Faculty Library Resources

Research Instruction Sessions

A research instruction session can provide specialized instruction to help students:

• Reduce library anxiety
• Understand the research process
• Locate books, articles and reputable websites
• Recognize scholarly vs. popular articles
• Find statistics and government documents
• Prepare for future research needs

To maximize the effectiveness of your research instruction session, please request sessions at least 1 week in advance. Assignments should be sent to maryanne.millsFREEWEST_VALLEY at least 3 days in advance.

Go to the Research Instruction online booking for available dates to schedule your next orientation. All green orientation slots are open orientations. All red slots are booked orientations. A confirmation email will be sent shortly.

Need help? Watch a short video about how to book a library orientation.

Book Cart Classroom Visit

A Books á la Carte Class visit session can provide research specific to your classroom to help your students:

• Reduce library anxiety.
• Ask a librarian quick reference questions outside of the library.
• Select handouts created by librarians on citing and evaluating various source types.

Please prepare for the following:

• Sessions must be requested at least 1 week in advance.
• Instructors must attend the book cart session with the class.
• Remind students they will need their WVC Student ID or any form of government issued picture ID. Knowing Student ID without picture ID will not be permitted to checkout books.
• Read the West Valley College Library Policies.
• Consider ways to encourage your students to check out materials from the book cart.

The book cart visit is weather permitting. If rain or a chance of rain is in the forecast, Maryanne Mills will contact you the day prior to reschedule.

Explore the Books a la Carte classroom online booking for available dates to schedule your next orientation. All blue orientation slots are open orientations. All red slots are booked orientations. A confirmation email will be sent shortly.

Librarian Liaisons

• Get Flex Credit for Consulting with a Faculty Librarian to learn how to incorporate library resources into your classroom to help students succeed.
• Contact your library liaison to set up an appointment to learn about library resources available to you and your students.

Course Reserves

The objective of the Library Reserve collection is to support the curriculum and contribute to student success by making course materials available (on a limited basis) to students.

The reserve collection of print materials is located at the Book Checkout Desk and that of non-print materials is located at the Print/Copy Desk.

General Guidelines

• Instructors are encouraged to donate or loan course textbooks to augment the limited selection purchased through the Reserve Book Program. Please contact Library staff to see if a specific course textbook is included in the Program.
• To place an item on reserve, please fill out the Course Reserve form.
• For those materials not owned by the Library, it is the instructor's responsibility to provide all material to be placed on reserve.
• All reprinted articles and audiovisual materials must comply with current copyright laws and include a full bibliographic citation as to the source.
• The Library reserves the right to limit the number of copies being placed on reserve for a given class.
• If only one copy of an item is being submitted, only one loan period may be designated.
• Materials borrowed from other libraries, including Mission College, may not be placed on reserve.
• Materials for reserve will be processed in the order received. Please allow three days processing time before materials are available to students.
• The Library is not responsible for replacement of damaged or lost personal copies.
• The Library reserves the right to remove materials that have little or no activity.
• All withdrawn instructor-owned materials must be picked up at the Book Checkout or Print/Copy Desk.
• Current Library circulation fines and fees apply to all reserve materials.
• Please call us if you have any questions: 408-741-2028.

Loan Periods (during COVID-19)

• 2 hour (reserve item to be used within library)
• 1 day (due back the next day the library is open)

Please note there is a quarantine time period that is followed once books are returned.

Faculty, Administration, and Staff Publications

West Valley College Library is proud to highlight the publications of our faculty, administration, and staff! Copies of printed publications may be retained in the West Valley College Online Library Catalog. Links to electronic full-text or publisher are provided with the citations when available. To submit your publication, fill out the Faculty, Administration, and Staff Publications/Scholarship form.

Library Resource Purchase Request

The West Valley College Library welcomes suggestions to add to our collection of books, media, and other resources that will help our students succeed and learn.

Please fill out the Library Resource Purchase Request form and let us know what you resources you would like your students to have free access to.

You will be contacted by a librarian letting you know if the source will be purchased and when it will be in the catalog ready for use.