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Library Instruction and Support For Faculty & Staff

For members of MSOE Faculty looking to get a better idea of how MSOE Librarians can better support staff and students

Ask a Librarian about Reference Consults 

A reference question can be simple or complex and you may not know where to start when looking for an answer. The solution is to talk to the librarian. They may not know the answer but they can help point you in the right direction. 

Reference Consult Process

A reference consult is simply a meeting (or series of meetings) where you meet with a librarian to discuss your project or any help that you might need. Consults can look different depending on the need. They might look like a quick tutorial session or could involve multiple sessions over time. It just depends on the project and librarian availability. 

If you're unsure if the library can help you - just ask. We'll let you know if a project or request isn't able to be accommodated or is outside our professional scope. 

Most often a consult consists of scheduling a meeting with a librarian, in-person or virtually, and discussing what you're looking for. The librarian may be able to assist right away or may need time to gather the necessary materials, tools, or knowledge. At the time of the meeting, the librarian may ask clarifying questions, make suggestions, or direct you to the proper resource. Several meetings might be required to complete the process. 

Faculty may also reach out to the library via email to ask for a reference request. Some examples include:

  • Needing citations created for a list of class materials
  • Finding full text items from a list of sources
  • Finding physical or digital items in the library catalog
  • Needing a libguide created for a class, assignment, or topic
  • Search query builds for published works (like systematic reviews)

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If you have suggestions for how to make this page better, please contact Elizabeth Jerow, Library Director (jerow@msoe.edu).