p. 5). 

Students coming from first-generation backgrounds frequently meet situations that are outside of what they are used to or expect, which can lead to a loss of opportunities and academic challenges (Smolarek, 2019). Many of these resources are not intended for graduate students, who find themselves dealing with greater differences in socialization and dealing with the “hidden curriculum” and differing expectations that become issues at the graduate school level (Collins & Jehangir, 2021, p. 61). Combined, these aspects impact graduate school entrances and these rates drop significantly for first-generation students from lower income backgrounds (Willison & Gibson, 2011). 

Person holding their head in their hands in front of a computer
Photo by Elisa Ventur on Unsplash 

While the UNT Libraries cannot stop those hurdles from existing, many of the resources it has for assisting graduate students can be especially useful for first-generation students, who may still be learning how to navigate academia and graduate school by offering connections to library staff, other peers, events, and resources that can help. 

The UNT Libraries are a regular host to many events, and one of those events is the Eagle Thesis & Dissertation Boot Camp, which is run by the Toulouse Graduate School. This boot camp is meant to provide graduate students with a place and ability to focus on their thesis or dissertation without any external distractions. For graduate students desiring a less intense writing group for working on it, as of Fall 2022 the library is excited to host a weekly writing group that is likely to continue in Spring 2023. 

One useful resource the libraries provide is a variety of workshops every semester; some are specifically directed towards graduate-level students, such as the workshops the libraries held in October 2022: “What the Libraries Can Do for You” and “Academic Integrity”. The Spark hosts technology workshops throughout the year not just the equipment they provide— such as their 3D printers and cameras— but software such as Photoshop and InDesign.  

A valuable resource offered by the libraries is the research services offered not just through Ask us, but the libraries’ Subject Librarians. As we develop as students and progress through our education, we increasingly find ourselves met by different roadblocks: time, how to find specific materials, the required knowledge for using library resources or pursuing scholarly writing and achieving communication at a deeper level. While many of these things are possible to learn on our own, our Subject Librarians are here to help with these issues, especially at the graduate student level. 

The Interlibrary Loan system (ILL) offers many ways to gain access to books and articles needed as graduate students, whether the resource is located at another library or in Denton while you are working on your program online or finishing your thesis elsewhere. While the UNT Libraries do not have access to everything you might need, ILL is able to request many of those resources for you. ILL can additionally provide digital copies of journal articles and book chapters the library physically possesses if you only require specific portions of a journal or book.  

Through our Distance Learning services, ILL is additionally able to ship materials out to students at no charge. This can be especially useful for us as graduate students if you are doing your program remotely but need a physical book the library has or are working on your thesis or dissertation.  

The libraries additionally offer research fellowships; these fellowships are meant for faculty, graduate students, and independent researchers and are intended to assist in research with a preference for research that will lead to publication. These fellowships are related to items found in Special Collections or as part of the Portal to Texas History. The knowledge that these options exist is important, even if the specific form it takes is not necessarily something applicable to you at the time. 

One last resource from the library is this blog; Scholar Speak is an academics-oriented blog written and run by graduate students with an intended audience of other graduate students. While this entry is only able to cover a portion of the resources available, Scholar Speak has entries dating back to Spring 2019 that explain Interlibrary Loan in detail, locate free textbooks, how to understand the Library of Congress Call Number system or utilize TexShare, along with plenty of other resources and information regarding the libraries. 

As first-generation students, it is easy to feel disconnected from campus, and as a result, fall through the cracks; we are less likely to seek aid or use campus resources in our undergraduate studies, and much of this follows us through to our years as graduate students. Even if we succeed independently, this can still result in us encountering things we are not prepared for or know how to handle, especially at the master’s or doctoral level and changes in expectations. Though these are things we can usually struggle through or self-teach, the most vital lesson for us at the graduate level is learning when and how to seek assistance from not just our current peers, but our future colleagues.  

Did this blog help you learn about the resources available to you as a graduate student? Let us know your comments! Please contact Ask Us if you have any questions about library services. 

References:  

Ames, A. (2021, October 20). Understanding the library of congress call number system. Scholar Speak. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://blogs.library.unt.edu/scholar-speak/2021/10/15/understanding-the-library-of-congress-call-number-system/  

Brents, M. (2021, January 25). 6 (legal) ways to find free textbooks. Scholar Speak. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://blogs.library.unt.edu/scholar-speak/2021/01/31/6-legal-ways-to-find-free-textbooks/  

Collins, K., & Jehangir, R. (2021). Mapping a new frontier: Graduate student socialization for first-generation students. The Good Society, 30(1-2), 48–70. https://doi.org/10.5325/goodsociety.30.1-2.0048   

Dahl, S. (2022, April 29). Using TexShare to the fullest. Scholar Speak. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://blogs.library.unt.edu/scholar-speak/2022/04/29/using-texshare-to-the-fullest/   

Foster, J. (2019, November 24). A library without walls:  harnessing the power of interlibrary loan. Scholar Speak. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://blogs.library.unt.edu/scholar-speak/2019/02/24/a-library-without-walls-harnessing-the-power-of-interlibrary-loan/   

Martinez, A. (2018). Pathways to the professoriate: The experiences of first-generation Latino undergraduate students at Hispanic serving institutions applying to doctoral programs. Education Sciences, 8(1), 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8010032   

Smolarek, B. B. (2019, October 9). The Hidden Challenges for Successful First-Generation Ph.D.s. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2019/10/09/first-generation-phd-student-describes-her-struggles-opinion 

Tobolowsky, B. F., Cox, B. E., & Chunoo, V. S. (2017). Bridging the cultural gap: Relationships between programmatic offerings and first-generation student benchmarks. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 22(2), 273–297. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025117742377  

Willison, S., & Gibson, E. (2011). Graduate School Learning Curves: Mcnair scholars’ postbaccalaureate transitions. Equity & Excellence in Education, 44(2), 153–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2011.558416  

UNT Division of Student Affairs. (n.d.). First-Generation Success Center. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://studentaffairs.unt.edu/first-generation-success-center 

The Case for Leisure Books in Academic Libraries

Posted by & filed under Library Resources.

Written By: Abby Stovall

Academic libraries, such as the UNT Library system, are renowned for their provision of access to millions of resources. The plethora of scholarly articles and other research materials serve to promote student success in the classroom and in their fields of study. However, maybe academic library collections are undeveloped in one clear area, leisure reading materials. Given the purpose that academic libraries serve, it might be odd to consider these institutions serving students in a way that’s not “scholarly.” Libraries at colleges and universities spend millions of dollars on their collections already, so why devote resources to recreational reading materials that students are not referencing in their research papers?  

Scholars have suggested that academic libraries can see different kinds of benefits upon the acquisition of a developed leisure book collection. Investment in these materials can serve as an asset to both university libraries and their patrons. Holistically, it is beneficial to academics, and it is popular. Some academic libraries, like the library of St. Francis Xavier University, have partnered up with local public libraries to test the success of incorporating leisure materials into their collection without cutting into the acquisition budget. This study subsequently revealed the popularity of these books, with the circulation rate of the leisure section tripling that of scholarly print materials (van den Hoogan & Fleuren-Hunter, 2017). In essence, these potential collection items are still useful among students even if they cannot be used as reference materials in research papers.

Close up of a bookshelf.
Close-Up of Books on Shelves by Suzy Hazelwood licensed under Pexels. 

In considering the patrons of academic libraries, college is a very stressful period for young people and finding positive methods of relaxation is key in ensuring academic and personal success. Academic libraries thus can serve students in a more holistic manner. Leisure reading, when promoted as a form of a study break within academic libraries, has been suggested to be a popular way to advertise to college students (Hurst et al., 2017). Students want to use these resources to relieve stress, and they ultimately reap the associated benefits. Literature surrounding reading behavior concludes that recreational reading has cognitive benefits (van den Hoogan & Fleuren-Hunter, 2017). As a result, the potential impact of this on the performance of college students should be considered. Some scholars suggest the direct correlation between higher recreational reading and higher grades at the collegiate level (Elche et al., 2019). Therefore, the common policy limiting acquisitions to only include materials serving academia could be expanded to include leisure reading materials. Given the potential benefits for college students, academic libraries should seize opportunities to acquire recreational reading resources.  

One suggested alternative for college students to access leisure reading materials is through interlibrary loan, instead of through their university library’s collection. Thus, some might anticipate that the addition of recreational books would reduce the amount of those requests through interlibrary loan. However, the acquisition of these materials in academic library collections should not undermine the services of interlibrary loan but should advance both the academic library and interlibrary loan. Requests made through interlibrary loan can further determine materials that are in demand among students and can then assist academic libraries in keeping their collections reflective of patrons’ current interests and needs. Consequently, the existence of interlibrary loan should not enable collections to remain underdeveloped. Especially when it comes to recreational reading materials, academic libraries can serve their students in more ways than through facilitating the research process and in traditionally academic manners. The addition of these resources would enable library services to be more well-rounded while still promoting academic success. 

Have you checked out UNT Library’s recreational reading materials? Let us know in the comments! Please contact AskUs if you have questions about UNT Library’s collections.

References:  

Elche, M., Sánchez-García, S., & Yubero, S. (2019). Reading, leisure and academic performance in university students of the socioeducational area. Educación XX1, 22(1), 215-237. https://doi.org/10.5944/educxx1.21548  

Hurst, S., Marsh, D., Brown, D., & Forbes, S. (2017). Cats, comics, and Knausgård: Promoting student reading at a U.K. academic library with a leisure reading collection. The New Review of Academic Librarianship, 23(4), 442-452. https://doi.org/10.1080/13614533.2017.1371612  

van den Hoogen, S., & Fleuren-Hunter, K. (2017). At your leisure pilot project: Providing leisure reading materials to a university community through an academic and public library initiative. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, 12(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.21083/partnership.v12i1.3919  

Recent Updates to Willis Library

Posted by & filed under Library Resources.

Written by Sierra Dahl

Willis Library has recently undergone some changes to make the library better equipped to serve students. These improvements include renovations to the building, modern furniture, new reservable spaces, and additional borrowable equipment and materials.  

New Reservable Spaces 

The first addition to Willis Library is study pods, reservable spaces designed for individual study or studying in pairs. These pods are soundproof, include furniture such as chairs and tables, and have electrical outlets. The pods are located on the lower, second, and fourth levels.  

These spaces are convenient for students who prefer more silence when studying. In addition to the pods, on the first floor, there are One Button Studio Spaces, three rooms designed to record video or audio. Pods and One Button Studio Spaces can be booked on the Space Reservations page and the spaces can be reserved for up to two hours each day by currently enrolled students.  

Photo of study pods located on the second floor of Willis Library
Pods located on the second floor of Willis Library Image by UNT Libraries 

New Accessibility Equipment and Materials  

There are new offerings of equipment and materials that can be checked out at the Willis Library Service Desk. This collection is called the Willis Library Services Desk Equipment Collection and can be browsed on the Willis Library Services Desk Equipment webpage (UNT Libraries, 2022c). The accessibility portion of this collection includes sensory items and other items that may be of particular interest to those with accommodation needs (UNT Libraries, 2022a). Specific items include C-Pen Readers, magnifiers, assistive listening devices, sensory items, and calculators. Items in this collection are available to any individual with an unblocked UNT Library account.  

Photo of LED page magnifier
LED Page Magnifier Image by UNT Libraries 

New Curriculum Equipment and Materials  

The curriculum portion of the Willis Library Services Desk Equipment Collection includes items that support learning and study (UNT Libraries, 2022b). Specific items in this collection include supply kits, calculators, language flashcards, an electronic translator, a desk light, and a book stand. 

Photo of Japanese Kanji flash cards
Japanese Kanji Flash Card Image by UNT Libraries

Digitization of General Course Reserves 

Course reserves are also being made accessible online to allow better availability to all students. Physical materials in general reserves, which are offered every semester, have been replaced whenever possible by online copies. This change helps to increase access to materials by no longer requiring students to come to Willis Library in person to borrow the course reserves they need. 

Space Renovations and New Furniture  

Additionally, there have been building updates such as bathroom renovations and the addition of modern furniture. This new furniture includes more individual study furniture and height-adjustable desks located on every floor. The desks can easily be converted from seated to standing desks by pressing the red lever located on each desk’s right side.  

Two photos of a height-adjustable desk in lowered and raised positions
Height-adjustable table in lowered and raised positions Image by Sierra Dahl 

Did this blog help you learn about the recent improvements to Willis Library? Let us know your comments! Please contact Ask Us if you have any questions about library services. 

References:

UNT Libraries. (2022, February 23). Accessibility Items. https://guides.library.unt.edu/c.php?g=1187058&p=8698146  

UNT Libraries. (2022, February 23). Curriculum Items. https://guides.library.unt.edu/c.php?g=1187058&p=8698166  

UNT Libraries. (2022, February 23). Overview. https://guides.library.unt.edu/c.php? 

g=1187058&p=8681983 

Libraries As Facilitators of Information Access

Posted by & filed under Library Resources.

Written By: Haley McGlynn

Libraries today provide a plethora of services to their communities and serve as a technological hub for patrons, offering a “multi-media experience,” with collections that include digital materials and physical technologies (Manness, 2006). With the prevalence of technology in the library, the term “Library 2.0” has been coined to encapsulate the social and intrapersonal nature of libraries today. The term comes from “Web 2.0”, which defines the modern web as a social facilitator with user-created content. 

According to Manness (2006), Library 2.0 has four essential elements: libraries are user-centered, provide a “multi-media experience,” are “socially rich,” and are “communally innovative”. The “user-centered” nature of Library 2.0 means that the focus of the library and the librarian is the patron.   

Shelf full of books
Old Books in Shelves by Roman Kraft licensed under Unsplash

Libraries are also “socially rich” — users can connect with other patrons and librarians via library websites and social media (Manness, 2006). For example, the Denton Public Library’s online catalog allows users to track what books or materials they use and create recommendation lists that can be shared with other users. 

Libraries are “communally innovative” — as communities change, library services adapt their services to be facilitators of these new resources, and in recent years, these resources have primarily been digital resources and educational services to train patrons on how to use them (Manness, 2006). Libraries today aim to provide accessible resources to all users and patrons despite income, background, education, etc. through diversity initiatives that focus on providing services to people or populations that have been previously underserved. The Spark is a great example of this initiative — the technology they have available to students, and the classes they host to educate students about that technology, is a bridge to accessible technological resources and equipment for students. 

However, some of the high-level services and information available to library users within libraries isn’t accessible to all people, including the “information poor” subclass, as described by Jain and Saraf (2013, p. 51) and Cancro (2016, p. 59), due to a discrepancy in the levels of library knowledge among patrons. 

Despite the plethora of digital resources available to library patrons, groups of higher socioeconomic status are able to access these resources faster and easier, creating the “information-rich”, and on the opposite end of the spectrum lies the “information-poor” who cannot afford access to those resources or are not knowledgeable of how to access them (Cancro, 2016, p. 59). Many library patrons, especially students at UNT, solely use the library for these digital resources, computers, or printers. Libraries, particularly public and academic libraries, often exist as “access points” for these technologies, but patrons might lack sufficient training to utilize those resources (Cancro, 2016, p. 59). 

Librarians and other information professionals, especially public librarians, carry the responsibility of being both the facilitator and educator on technology in the library. Librarians act as the middleman between the information and the user, or the technology and the user, and it is the library’s job to facilitate that access to information by “recruiting people from a variety of backgrounds to the profession; implementing a hiring process that will be most likely to result in the appointment of diverse librarians; and finally, committing to retaining a diverse team of employees once they are hired” (Cruz, 2019, p. 229). In addition to introducing and following through with diversity initiatives, librarians must make the effort to get ahead of needs changes and have the willingness to adapt (Hirsh, 2016). 

With the abundance of information that is available to us and our patrons, access to that information should be a right. Librarians exist to be the middleman between the information searcher and the information, easing access to that information by knowing where and how to find it, and by “bridging information access gaps” (Jain & Saraf, 2013, p. 51). The “free flow of information can reduce the digital divide/information divide among the citizens,” and libraries and librarians have the power to close that divide (Jain & Saraf, 2013, p. 47). 

Did this blog help you learn about libraries as facilitators of information access? Let us know your comments! Please contact Ask Us if you have any questions about library services. 

References:  

Cancro, P. (2016). The dark(ish) side of digitization: Information equity and the digital divide. The Serials Librarian, 71(1), 57-62. https://doi.org/10.1080/0361526X.2016.1157424 

Cruz, A. M. (2019). Intentional integration of diversity ideals in academic libraries: A literature review. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 45(3), 220–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2019.02.011  

Jain, V., & Saraf, S. (2013). Empowering the poor with right to information and library services. Library Review, 62(1), 47-52. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242531311328159 

Maness, J. M. (2006). Library 2.0 theory: Web 2.0 and its implications for libraries. Webology, 3(2). 

Suggested reading: 

Hapel, R. (2012). The Library as a Place. Public Library Quarterly, 31(1), 48-55.  https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2012.654737 

Oliphant, T. (2014). “I’m a library hugger!”: Public libraries as valued community assets. Public Library Quarterly, 33(4), 348-361. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2012.654737 

UNT Digital Libraries: CyberCemetery

Posted by & filed under Library Resources.

Written by: Alexis Thomas

Welcome to the Fall 2022 semester! We hope you are having a great semester so far and are excited to welcome you back with a look into UNT’s Digital Libraries. Today, I will provide a brief introduction on what UNT’s Digital Library’s CyberCemetery has to offer.

Since we’re now in the spooky season, one may assume it refers to something quite scary. Luckily, it is not spooky at all, but it is a very useful tool to take a peek back in time. The CyberCemetery is a depository, for now, of defunct government agency websites that are managed by the UNT Libraries that can be accessed by current UNT students, faculty, and staff as well as non-UNT affiliate guests.

A foggy dark graveyard at night
I Am Become by Scott Rodgerson licensed under Unsplash.

In 2006, working in tandem with the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), UNT Libraries added our first site, the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR). Today, we have over 120 defunct agency sites available to view. Each record comes with a description of the agency, the creation date, publication, and more. Not only do you get a description for the site, but if you click on the image associated with the agency, you will be directed to snapshots of the agency’s website. An exact date and time of the site’s decommissioning is indicated at the top of the page. This process bares resemblance to taking a screenshot on your phone, the difference is that any tabs, links, PDF reports, etc. are still available for you to interact with, almost as if the site is still up and running.

Now that we have a brief overview of the CyberCemetery, why do we need it? This is a digital archive, and just like any other archive, library, or other information institution. These organizations may no longer be around but that does not mean that the work they contributed should be counted as obsolete. CyberCemetery is a resource available for you to aid you in your research, whether you need to find data/stats, reports, or memos. Considering this is a collection strictly for former United States government agency sites, it may seem beneficial for students taking courses in political science and international relations. With sites for the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, students from the sciences and social sciences can also learn a lot about the progression of these fields.

For those who want to use the CyberCemetery for their scholarly writing, here’s a quick tip. Like many of our library databases, we have a tool that will help you cite the webpage. Simply scroll down to the bottom of the page until you see “Citing This Site” or use the “Citing This Site” tab located on the left side of the page.

Have you visited the CyberCemtery yet? Let us know your thoughts on this collection! If you have any questions on how to use the CyberCemetery collection or would like to know more about what is available to you, please don’t hesitate to reach out via Ask Us.

Using TexShare to the Fullest

Posted by & filed under Research Help.

Written by Sierra Dahl 

The UNT Libraries holds over three million items, however, there is always a chance the book you need is not available. Although the interlibrary loan service or purchase request can be used to obtain a copy of the book you need, there is also another program that can be used to get you access to a copy. The TexShare Program is a statewide library initiative that allows card-holding library patrons the ability to check out materials from more than a thousand other libraries in Texas. All that is needed to be granted access to other libraries’ collections is to be issued a TexShare card from a participating library such as the University of North Texas. 

Using the TexShare Program can be beneficial for many college students and researchers. For instance, if an academic library close to you, such as Texas Women’s University in Denton, Texas, has a collection of books or a specific material you need, it is possible to be issued a library card from that library after showing your TexShare card. By doing this, you typically gain access to most of the library’s materials. This program is also beneficial for distance learners since checking out books from a nearby academic library may be preferable to receiving the books through UNT’s distance learning delivery service.  

TexShare cards can also be especially helpful for finding books to read for recreation or fun programs offered by public libraries. It is worth noting that it is rare for libraries in this program to offer online services and resources such as e-books and streaming videos to TexShare cardholders. 

My Experience Using TexShare: 

I was issued a TexShare card from the UNT Libraries and have used the card twice to get library cards from public libraries. I was able to get an account with the Austin Public Library and gained access to the millions of items available at over a dozen of their locations. By having a TexShare card, I was able to check out a variety of items and enjoy their many programs. I avoided having to pay Austin Public Library’s $120 annual fee for getting a non-resident library card by presenting my TexShare card. Additionally, I received a Georgetown Public Library card and have enjoyed having access to their collections. 

Image of library cards from various libraries
Image by Sierra Dahl 

To apply for a TexShare card from the UNT Libraries, you can visit any of the UNT Libraries’ service desks excluding the Media Library, and bring your student ID. After filling out a brief form and showing your UNT ID card, you will be issued a TexShare card that will expire at the end of the current semester it was issued in. For instance, a TexShare card issued in January 2022 will expire in May 2022. Additionally, distance learners can apply for a card online by emailing Access Services and receiving the card through the mail. To learn more about the TexShare program and search for a list of the participating libraries, please visit https://www.tsl.texas.gov/texshare/card. If you have questions about TexShare, contact Access Services at circ@unt.edu or (940) 565-2413. 
 

Did this blog help you learn about using TexShare? Let us know your comments! Please contact Ask Us if you have any questions about library services. 

References:  

UNT Library. (n.d.). University Libraries. Distance learning services. https://library.unt.edu/services/distance-learning/  

UNT Library. (n.d.). University Libraries. TexShare cards. https://library.unt.edu/services/texshare-cards/ 

Databases Deep Dive:

Posted by & filed under Research Help.

Posted March 28th, 2022 by Justin & filed under Research Help.

Written by Omika Mishra

Searching for relevant databases for your field of research can be difficult but once you reach those databases, your research can be a breeze. A library database is a searchable electronic index of credible resources that have been published. Access to a multitude of relevant research resources from academic publications, newspapers, and periodicals is available through databases. E-books, pertinent Web resources, and diverse multimedia are all included in certain databases. The UNT library alone has access to close to 600 databases. 

Why use library database? 

Information in a database has been tagged with various types of data, allowing for far more effective and efficient searching. You can search by author, title, keyword, topic, publication date, source type (magazine, newspaper, etc.), and many other criteria. Database information has been examined in some way, ranging from a rigorous peer-review publishing procedure to a popular magazine editor deciding whether or not to publish an item. Databases must be purchased, and the majority of the material is not freely available on the internet. As new information becomes available, the databases are updated on a regular basis. Database provides Information about citations. It includes the data you’ll need to correctly cite your sources and compile your bibliography. This information may or may not be included in the information you obtain via Google. 

Here are a few steps on how to find databases using the UNT Library homepage: 

  1. Visit the website https://library.unt.edu/​.  
  1. Once on UNT library home page,  locate the blue box with options including “Search it all”, “Online articles”, “Books & more” and many more. 
  1. Proceed to type in database name in “search it all” or go to “Database” to find more options. 
  1. There are two search box “Find a Database” provides a list of databases present in the library and in the second box “Browse subject” will present a list of subjects to choose from like Accounting, Advertising and many more.  
  1. Here at the top, you can type in the name of the database you are looking for and in the second blank space you search for databases based on subject such as “Public Administration” 
  1. Once a selection is made, the website will populate information like the number of databases, name of databases, subject librarian related to this subject. Subject Librarian supports student in research on a specific subject. 

You will find fields like: 

 “All subject” this is where you search for all the databases based on the subjects you choose like “Public Administration”.  

“All Database Type” Here you will find what kind of databases are available like Bibliography, data set, E-books, E-journals, newspaper, Online video and many more. 

“All Vendors/Provider” Here you will find list of providers like EBSCO, Thomas Reuters – Financial, Cornell Library and many more. 

References (APA format): 

UNT Library. University Libraries. https://library.unt.edu/ 

CQ Press. (n.d.). http://library.cqpress.com/index.php  

Berkeley College. (n.d.). https://chat.library.berkeleycollege.edu/faq/89790  

Introduction to Library Research. https://libguides.regiscollege.edu/researchintro/whydatabase. (n.d.).

Tutoring Services at Willis Library

Posted by & filed under Research Help.

Written by Manvitha Doma 

Graduate and undergraduate students can take advantage of free tutoring services at the Willis Library. Both the UNT Writing Center and Learning Center have teamed up with Willis Library to provide as much assistance to students as possible with the purpose of assisting students in achieving their academic and professional goals. 

UNT Writing Center
Photograph of tutors working with students in the UNT Writing Center on campus from UNT Digital Library 

Writing Center: 

During my time as a Graduate Services Assistant, I often send students to the writing center for assistance with references and citations after I have assisted them. Common issues like grammar, punctuation, citation styles, personal statements and more can all be addressed by our Writing Center’s qualified tutors. Appointments can be made in person or online, depending on your preference. We also have graduate tutors that specifically assist students pursuing master’s degrees and Ph.D.’s with their academic writing. With their help, you will learn skills to improve your writing ability. In order to get the most out of your tutoring session, it is important to let them know what you hope to accomplish during your time together. 

Is there anything you need help with, but you cannot make it to the Writing Lab? You should not be concerned, as they provide both in-person and online appointment options. Zoom video conference software is used for online tutoring sessions. If both parties have Internet access, students and tutors can mark up and share papers while conversing in real time. Students can discuss research papers and ask questions from the comfort of their own homes or any other location with a reliable internet connection thanks to these online offerings. Tutoring sessions for undergraduate and graduate students are one hour long. In many cases, it is best for students to go as early as possible in the writing process. Tutors can assist writers better comprehend the project, clarify their thoughts more clearly, and establish an outline before they begin writing. However, it is important to realize that it is impossible to become a great writer in one session. While it is nice to see a draft improve right away, the actual growth for a writer comes with practice.  

If you are unsure about your writing skills, the Writing Center is a valuable resource that you should take advantage of, though writers of all skill levels can benefit from early and frequent feedback from a skilled peer tutor. However, there are several ways a tutor can assist you in drafting a paper, from getting someone started to helping them revise an existing essay. When you meet with a tutor, you will be able to work on your ideas, get them in order, and improve your writing. 

Learning Center: 

Do you have a tough time determining whether your approach to a subject is correct? The Learning Center can assist you with understanding assignments correctly, providing alternative approaches, and can also help in clarifying concepts. To increase accessibility, tutoring is not strictly in-person, with the option of using Zoom for one-on-one tutoring. Drop-in tutoring is available, but students must make an appointment with a lead tutor for each course they need help with. Utilizing their services for either a quick question or using the full two hours are both welcome. If a student only has a quick question and does not require a full session, they can use the Ask-A-Tutor service. 

Learning centers have a tutortube where students can find instructional videos on a wide range of topics, including math and science as well as arts and the humanities. Only the lead tutor for a specific course is needed to schedule an appointment with a graduate student. More services can be found on their website, so be sure to look if you are interested. 

My Experience with the Learning Center: 

Last semester, I had a tough time completing a class assignment that involved statistics for a rigorous 8-week course. I had to spend a lot of time on assignments that were difficult to understand, and I was under a lot of stress. While doing these assignments, I reached an answer, but I was unsure if it was correct. To my relief, my friend informed me of the services available at the Learning Center. After a few sessions with tutors, I was able to complete my assignments without further assistance. 

For more information on tutoring services, you can visit https://library.unt.edu/services/tutoring/.  Did this blog help you learn about the tutoring services available at Willis library? Let us know your comments! Please contact Ask Us if you have any questions about library services.  

References (APA format):  

Tutoring Services | Learning Center. (n.d.). Learningcenter.unt.edu. https://learningcenter.unt.edu/tutoring 

UNT Writing Center. (n.d.). Writingcenter.unt.edu.  

Tags: Willis Library Services, Tutoring Services, Learning Center, Writing Center 

https://writingcenter.unt.edu/

Valuing Community Patrons

Posted by & filed under Research Help.

Written by Justin Hall

Woman in Pink Sweater Holding Gray Laptop
Woman in Pink Sweater Holding Gray Laptop by Antoni Shkraba licensed under Pexels

Valuing Community Patrons  

As an academic institution, UNT Libraries provide information resources and services to UNT students, staff, and faculty on a daily basis. However, UNT Libraries are not just open to UNT affiliates, but also community patrons not directly affiliated with UNT. Although community members make up a smaller portion of the patrons that frequent the library, they are just as valuable as UNT affiliated patrons and have access to many of the same resources that UNT affiliates enjoy. With that in mind, UNT Libraries strive to best serve community patrons by understanding their varied information needs. It is critical that library staff adhere to the same high standards of service when assisting the greater community rather than focusing on a smaller group. Community patrons are just as essential to the continued function and success of the library and should be treated as such.  
 
Why UNT Libraries Serve Community Patrons  
While community patrons rarely support libraries directly, they are still fundamental in terms of academic library mission success. The goal of all libraries, academic or not, is to provide the community with information resources they would otherwise not be able to easily access. In most cases, public libraries are the institutions for providing this service to the community. This is because, unlike academic libraries, public libraries receive their funding directly from community taxes. “Educational institutions, and specifically libraries, understand the necessity of positive relations with their various publics as insurance for the continued financial and emotional support that will lead to their ongoing growth and success” (Marshall, 2001, p.116). 
 
However, since academic libraries often have specialized resources that are unavailable in public libraries, they can satisfy community needs that would otherwise go unfulfilled. This is one of the main reasons why it is important for institutions like the UNT library to be open and accessible to the general public. Additionally, by supporting the community in unique ways academic libraries are able to build stronger ties to the community thereby making the services they provide all the more valuable and essential. “Librarians at private institutions, however, often see service to unaffiliated users not as a requirement but as a means to maintain good public relations in their communities.” (Courtney, 2003, p.3) 
 
Understanding the Needs and Privileges of Community Patrons 

Most people who come to the library do so with a purpose in mind. Whether that purpose is internet access, recreational reading, or research, anyone who walks into the library should be considered a patron. UNT Libraries are aware that unaffiliated community patrons have different needs when compared to UNT affiliated patrons which has led to tailored services that are both beneficial and responsive to those needs. 

 For example, all community members have access to the library’s guest computers. By utilizing the guest computers located in the Willis, Sycamore, and Discovery Park branches, any patron can access the full catalog offered by UNT Libraries and all of the digital information resources stored within it. In addition, community members can use the library catalog to search for physical books located in the library. Any community patron can browse the books available in the general collection as long as the books stay within the library. UNT Libraries also offer community members off-site services such as checking out books or placing online holds. These services are available to any patrons with a courtesy card. In order to be eligible for a courtesy card, a community patron must fall under certain criteria such as being a be a Denton resident, UNT alumni member, or enrolled in the TexShare program.  

For more information about the services and resources available to community members checkout the link here.  

Did this blog help you to understand the importance of serving community patrons? Let us know your comments! Please contact Ask Us if you have any questions about library services. 

References:  
 
Courtney, N. (2003). Unaffiliated users’ access to academic libraries: A survey. The Journal of 
 
Academic Librarianship, 29(1), 3-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0099-1333(02)00387-7 

Marshall, N. J. (2001). Public relations in academic libraries: A descriptive analysis. The   Journal of Academic Librarianship, 27(2), 116-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0099-1333(00)00183-X 

The Ethical Library

Posted by & filed under Research Help.

By Alexander Ames 

A stack of books taken bt Alexander Ames
Photo taken by Alexander Ames 

When a patron of any library uses its services, there is an expectation of privacy on the part of the user. Otherwise, it would be extremely uncomfortable for them to get information on subjects that might even just be seen as touchy, and with a shifting social landscape, that might cover most topics. For example, the book Steal This Book , held at the Willis Library, has been set as a reserve and can be found behind the service desk. This has reduced the circulation of the book as patrons may be wary of telling a government-funded library that they are interested in reading a book that has themes of anarchy, while the real reason that it can be found behind the service desk is because the library was afraid that the book would be stolen if left on the general collection shelves.  

To ensure the patron’s right to information, most libraries in the U.S. follow the Code of Ethics (Professional Ethics, 2021) and Library Bill of Rights (Library Bill of Rights, 2019) created by the American Library Association (ALA), either officially or unofficially. This Code of Ethics is taught to future librarians working towards their master’s degree in Library Science in ALA accredited programs. This is done to ensure equitable access to information via the librarian’s experience in an attempt to standardize library ethics rather than leaving ethical issues up to the individual library that might not have an ethical framework to work from. This code of ethics is meant to “…ensure the free flow of information and ideas to present and future generations” (Professional Ethics, 2021) while keeping each librarian as unbiased as possible. In the example with Steal This Book, this would mean that it is the library’s duty to see to the free flow of information held in the book, which is currently hampered by misconceptions that the book is held behind the desk to collect data on those who would ask for it. 

As a few examples of a library with an ethics statement, the Cooke County Library uses a PDF of the ALA Code of Ethics and Library Bill of Rights along with detailed interpretations of the latter (Cooke county library, 2011), and the Red Oak Library specifically cites the same Code of Ethics in their own patron privacy statement (Privacy and confidentiality, n.d.). A plainly stated code of ethics isn’t limited to public libraries, however. On the academic library front, Georgia Tech has a privacy policy which states exactly who has access to circulation records (Privacy Policy, n.d.), and Cornell specifically states that they protect patron privacy which “…includes library patron’s right to read anonymously.” (Privacy and confidentiality in the Cornell, n.d.) 

However, libraries do not always clearly give their policies on patron privacy, which leads to patrons not knowing what rights they have or what information will be given away by the library they visit. Rather than this lack of availability being due to the libraries having no Code of Ethics, it may be due to institutions being wary of adopting a Code of Ethics created outside of their specific needs. As the ALA Code of Ethics is meant to be broad guidelines rather than specific rules to follow and is meant to be more like a set of ethical guidelines than specific rules, it should be applicable to most, if not all, situations.  

UNT Libraries, as an example of a library without a patron privacy statement, is both part of an ALA Accredited University, meaning that the University’s Library Science program has been approved to ALA standards, and is an institutional member of the ALA and, by extension, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), upholding their ethical standards by association. However connected an institution might be to ethical bodies, if this is not made clear to patrons, the library starts seeing issues like the one mentioned before with Steal This Book , where a lack of clarity on ethical standards and policies on patron privacy cause distrust between patron and institution.  

The core purpose of a service in the field of information services, especially an academic library, is the proliferation of information, and the lack of a patron privacy statement runs counter to that purpose. The issue here is one of transparency to the patron, as the only way that the library can guarantee equitable access to information is if the patron knows that, barring a subpoena, the books that they check out will only be known to them and the library. No matter how embarrassing or socially charged a book checked out from the library might seem to be, libraries are a place free of judgement, and a place patron privacy is protected: they simply need to make that fact clearer to their patrons.  

References:  

Cooke county library policy appendices. (2011).  Cooke County Library. https://cookecountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2014/08/POLICY_APPENCIES.pdf 

Library bill of rights. (2019). American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill 

Privacy and confidentiality in the Cornell university library. (n.d.) Cornell University Library. https://www.library.cornell.edu/privacy 

Privacy and confidentiality of patron records.  (n.d.) redoaktx.org. https://www.redoaktx.org/427/Privacy-and-Confidentiality-of-Records 

Privacy policy. (n.d.). Georgia Tech Library. https://library.gatech.edu/privacy-policy 

Professional ethics. (2021). American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/tools/ethics 

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