Debora Richey
Reference

In the Fall semester of 1994, reference librarians began offering a series of electronic resource workshops open to students, faculty, and staff. The workshops were conceived as small, specialized hands-on sessions geared toward new and reentry students unfamiliar with CD-ROMs and online systems, as well as those familiar with computerized resources who wanted to upgrade or refine their searching skills. For these reasons, the instructional session offerings have always included both general workshops (e.g., Introduction to Lexis/Nexis, Introduction to CD-ROMs, Introduction to the World Wide Web, etc.) and more advanced and subject-specific sessions (e.g., Advanced Searching for Nexis, Business Information Available via Dow Jones, Moody's on Disc, and Other Electronic Sources, Finding Psychology Information on the World Wide Web, etc.).

As the University Library has added more and more computer resources to its collection, the reference librarians have tried to help users stay current by offering sessions on newly acquired CD-ROMs, online services, and other computerized programs. Since the opening of Library-North, librarians have started to offer even more electronic resource workshops. The additional instruction rooms, outfitted with new equipment, allow the instructors not only to assist more users but also to provide more effective access to cutting edge technology and resources.

The workshops are designed to teach basic research skills for using CD-ROMs, online services, and other networked resources. To accommodate as many people as possible, the sessions are offered at various times, including nights and week-ends, and over a broad range of topics and systems. The sessions vary each semester and participants have the option of signing up for either brief, one-hour demonstrations or more specialized and extensive hands-on sessions. For users interested in searching from remote locations, the librarians also offer a number of workshops on searching online databases from home. When possible, the reference librarians distribute guides or printed documentation to support the systems discussed.

Copies of the brochure listing upcoming electronic resource workshops are available at the Information Desk or the Electronic Resources Service Desk in the University Library. Sessions are offered in both the Fall and Spring semesters and a new listing of workshops is usually available one or two weeks prior to the start of the semester. Information on the workshops will also be found on the University Library's World Wide Web page (http://wwwlibrary.fullerton.edu/iperwork.htm). Reservation forms may be dropped off at the Electronic Resources Service Desk in Library-North near the first floor Reference Desk. (Telephone reservations are not accepted.) Placement in a class is on a first-come, first-served basis and the deadline to sign up for a workshops is one week before the workshop is held. Early sign-ups are encouraged, as some of the sessions do fill up quickly. For more information on the electronic resource workshops please contact either Kathy Morris or Debora Richey.

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Revised: 13 April 1997