"Embedded" librarians are information experts who are integrated in your online course to provide research assistance to students. There are many ways to embed a librarian in your course!
Librarians can participate in Moodle discussion forums to provide just-in-time help with your students' research questions and search strategies.
Librarians can post course resources in Moodle, including pre-recorded tutorials and handouts, appropriate to your students' needs or tailored to a specific assignment.
Librarians can create a subject guide for your course with research tips specific to your field, and links to recommended library resources. See our subject guides for the courses CMP 1110 or NURS 6610 as examples.
Librarians can deliver "one shot" library instruction sessions via Zoom (can be live or pre-recorded).
Embedding can make librarians more approachable, and provides students with a convenient way to contact a librarian with questions, or to schedule a private research consultation.
The following examples illustrate some ways an embedded librarian might be used in an online course:
An instructor needs her students to become proficient in APA style before they submit their final papers. They give a librarian permissions to post content in their Moodle course, and the librarian posts tutorials, handouts and tips on APA style into an area designated by the instructor.
A course is based around a semester-long research project. As the course progresses, the embedded librarian participates in several Moodle discussion forums related to research strategies and provides help to students. Some students are having trouble with their research, so the librarian offers a research consultation to provide additional coaching.
A course features a week with a research assignment that requires students to find three peer-reviewed articles. When the week begins, a librarian posts in the course's Announcement forum and students receive an email with recommended library databases that are the "best bets" for finding journal articles on that topic, and a tutorial video on how to determine whether an article is peer-reviewed research.
Are you ready to request an embedded librarian? Send an email to libinst@isu.edu to get started.