Instruction is integral to the services offered in each of Western Libraries' seven locations. Here is a brief synopsis of some of the activities that each library undertakes along with contact information if you have any questions or want additional information.
Archives and Research Collections Centre
C.B. "Bud" Johnston Library
Education Library
John & Dotsa Bitove Family Law Library
Map and Data Centre
Music Library
Allyn & Betty Taylor Library
The D.B. Weldon Library
Contact: Robin Keirstead
Instruction reflecting course subject content and assignment requirements is provided to faculty and undergraduate and graduate students by staff of Western Archives. This instruction is geared to the specific resources held by the University Archives, The J.J. Talman Regional Collection and The James Alexander and Ellen Rea Benson Special Collections. Archives staff participate in Western Libraries orientation tours and offer special instructional sessions based on holdings to other campus groups and alumni.
With special authorization, resource tours are offered also to off-campus organizations and associations, such as historical and genealogical societies, and to community groups whose members are interested in or make research use of the holdings of the Archives.
Contact: Nicole Nolan
The Business Library staff is pleased to offer instruction relating to the numerous electronic resources that are of use to those interested in the broad fields of business and management. Individual or group sessions to cover various topics, and/or demonstrations of specific electronic databases can be arranged by contacting buslib@ivey.uwo.ca.
Contact: Denise Horoky
The staff of the Education Library is always willing to offer instruction on how to efficiently and effectively search the Education-related databases and electronic resources, and to promote the many useful services provided by Western Libraries. We provide class or individual tours, interactive sessions, computer lab demonstrations, and one-on-one consultation appointments
Contact: John Sadler
Law Library staff coordinate and deliver legal research instruction to law and non-law students through a variety of means, ranging from one-on-one consultations to large group lectures. All first-year juris doctor (J.D.) students take a required course, Legal Research, Writing and Advocacy, which incorporates library orientation sessions, hands-on computer lab instruction and presentations on legal research resources and techniques. Similarly, all graduate law students enrol in Guided Study and Research Methodology which features a legal research component. Law Librarians are regularly invited to guest lecture on specialized research resources in upper year substantive law courses such as Public International Law. Classes and orientation sessions on legal research are also offered from time to time to students outside the law school, including those in library science and public administration.
Contact: Maps and GIS - Cheryl Woods ; Data and GIS - Vince Gray / Elizabeth Hill
Map and Data Centre librarians are available to assist with classroom instruction, subject to availability. Typically, this includes classes on the location and identification of map and data sources tailored to the class (e.g., "Community Level Data: Finding Maps and Data from Statistics Canada and other Canadian sources"). Due to the degree of customization typically necessary for classroom-based instruction, lead time of at least two weeks is needed.
We provide ad hoc instruction and assistance to individuals or groups who visit the Map and Data Centre. Please schedule tours for groups of four persons or more with the Centre staff in advance. Displays of print maps may be set out in the Map and Data Centre for ongoing use by courses: consult with Cheryl Woods to negotiate requirements. Licensing restrictions on most of the electronic resources available from the Centre constrain the service offered to the general public (non-current Western students, faculty, and staff). Instruction in the use of GIS and statistical software is not available from the Map and Data Centre staff.
Contact: Lisa Rae Philpott
The Music Library staff is pleased to assist its users in their search for printed music (i.e. scores), recorded music (CDs and LPs), song translations and a wide variety of music-related print and online materials. Given the international nature of music - and the impact of foreign-languages on title-searching - much instruction is "one-on-one": every interaction is an instructional-opportunity.
Group and individual tours are available, as are classroom and masterclass instruction sessions designed to: feature music-related online resources; provide an introduction to the Music Library; or to familiarize a particular teacher's studio with the available resources for that instrument. Online instruction is a new addition to our 'repertoire'; online versions of our printed pathfinders may be found at www.lib.uwo.ca/music/ under the heading "HOW DO I..."
Contact: Kim Cornell
The Allyn & Betty Taylor Library staff provide instruction for the faculties of Engineering, Health Science, Medicine and Dentistry and Science. Sessions facilitated by library staff give students opportunities to learn how to define their information need, obtain information efficiently, critically evaluate it, selectively incorporate new information into their knowledge base and effectively and responsibly use it.
Instruction takes place in settings that range from large classes to small tutorial groups to one-to-one instruction sessions and takes a variety of forms, from interactive lectures to hands-on workshops to online tutorials. For more information check the Taylor library website.
Contact: Kristin Hoffmann
The D.B. Weldon Library offers instructional services for the Faculties of Arts & Humanities, Information & Media Studies, and Social Science, with an aim to:
- enable students to effectively integrate Western Libraries research resources into coursework
- promote an understanding of how information is created, stored, retrieved, and applied in the context of academic research
Our Instructional Librarians are motivated to work with faculty and students to develop library instruction that is relevant to today's academic environment and that encourages the development of critical thinking skills.
We offer instruction to students at all levels, from assignment based programs for first year students to graduate sessions focusing on the intricacies of seeking subject specific information. Whether you have twenty minutes or two hours we would be pleased to have the opportunity to work with you to develop suitable instruction for your group.
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