Faculty Library Information

Welcome to Methodist College and to the Methodist College Library. 

Overview

Methodist College Library serves the population of Methodist College including students, faculty, and staff. The library works to support the research and information needs of the college's students and employees.

What we do

• Collect, organize, store, retrieve and disseminate information related to the programs of Methodist College
• Guide library users to operate in the academic library environment
• Teach library users library information skills as defined by the Association of College and Research Libraries
• Lead workshops/programs/events to further promote information literacy skills.
• Deliver technical assistance especially with D2L, Examsoft and Unit 4.
• Provide study and collaboration space

Methodist College Library Mission Statement

The Methodist College Library is centered on providing learning and collection excellence to meet evolving needs of health science and human service professionals in a diverse world.

Space

The library has computer workstations, printer, copier, scanner, Wi-Fi, comfortable lounging areas, book, journal, and electronic resources. There are several study rooms and the entire library area is a "courtesy zone" meaning that library users should be courteous of others in the area and keep the noise level down.

Partnerships

The Methodist college library is a governing member of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries of Illinois (CARLI) and a member of Health Sciences Libraries of Illinois (HSLI).

Contact the library: https://library.methodistcol.edu/contact-us

Search the library's catalog here to view the print collection. The print collection contains books from all subjects and is designed to support the curriculum of Methodist College.

Stop by the library to read one of your favorite periodicals.  We have subscriptions to:

• Peoria Journal Star
• Wall Street Journal
• Time
• American Nurse Today
• Social Work Today
• About Campus (also available online with 12 mo. embargo)
• The Chronical of Higher Education (also available online)
• Legal Eagle Eye Newsletter for the Nursing Profession
• College English

If you know of an item the library should purchase, put in a request here.

Methodist College Library uses Ebsco Discovery Service as a unified index for the entire library collection.  With the Discovery tool, the entire collection can be searched in one search box (see search box above).

The library subscribes to over 30 databases providing the most-up-to date research from thousands of journals.

Individual titles can be searched using Publication Finder. 

eBooks are also available from several collections accessible here. Both nonfiction and fiction ebooks are available.

Library users can search for reserve items on the Course Reserves page here.

Items on reserve typically have a 2-hour checkout period and cannot leave campus. 

The library would like to have a copy of every textbook on reserve in the library.  Please request a copy for the library from the publisher.

Reserves can also be online.

Contact the library to have your reserve added to the Course Reserves web page.

The Methodist College Library participates in several interlibrary loan partnerships.  

Complete the form at https://library.methodistcol.edu/interlibrary-loan-request

Request your library instruction session here: http://library.methodistcol.edu/request-library-instruction-sessions

The library offers instruction sessions for any class at Methodist College, both online and in-person. Request your library instruction sessions here.

Sessions can include:

• Library overview
• Types of Sources
• Information Cycle
• Topic Selection
• Selecting Keywords
• Searching for resources
• Evaluating Information
• Using sources correctly and ethically

Other sessions can be developed to meet your class' needs. All sessions are customizable for the class's information needs. Worksheets can also be developed to assess student learning.

The preferred method of library instruction is to visit the class several times throughout the semester for short periods. For example three 20 minutes sessions instead of one 50 minute session. Instruction sessions are also best scheduled when the students are about to begin a research project. However, sessions can be scheduled at any time in the semester.

A collection of instruction tutorials is on the library's D2L site here: https://methodistcollege.brightspace.com/d2l/home/7519

Let the library know about your research assignments. Upload files here.

The library can create guides (like this one) to supplement your class.

Tutorials can also be made upon request. 

• Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education: http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework
• FrameworkRubrics: https://ohio.app.box.com/s/6ibteg78nrhrd4p9qg6re9vvk04jetko
• How Information Works: https://www.library.ohiou.edu/app/uploads/2016/03/how-information-works.pdf
• Community of Online Research Assignments: http://www.projectcora.org/
• MERLOT: https://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm

The library can help with designing or redesigning assignments to make them a better research assignment.

General tips:

• Assume little research knowledge
• Invite the librarian to come talk to your class about research (request instruction here)
• Be specific on what resources the students need to use but also be open to new resources.  For example don't say "no websites," instead, require reputable websites or make a statement that .gov websites are allowed.
• Scaffold the research into the class. Build parts of the research process through smaller assignments leading up to the larger research assignment.
• Check that the library has resources before assigning them.
• Encourage students to meet with a librarian for a one-on-one consultation.

Easily integrate library resources into your D2L site with Curriculum Builder.  With the Curriculum Builder tool you can create a reading list directly in your D2L class site. Watch this video tutorial on the steps to get your very own reading list.

If you would like further training on Curriculum Builder (there are lots of other great features), call, email or stop by the library. 

To better assist students with their research assignments, faculty can upload their assignment prompts here: https://library.methodistcol.edu/research-assignments

This helps with reference assistance and future collection development.

The Methodist College Library uses OpenAthens to authenticate off-campus students and employees to access the library's online resources.

When accessing a resource that requires authentification, a login screen will appear:

Use your Methodist College login. This is the same login you use for D2L.

If you are having trouble authenticating, see this trouble shooting guide.  library off campus access troubleshooting.pdf

If your problem persists, contact the library.

Study rooms are available inside the library and in the Learning Commons.  All study rooms need to be reserved through the online reservation system here.

• The library staff will manage the reservations of the study rooms. Reservations may be made in-person or by calling the library.
• Study rooms are to be reserved for groups only (2 or more people).
• Reservations can be made up to 7 days in advance.
• Groups may reserve a study room for up to 2 hours per day.
• When the reserved time is up the group must vacate the space and/or reserve additional time, if available.
• Reservations that are not claimed within fifteen minutes of the reservation time are subject to cancellation.
• If there is no reservation or a reservation is canceled, a “drop-in” study group is permitted to use the space after conferring with the library staff.
• The noise level should not interfere with the studies of other individuals in the area.
• Groups are responsible for the condition of the room.  It should be left in good condition.
• Study rooms are available for use to all Methodist College students and employees. Priority is given to students.
• Employee-only meetings cannot be held in study rooms.
• If these standards are broken, the users may be asked to leave the study room.

Coming soon

The Methodist College Library is pursuing an institutional repository.  More information to come.

Copyright is a deliberate monopoly established by law to secure financial incentives for creators to make new works. Under thecurrent U.S. copyright law (17 U.S. Code), any fixed work is copyrighted.  This includes published and unpublished works. Copyright is automatic, it does not require registration (though registration is recommended as it provides some legal benefits). Copyright is granted to the creator(s) (and descendants) for life plus 70 years.

The copyright owner has exclusive rights to:

• make copies

• distribute copies

• make derivative work

• publicly perform the work

• publicly display the work

• publicly perform by transmission (for audio works)

Copyrighted works can be used by gaining permission from the copyright owner or by one of the exemptions in the copyright law (§107-128). Use this five question Framework for Analyzing Any U.S. Copyright Problem to determine the use of a copyrighted work.

The person using reproduction equipment is responsible for any infringement.

Fair Use

Copyrighted works can be used under the Fair Use (17 U.S. Code § 107).  Fair use is the balancing of four factors:
1. purpose of the use (educational or commercial)
2. nature of the work (the more creative the more protected)
3. amount (using the "heart of the work")
4. effect on the market (decline in profits)

This is a balancing test and not one factor is dispositive. To decide if the material can be used under Fair Use, use this checklist for guidance.

Transformative Fair Use

The more transformative the purpose in using a copyrighted work the more likely the use will be covered under Fair Use. For example, parody is well protected.

Three questions to consider in transformative fair use:

1. Will the incorporation of copyrighted material into my new work help me make my new point?

2. Will the incorporation of copyrighted material help my readers/viewers get that point?

3. Have I used no more than necessary to make the point?

Classroom Use

Using copyrighted materials is not infringement if the "performance or display of a work by instructors or pupils in the course of face-to-face teaching activities of a nonprofit educational institution, in a classroom or similar place devoted to instruction, unless, in the case of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, the performance, or the display of individual images, is given by means of a copy that was not lawfully made under this title, and that the person responsible for the performance knew or had reason to believe was not lawfully mad" (17 U.S. Code § 110(1)).

TEACH Act

17 U.S. Code § 110(1) only applies to face-to-face teaching.  The TEACH Act,  or 
"Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization Act of 2002," amended the 17 U.S. Code § 110(2) to allow copyrighted materials to be used for online digital courses that have a closed group of registered students and the material shared is lawfully made. 

Use the TEACH Act Toolkit to comply.

DMCA

Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 created steeper penalties for creating unlawful copies of software and other technologies.  It also limited the liability of Internet Service Providers. DMCA increased copyright protection for images and other works on the Internet.

Creative Commons

Creative Commons is a copyright alternative that grants licenses for use of work. A creator can issue a Creative Commons license which prescribes how a work can be used without asking permission of the creator.  Creative Commons work is indicated with  "CC-BY" notification.

More information about the many types of CC licenses and search for CC works at creativecommons.org.

Public Domain

Copyright is not intended to last forever. Works in the public domain are not subject to copyright.  Public domain works have expired copyrights or the copyrights have been forfeited. 

Use this chart "Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States" to determine if a work is in the public domain.

Further Assistance

The Association of Research Libraries has published a Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Academic and Research Libraries.

Visit the U.S. Copyright Office at Copyright.gov

Contact the Director of Library Services at mclibrary@methodistcol.edu

The information found on this website is not legal advice.

The librarian is available for research consultations.  They can help you determine resources to search and keywords to use. If the schedule permits, the library may perform simple searches to assist.

Complete the interlibrary loan form here: https://library.methodistcol.edu/interlibrary-loan-request