Library Orientations

You can help your students go beyond Google by scheduling an in-person or virtual (Zoom) library orientation for your class. In just one hour or less, a librarian can provide an orientation that is custom-tailored to the needs of your students and course assignments. 

Library orientations increase students’ ability to find research materials for their assignments and help them make the best use of the electronic resources available to them. Help us help your students by giving us just 1 hour of your class time.

• Instructors (no substitutes) are required to attend.

• Orientations should be scheduled at least two weeks or more in advance.

• Orientations are not scheduled during the first week of the school term.

• In-person orientations will be held in the instructor's smart classroom.

• In order to conduct a virtual library orientation, it must be scheduled using the Zoom link inside the instructor’s Canvas shell. Once the instructor receives a confirmation of the time and date, the instructor can schedule the zoom meeting and send the librarian the invitation link using their Mission College email account (not the Canvas email function).

How to Send Your Canvas Zoom Link to a Librarian

• The link will allow the librarian to join as an attendee. To have an invited guest (librarian) host the event (orientation), the primary host (instructor) needs to transfer host rights to the guest after they have joined the session.

How to Make a Participant a Co-Host

How to schedule an orientation:

• Check our online calendar below for the date and time availability. If you cannot see the calendar, either update your browser or switch to a different browser.

• Fill out the online Orientation Request Form 

NOTE: If your students will be working on a specific assignment, please include a copy of the assignment.

You will receive a confirmation with the date and time scheduled, and the name and contact information of the librarian who will be conducting the orientation. If you have any questions, please email Elaine Wong at elaine.wong@wvm.edu.

Virtual Tour of the Library

Virtual Tour of the Library

Librarian Assistance

Librarians provides research assistance to students. A librarian is at the Information Desk during all open hours. Please encourage your students to ask for help!

The Library also provides academic support services for faculty in all programs. Stop by the Library or make an appointment for a personal orientation to our services and resources. Reviewing course needs with a librarian will ensure that we have all the materials students need to successfully complete your course.

For assistance please contact the librarian specializing in your division/school:

Tina Boghozian: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

Michele Speck: Health, Wellness, Public Safety; Business & Education, and Services Industry; Counseling & Learning Services

Elaine Wong: People, Culture, Society; Creative Arts & Communication

Instructor Reserves

Instructor Reserves are items placed on reserve by faculty for the students in their classes. You may place as many of your own materials as necessary on reserve. You may also request items from the Library's print or media collection to be placed on reserve for your students' use in the Library. You may place up to five books from the Library's collection on reserve per semester, for a maximum of one semester.

If you wish to place material on reserve, please print out and attach one Reserve Request form for each item. Please allow 48 hours notice for processing new reserves. Note that the call number for personally owned items is the instructor's last name. Along with the normal catalog search features (title, author, and keyword) Instructor Reserve items will also be listed in OneSearch under the Instructor and Course.

To check if the Library has your textbook on reserve, please refer to the instructions in the Library handout, How can I tell if the Library  has my textbook on Course Reserves?

For additional information regarding instructor reserves, see the Instructor & Textbook Reserves Policies for Faculty section of the Mission College LIbrary Services, Policies and Guidelines. To search for items on instructor reserves, conduct a Textbook Reserves search in OneSearch.

Textbook Reserves & SemesterText (includes Faculty Request Form)

Faculty Textbook Request Form

Starting with Fall 2019, textbooks will only be considered for purchase for the Library’s Textbook Reserves Collection and SemesterText Program if a Faculty Textbook Request Form is submitted. You do not need to fill out this form if your textbook is already in the Library's Collections. This form is to request that your textbook be considered for addition to the Textbook Reserves Collection and/or the SemesterText Program.

To check if the Library has your textbook on reserve, please refer to the instructions in the Library handout, How can I tell if the Library has my textbook on Course Reserves?

If you would like your textbook to be considered for purchase for the Library’s Textbook Reserve Collection and/or SemesterText Program for Spring 2024, please submit the Faculty Textbook Request Form by October 6, 2023. You will be notified prior to the start of the semester if you textbook is selected. 

Please fill out a separate form for each textbook. Filing out the form is not a guarantee that your textbook will be added to the Library’s collection. It just guarantees that your textbook will be placed on the list for consideration.

For information on how textbooks are selected for purchase, review the information below.

Textbook Reserves Collection

The Library has a collection of many of the textbooks used in courses at Mission College.Textbooks are on reserve behind the Check Out Desk. Items are checked out for a two hour time period, Please note that we are unable to purchase textbooks for all courses. Textbooks are purchased based on factors such as number of sections, revision of book, cost and the Library's budget.

These textbooks are some of the most heavily used resources in the Library. We encourage faculty to provide copies of textbooks that can be placed on Instructor Reserve (see above).

Note that students need to have the call number for a book to request it at the Check Out Desk (If the item is owned by an instructor, the call number is the instructor's last name). As a courtesy to your students, please include the Library call number on your syllabus.

For additional information regarding Textbook Reserves, see the Instructor & Textbook Reserves Policies for Faculty section of the Mission College LIbrary Services, Policies and Guidelines. To search for items on textbook reserves, conduct a Textbook Reserves search in OneSearch.

SemesterText Program (formerly Food for Textbook)

The Library has a collection of textbooks and calculators available for semester long check out. Textbooks for this program are purchased based on factors such as number of sections, the number of years the material will be used, cost, and the Library's budget, with priority going to courses with two or more sections and for which the material will be used for at least three more years.

Books that are not edition specific will have the highest priority. Workbooks will not be added to the collection. The Library will try to purchase material across as many disciplines as possible. 

Please encourage your students to donated their used textbooks to this program. Textbook donations are accepted at the Library Check Out Desk. Students do not have to donate a textbook to participate in the SemesterText Program.

If you would like your textbook to be considered for purchase for the Library’s SemesterText Program for Spring 2023, please submit the Faculty Textbook Request Form by October 6, 2023. You will be notified prior to the start of the semester if you textbook is selected. 

Please fill out a separate form for each textbook. Filing out the form is not a guarantee that your textbook will be added to the Library’s collection. It just guarantees that your textbook will be placed on the list for consideration.

For more information about this program, and to see a list of textbooks currently available, go to the SemesterText page.

Faculty Borrowing Guidelines

A Mission College ID card is needed to check out materials. Faculty library privileges are more flexible than student privileges. Loan rules are as follows:

• Circulating books, videos & DVDs – Three weeks, renewal possible.
• Magazines and reference books – May be borrowed for a brief time if needed in class.

When you check out, you may request extended loan periods. However, Library materials are not to be borrowed to use for an entire semester.

Interlibrary Loan

Faculty and students may request books from West Valley College through OneSearch. For instructions, go to How to find/request books from West Valley.

Credo InfoLit Modules

Credo Instruct is a set of information literacy modules that you can use to help teach information literacy skills to your students. Items include videos, text tutorials with interactive exercises to practice concepts, and quizzes that can be easily added into courses in Canvas. 

Research Videos

The Library offers a series of short videos to help students get started with using the Library resources for research. They include information on where to start your research, finding articles through OneSearch, finding articles in the Library databases, and creating citations.

Library Catalog and Research Databases

OneSearch
OneSearch is the place for finding books, articles, and more from the Mission College Library. It enables streamlined access to resources provided by the Library by allowing you to search for print and digital content as a single search, rather than having to access different databases and systems. For information about OneSearch, including a list of databases not indexed in OneSearch, refer to the OneSearch guide.

Library Research Databases
The Library subscribes to over 40 electronic subscription databases. The databases are available individually on the Research Databases page. They are grouped by subject and an alphabetical list is also available.

Streaming Videos

The Library provides online access to films and videos. Some may be accessed through OneSearch but all can be accessed directly from the Research Databases page. Mission faculty have permission to use the films and videos in these databases as class material (copyright restrictions do not apply). All videos and films are closed captioned.

BioMedia Associates Streaming Collection
These are instructional life sciences videos. Programs feature new techniques of microscopy, animation, and photography to reveal the structure, process, and behavior in living things. To access the video controls to enlarge them, play closed captions, or fast forward, right click on the video and select Show Controls (on a Mac, CTRL+Click). Instructions on how to embed BioMedia videos in Canvas.

Films on Demand
Provides 24/7 access to streaming videos across a variety of topics. Includes videos from HBO, PBS, TED, Frontline, Films for Humanities & Sciences to name a few. Instructions on how to embed Films on Demand videos in Canvas.

Kanopy
A video streaming platform with movies, documentaries, foreign films, classic cinema, independent films, and educational videos that inspire, enrich, and entertain. Browse films focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Instructions on how to embed Kanopy films in Canvas.

eBooks

EBSCO eBook Collection
Search and view full text books online across a variety of topics. Use this EBSCO eBooks: For Faculty guide to learn more. 

ProQuest Ebook Central
Search and view full text books online across a variety of topics.  Video: Search for a book on Ebook Central

O'Reilly Safari Books Online
This database Includes a large range of topics from the humanities and social sciences to tech and business, to hobbies and travel ebooks from more than 250 publishers along with videos, case studies, exclusive O’Reilly-produced content from world-renowned innovators and corporate leaders, expert-curated learning paths and self-assessments.

To access this database, an account must be created. A valid West Valley-Mission student, faculty, or staff email address is required to access this database. Students will need to use their @mywvm.wvm.edu email address to log in to and register for an account to use this database; faculty may use @missioncollege.edu or wvm.edu. For more information including downloading the O"Reilly app to read online or offline, refer to the O'Reilly Safari Books Online guide.

For information on using these resources for class material, refer to our guide O'Reilly Safari Books Online for Faculty.

Other eBooks

Digital Magazines

The Library subscribes to 50 digital magazines you can read on your computer or mobile device. Go to the Flipster page to browse available magazines. 

Flipster has mobile apps for Apple devices, Android devices, and side-loaded to Kindle Fire Tablets. Once you download the app, select Mission College as your library. If you are off campus you will be prompted to sign in with your Mission email and password.

Digital Access to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal

Mission College faculty, staff, and students have full complimentary access to the digital versions of the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.  Both publications provide additional faculty resources. Go to the guides below for information on how to register for your free digital access and to learn about the faculty resources available.

New York Times Digital Access Subscription

The Wall Street Journal Access Subscription

Visual Body Suite and (includes mobile app) 

The Visible Body Suite provides access to visual and interactive study aids for human anatomy, general physiology, common illnesses, and introductory biology topics. It includes Visible Body Suite (formally Human Anatomy Atlas 2022+), an easy-to-use interactive platform containing full female and male 3D models. It is also available as a mobile app. For a list of products available from the Visible Body Suite go to the Visible Body Suite Products page.  

The Web Suite and app are study tools for students, but faculty can also use them during live or recorded lectures and incorporate and share links via Canvas.

The first time you click on the link you will need to sign up for an account. Once users create an account, they can download the Visible Body Suite app, (formally Human Anatomy Atlas 2022+) and log in using their email address and password they created. 

It is important for users to create an account using the Mission College Visible Body Suite link. If they do not, they will be prompted to pay for a subscription. If this happens or a user already has an account, they need to sign in using the Mission College Library Visible Body Suite link to attach their account to the Library’s subscription.  

The Mission College link is available on the Library’s Research Databases page, under Health & Nursing and Science.  If you wish to incorporate the link into your syllabus or Canvas, use: https://mission.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://websuite.visiblebody.com 

Online Journals Lists  

Find out if a specific magazine or journal is available in one of Mission College Library's databases by searching the Journals List in OneSearch. Coverage dates are included.

BrowZine is a tool that allows you to browse the table of contents of scholarly journals available through the Mission College databases or from open sources.

Citation Creation Tool

NoodleTools (click on Microsoft 365 icon, then enter your Mission College email and password)
If you are new to NoodleTools or set up an account before January 2022, you will be prompted to set up a new account the first time you sign in. If you would like to link your previous account with your new account, select "I have an existing account." For more information, including short videos on how to create an account and how to link your previous account to your new account, refer to the Mission College Citing Sources guide.

Library Research Portal

The Library Research Portal provides subject specific guides to help with research in a specific discipline or on a specific topic. Includes a comprehensive guide to "The Five Steps to Writing a Research Project."

Online Services Page (for Students)

The Online Services page provides information and links to all of the Library's online services available to students, including Library handouts. This is the page that appears when you (and your students) click on Library in the left menu in Canvas.

OER/ZTC and Copyright Resources

EBSCO Faculty Select (OER Resources)
A single, user-friendly platform, where you can easily find and access quality open educational resources (OER) to support your courses, and search and request access to relevant e-books from top academic publishers. View this video on how to use Faculty Select.

OER, Zero Textbook Cost Resources
Defines what qualifies as a zero cost textbook and provides resources for finding them. Includes information on open education resources (OER) and Library resources.

Copyright Resources
Resources to help you understand Copyright, Fair Use, and the TEACH Act. Includes tips for avoiding copyright infringement.

For information on how to avoid copyright infringement when using streaming videos found on the free web, refer to the Streaming Videos Guide.

Faculty Access to Book Reviews

Book Review Index Online
Includes more than 5.6 million book reviews, allowing users to conduct research in numerous disciplines, including literature, history, education, psychology, and more. This unique product provides quick access to reviews of books, periodicals, books on tape and electronic media representing a wide range of popular, academic and professional interests.

Recommend a Purchase

Instructors are encouraged to participate in the development of the collections in their respective subject areas. Final decisions on materials will be made according to the Library's Selection of Material Policy. To recommend books and other materials please contact the librarian specializing in the appropriate material for your division/school:

Tina Boghozian: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

Michele Speck: Health, Wellness, Public Safety; Business & Education, and Services Industry; Counseling & Learning Services

Elaine Wong: People, Culture, Society; Creative Arts & Communication