Libraries
Faculty Services
Services of particular interest to our faculty
Course Reserves | Library Liaisons | Library Instruction | Databases | Research Services | Borrowing Materials | Faculty Lounge | Curriculum Library | Study Carrels | Digital Commons | Government & Legal Information | Getting Published | Additional Library Policies
Course Reserves
We encourage your use of Reserves as a way to offer short-term access to important resources for all students. You can use the online form to place both library and personal copies of class materials on reserve. We can also provide password-protected access to scanned/digital materials via electronic reserves (ERes). Questions? Call 309-298-2411 for help.
Library Instruction
Class sessions are tailored to your assignments and projects, highlighting the most effective databases and search strategies for your students. To arrange for such a class, in either your classroom or one of the two in Malpass, fill out the form with your preferred dates. Questions? Call 309-298-2762 for help.
Databases
The library provides access to numerous multidisciplinary and discipline-specific databases and e-journals.
- To access these from off campus, use them through our webpages. Doing so will bring up a remote authorization box. You can get in with your WIU ECOM username & password.
- Many provide persistent link capabilities at the article and/or citation level, so you can include direct links to articles in your Western Online pages.
- Use our Link Converter to give your students remote access to the articles.
Borrowing Materials
- Faculty checkout period for books in our catalog is 16 weeks. Two renewals are allowed.
- Although print periodicals generally do not circulate, faculty members may borrow journals for 3 days.
- Faculty checkout period for books borrowed through I-Share, our catalog of materials in all of the 80+ libraries in our consortium, is 4 weeks, with six renewals allowed.
- If neither the library nor the consortium has the materials needed for your research, we can request them from a larger pool of libraries. Use an ILLiad form to order. ILLiad can also be used to order copies of articles, which will be scanned and sent to you digitally.
- Surrogate: You may appoint a student to check out material in your name. Once you complete the form, it will be kept on file at the Access Services desk. Your surrogate must present his or her ID (not yours) to check out materials for you.
- Questions? Call 309-298-2705 for help.
Curriculum Library (Horrabin Hall 80)
We collect materials for teachers, so we have games, activity kits, and lots of books for children and families, from picture books through young adult literature.
Study Carrels
Study carrels are available on a first come/first serve basis.
Digital Commons
The Digital Commons includes a 30-seat media conference room and a Digital Studio for developing digital media projects. Both are reservable. You can also check out equipment, and use available software in library computer classrooms. Questions? Call 309-298-2417 for help
Government & Legal Information
The unit houses federal and Illinois documents, maps, and legal reference materials. It also serves as a Patent & Trademark Resource Center. If you or your students need GIS help with data, ask here. Questions? Call 309-298-2717 for help.
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Getting Published
One of our faculty members has created a guide to choosing and evaluating journals for possible publication.