Library : Guide to Library Services for Students

Key Pages for Students

Most library webpages are useful to students.  Here are some highlights to encourage  your exploration.       

Online Catalog Help for a quick overview of easy effective searches

New Materials for a topical listing of newly acquired books and audiovisuals + how to use our handy lists of audio CDs and DVDs

Journals Guide for how to access the full text of articles, on and off campus

Citation Style Samples for links to free online formatting tools.  Why type when you can copy & paste?  Ask the librarians how to save pre-formatted citations from PubMed. 

Research Database Tutorials   If you cannot come to the reference desk, these tutorials just might answer your questions.  The description for each database has links to available tutorials.

Skills Checklist  Plan your own development.   Get what you pay for in full, and request one-on-one or group instruction while you are still a student.  Become more skilled in research, computing, using graphics in outreach materials, and more.

What is Plagiarism?  A succinct explanation of a complex issue. 

National Board Review  Useful links, test taking tips, and how to find review materials in the library.

 

Selected Useful Websites

The Useful Websites page  is a list of free resources on the Internet, organized by Topics A to Z.

Below are just a few of the topics.  Each page has links to useful material for assignments in specific classes, special projects, supplemental study, and preparation for practice management. 

• Audiovisual Clips 
• Business
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Drugs (Pharmaceutical) 
• Jurisprudence Exam (California)
• Patient Education
• Public Health

 

Services for Students - a summary

Student Library Handbook is distributed at orientation.

 It reviews resources and states policies.  You can request a copy at any time.  

This webpage supplements but does not replace it. 

Circulation Desk

Visit the circulation desk to:

• Reserve large Study Room T
• Reserve overnight books and models, up to one week in advance
•  Place a hold on book or audiovisual 
• Reserve equipment
• Reserve a laptop and other equipment
• Place an order for video duplication
• Report problems with any machine in the library
• Check the Lost & Found
• Recycle used household batteries
• Use the suggestion box, or purchase request form

 

Books & Audiovisuals in Reserve Collection

• Reservations are available one week in advance
• Reserve material circulates for one day (overnight) only
• Latest return time is 10:00 a.m.
• Earliest pick up time is 10:30 a.m.!

• Reserved items will be released to other patrons if not picked up at the time specified on the reservation card.  If no time is specified, the item will be released at 12:30 p.m.

• No back-to-back reservations
• Materials borrowed on Friday are due Monday.

 

Equipment Reservations

• Reservations are available for the current quarter
• Video and still cameras are available to students for on-campus use.
• Off-campus use of equipment requires an authorizing signature on the “off-campus equipment responsibility” form. 
• Borrowing a laptop requires signing the “laptop agreement” form one time.
• Heed our advice.

Laptops are loaned during class hours only for presentations.  One-time signing of a “laptop agreement form” is required. 

Laptops are loaned for off-campus activities only if sponsored by the college.  For each event, signing the “off campus responsibility” form is required.

Club presidents or their designates will want to learn optimal use of the video camera, and the classroom AV system, in order to support guest speakers on evenings and weekends.

Outreach Equipment for Interns for use at off-campus events requires approval of your practice advisor or a health center administrator.  Get the “off-campus responsibility”  form from the practice advisor or the circulation desk.

• Reserve the clinical equipment and laptop well in advance.

Let us know if you cannot pick the equipment up before 4:00 p.m.
Staff on duty in the late afternoon and evening may not be able to accommodate last-minute requests.

• Bring the signed form to the library when picking up the equipment. 

Reserve equipment in advance … and set aside time to practice! 

• Prepare to engage your audience with your content.  Can you speak well if equipment fails?
• Reduce the chance of having technical difficulties during your presentation.  
• Find out if any accessories, such as laser pointer or PowerPoint remote control would be helpful.
• Learn tricks of the trade from the audiovisual or computing staff.

 

Reference and Research Skills

Visit the Reference Desk for:

• Help with library research, of course!
• Help with accessing print and electronic journals, on or off campus
• Interlibrary loans
• Help with citation management software 
• Scheduling an instructional session for classroom, small group, or individual
• Sharing your ideas for library instruction on any topic or technology
• The Green Books full text on self-service computer, located inside reference alcove
• Vertical file:
  • Information on chiropractic organizations
  • Professional product catalogs
  • Samples of chiropractic brochures suitable for patients

Interlibrary Loans require a 2-5 days turnaround period for journal articles. 

• Each student has a $40 credit each quarter. 
• Especially for research involving patient care, or for major assignments, you should not limit yourself to only those materials available at our library.  We are glad to get your high-priority resources from other libraries.

 

Audiovisual Production & Training

• Video recordings of classroom review sessions and special events
• Producing students’  announcements for presentation at Chiropractic Seminar, and on the digital display board
• Graphic design for college web pages, events, and projects
• Advanced PowerPoint production
• Audio and video recording services for special events
• User training for classroom on use of recording and presentation equipment
• Advance reservation and set-up of equipment  for events 

 

 

 

 

Duplication Services

When copyright permits, students can request copies of in-house audio and videorecordings.
This applies primarily to recordings made here at Life West, for which the author has signed a release.

See Finding which videos can be copied in the Online Catalog Tutorial.

 

 

 

 

 

Copying Fees for Life West students
Medium	Cost per title	Policy on providing blank medium
VHS to VHS, NTSC, or PAL	$ 5.00	$9.00 without a blank tape
VHS to DVD	$10.00 (Bookstore sells blank DVD-R discs.)	not available; you must supply disc
DVD to DVD	$ 5.00  (Bookstore sells blank DVD-R discs.)	not available; you must supply disc
Multiple DVD titles on one disc ***	$10.00 per title	not available; you must supply disc
Audiocassette	$ 1.00	$3.00 without a blank tape
NOTE: ***  For DVDàDVD transfer, it costs less to order one DVD title per disc than to put multiples on one disc.

Other fees for duplication include:
Black & White Transparencies	$  .50
Color Printing (not curriculum related)	$  .50
Color Transparencies	$1.00
Scanning (charge applies only to requests that are unrelated to the curriculum or college-sponsored projects)	$3.00 per photo; free if curricular

 

Computer Education & Assistance

Computer Education Specialist assists with:

• Submitting written assignments to plagiarism checker, Turnitin.com
• Signing up to use a laptop computer in the classroom, or off-campus
• Installation of instructional software on loan laptops
• Using desktops in the computer lab, and the installed software
• Using desktops in the cubicles on the 2nd floor of the health center
• Compatibility of personal laptop with campus systems (wireless access, word processing and other applications)
• Wireless Internet access
• Printer problems
• Forwarding messages from college sponsored student e-mail to another account 

Example of standard e-mail address:  FirstInitial_LastName@college.lifewest.edu 
Note:  Exceptions occur due to similar names.

Report technical problems with any student-access computer or printer.
Please have circulation staff call for assistance, if staff is away from their desk.

For online advice and self-paced training:
Campus Computers for information about hardware and software at Life West, and advice to help you ensure compatibility of files between home and school.
Computing Resources: Tutorials & Guides for recommended links to free tutorials for building skills in Microsoft Office applications, digital photography, and more…

 

Photocopiers

The vending unit at the photocopiers accepts copy cards, dollar bills, and change.

The bookstore sells a blank “copy card” and you add funds to it for convenience.  

Any bill inserted in the unit automatically goes on the copy card Do not add a lot of money, as these cards are frequently misplaced.  

Ask at the circulation desk for assistance with the copiers or change.  See the posted instructions for double-sided copying.   

 

Suggestions

E-mail library director at aosenga@lifewest.edu. 
Please input a Subject line regarding your suggestion for;    

• improved library service
• purchasing new materials
• adding your favorite links to our resource lists (free information only)

 
Use the Suggestion Box kept on the circulation desk. The library director welcomes anonymous suggestions and complaints, but would prefer to report back to you personally.

Suggestions for Purchase forms are displayed at the circulation desk. You can print-out the form (PDF, 56Kb).