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April 2, 2003
Dear Colleagues:
your syllabus + Google = ??? What's missing from this equation?
Not what you think. Look again to the left of the "equal" sign: what's missing is the additional reference materials you want your students to consult-materials they can find through the Brandeis Libraries. It might be current articles, archival materials, electronic databases, relevant web sources, or even advanced search techniques and in all cases the librarians can help you make them accessible to your students.
Your library - OUR library - can round out the research side of your syllabus. All you need to do is designate your course Library Intensive. Our librarians can work with you to plan useful library exercises, and they are prepared to spend between one and three class sessions working with your students. And the reference librarians are generally on hand to follow up as students practice what they've learned.
By showing students how to use reference sources you are helping them discover alternatives to their favorite search engine (also my favorite, I must admit). It doesn't take that much to double or triple their current repertoire of information sources, and they may learn to be more critical of what they find in their own web searches.
In my field of legal studies, reference materials on laws and regulations are essential tools for students writing research papers. Many of these sources are now available on websites, but students must first learn how to evaluate web materials-along with where to find the best information. In your field, whatever it is, I'm sure there are sources and methods that are equally vital. Why not show students exactly how it is done? Set up one or two in-class sessions: perhaps something that begins with websites and moves to other modes of reference. That's one simple formula for making your course Library Intensive, and it could contribute more than you think to educating your students.
So the solution to the above equation is really up to you. The more you build into the left-hand side of the equation, the richer the results will be for you and your students.
You can sign up on the registration sheet, which is due by April 18th. If you would like to learn more about the program or hear reports from previous faculty participants, please come to the Faculty/Librarian lunch on May 7th at 12:00 in Levine-Ross 1 and 2 in the Hassenfeld Conference Center.
Sincerely,
Richard Gaskins