Anne Behler, information literacy librarian and instruction coordinator at Penn State Library Learning Services, conducted a presentation entitled Library Support for Adult Learners in which she reviewed some of the most important resources the Penn State University Libraries offer to support adult learners, including World Campus students.
“We know our adult learners are busy, so they have many options to receive help how and when it works best for them,” Behler said.
We compiled some of the highlights from Behler’s presentation.
Virtual reference assistance services
Ask a Librarian offers real-time chat with a library employee. When chat is unavailable, there is always an email option. One especially helpful feature is the ability to get real-time personalized help. When a student requests an appointment, they will be connected directly with a librarian who specializes in their topic of research or who is assigned to the student’s campus. Some librarians offer direct appointment booking via other subject research guides, as well.
The Libraries staff is also very excited to be expanding their peer-to-peer research help services, which can be accessed best by clicking on the Ask a PSU Student button. This service — called The Search Bar — is based out of University Park but is available to students in any location using Zoom. This service is staffed by highly trained peer research consultants, writing tutors, and tech tutors. They can provide basic research assistance and can also make referrals to specialized research librarians when needed.
Scholarly publishing support and guidance
Students who need help with a more advanced level of research can get assistance from the Office of Scholarly Communications and Copyright. They have expertise in areas such as open access and open publishing, copyright and fair use, and navigating publishing contracts. They offer informative webinars and workshops that are available on demand. The highly knowledgeable scholarly communications librarians — both of whom have J.D. degrees — are also an excellent source of guidance and information related to research. (They are unable to provide advice on legal matters, however.)
Online guides
The Libraries also offer many online guides on a wide variety of topics ranging from agriculture to languages, along with how-to guides with tips on using many common tools and resources. There is also consultation support for help with managing research citations.
HathiTrust Digital Library
Several years ago, Penn State launched an initiative to digitize much of the Libraries’ print collection so these materials could be more widely available through both Google Books and the HathiTrust (subject to copyright laws). Access the HathiTrust Digital Library resources.
Search for these and other materials using the FIND box on the University Libraries homepage.
Other Recommended Resources
- How Penn State World Campus Students Can Request Library Materials — this infographic outlines the steps involved in requesting library materials from a distance
