A year ago, the VCCS Library Automation Advisory Committee created a subcommittee to develop Web-based instructional support resources. The purpose of the committee is to eliminate duplication of effort among the VCCS Learning Resource Centers (LRCs), share the expertise of librarians throughout the VCCS, and provide resources that can be used by all VCCS colleges.

The three tutorials on the VCCS LRC Tutorials home page are intended to introduce users to some of the many VIVA and VCCS resources available to them:

2. FirstSearch Tutorial, which introduces searching in the largest index and abstracts database available to VCCS users.

3. NewsBank NewsFile Tutorial, which introduces searching in a database of over 500 regional and national newspapers.

Each tutorial includes basic search instructions for the databases, examples and interpretations, enhanced through the use of screen captures, of what is seen on some of the database screens, explanations on the use of connecting words, such as "and," "or," and "not," and exercises students can use to practice their new skills. The tutorials also provide access to a table of contents from any page, particularly useful for users who want to go back and check something, stop and come back in the middle of the tutorial, or select just those topics that interest them.

The tutorials can be used both on- and off-campus. Computer labs and the library offer an environment free from some of the distractions at home, and the library also can provide immediate staff assistance if needed. And, now that the VCCS has access to databases off-site, the tutorials can also be used from such places as the workplace and home, provided a proxy server has been set up. This remote access is particularly advantageous for students whose busy schedules prevent them from getting to the library during regular library hours, for students participating in distance education, and for students taking classes at off-campus locations. For example, at Northern Virginia Community College’s (NVCC) Alexandria Campus, a number of students receive instruction at off-campus sites, including the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Pentagon, and a local military base. Dr. Stu Werner, an NVCC professor who teaches at these locations, notes that the students are particularly pleased to be able to access the tutorials from their desktops at work instead of having to make a special trip into the library after a long day at work.

Before beginning a discussion about the tutorials, it is important to understand some of the expectations and limitations associated with them. First, it is expected that users will have some basic computer skills, such as familiarity with using a mouse. However, if users are not very comfortable with computers, the tutorials provide a good way for them to practice those skills. Additionally, the tutorials will not teach students everything they need to know about the library or online databases but will give students the skills to get started.

Each tutorial will be described in turn, but the WebPAC/InfoTrac Tutorial will be described in the most depth because it is a good one for most students to start with.

The WebPAC and InfoTrac SearchBank Tutorial cover the basics of what most students will need to know about finding information in library resources, from searching for books and general magazine articles to using Library of Congress call numbers and Boolean logic (i.e., the use of connecting words such as "and" and "or").

The tutorial was originally developed as an option to the NVCC college orientation class Library Skills Workbook that students complete for that course. This orientation course taught by counselors, is intended to introduce important skills and concepts that students will need to know to succeed in college, such as career and academic planning, effective study habits, and library skills.

The tutorial is intended to be an easily accessible, interactive, and user-friendly alternative to that workbook. This is accomplished through live links to WebPAC and InfoTrac, which allow students to do actual searches, and through the use of friendly, easy-to-follow instructions and fun animated graphics. (Some students say the graphics are their favorite part.)

In the WebPAC portion of this tutorial, students learn different ways of searching, such as by author, title, subject, and keyword, and how to use Library of Congress call numbers. The second section provides a definition of periodicals focuses on how to search for periodicals online using Expanded Academic from InfoTrac as an example, and gives examples of some of the many databases available. See Figure 1 for a sample screen.

Figure 1: Sample Screen from WebPAC/InfoTrac Tutorial

Two types of questions are embedded throughout the tutorial, providing important ways for students to obtain feedback. The questions focus on the most important concepts that the developers of the tutorial hope students will retain. The first type of question is a fairly simple and straightforward comprehension question, for which students must click on the correct response to continue. If the correct response is not selected, an explanation is provided as to why the response was incorrect, and the student is offered another opportunity to choose the correct answer. The animated graphics give these questions and answers a light-hearted touch. These questions are also important because they allow students to make any initial mistakes in private.

The second type of question involves students in a hands-on activity, in which they must search for something using a live link either to WebPAC or Expanded Academic. The answers to these questions are written down on an answer sheet to be graded later by library staff. One may wonder, why there is an answer sheet for an online tutorial. Since this tutorial was originally developed as an option to the orientation class library workbook, we needed proof students had actually completed and passed the exercise. Students using the tutorial on their home campus, or remotely through their college proxy server, are automatically linked to their own catalogs.

FirstSearch is a large index and abstract database of databases on a variety of subjects. It offers instruction on both simple and advanced searching. The "simple searching" section covers such topics as how to view and interpret the results of a search, how to browse the index, how to e-mail a record, and how to limit searches. The "advanced searching" section provides additional information on limiting and how to use keyword and exact phrase indexes, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Sample Screen from FirstSearch Tutorial

Practice exercises and a link to the FirstSearch database are provided at the end of the tutorial. One of the nice features of this exercise is the link back to relevant sections of the tutorial provided after each question, in case students need to refresh their memories.

The NewsBank NewsFile Tutorial covers keyword and customized searching in this database of full-text selections from over 500 newspapers and newswires. The "keyword searching" section focuses on operators (e.g., "and," "or," "adj") that can be used, the use of "Related Topics" from the NewsBank Thesaurus as a way to increase the precision of or expand

a search, and how to interpret the results screen. The "customized searching" section explores the use of browsing both topics and sources, and how to limit searches by date. Practice exercises and a link to NewsBank NewsFile are included at the end of the tutorial as well. See Figure 3 for a sample page from this tutorial.

Figure 3: Sample Screen from NewsBank NewsFile Tutorial

There are several advantages to online tutorials. Librarians have found that updating the tutorials is relatively easy, especially when compared with the big production traditionally involved in updating paper versions of the Library Skills Workbook. We can make and upload changes quickly and do not need to worry about old paper copies floating around. It still is a challenge, though, to keep up with the rapid changes in Web resources.

Another advantage of online tutorials is that their use is not restricted by spatial or temporal limitations: they can be used from home or the workplace at any time, regardless of library hours. Additionally, they can supplement library instruction for students who did not catch on the first time. Online tutorials also can get students in the habit of going to the library Webpage for answers, or at least letting them know that there are other options besides Yahoo!. They also stand out a bit more from the many paper handouts students receive.

Finally, students seem to like and learn from the online tutorials. Although these tutorials have not undergone a formal evaluation, student comments generally have been favorable. In addition, students whom we have observed working on the online tutorials seem to be very engaged in the process. For example, a class of students came into an NVCC library recently to work on their library skills assignment. Working in pairs, some elected to work on the paper Library Skills Workbook while others selected the WebPAC/InfoTrac online tutorial. Those using the online tutorial had animated discussions with each other as they worked through the tutorial and seemed very focused in their efforts. When those students came up to the reference desk to have their answer sheets graded, they got very few questions wrong and engaged the reference librarian in an enthusiastic discussion about what they had tried, what had worked, and what had not worked.

The concept of working in pairs to complete the tutorial could also extend to students who are not very comfortable with technology; they can support each other and help each other work through problems.

Web research guides, or pathfinders, provide students with lists of links to Web resources and sometimes with lists of print materials as well. They are typically organized around an individual subject or discipline, such as biology or total quality management.

While many of these guides existed on the separate LRC Websites, the committee felt that a central directory would be beneficial. Developing a central directory provides each VCCS institution with a mechanism for sharing in the work of all, while providing a one-stop clearing-house as a starting point for Web-based research. The directory also publicizes the existing Web guides, and it helps avoid duplication of effort among VCCS members. See Figure 4 for an example.

Figure 4: A portion of the VCCS Web Research Guides directory.

To step back for a moment, let’s examine the rationale for individual Web guides and their advantages as research tools. It is becoming clear to librarians and teaching faculty that students are increasingly turning to the Web as the place to conduct their research. The availability of VIVA resources online, especially with off-campus access now available, only reinforces this trend. In addition it is also becoming clear that the Web is not the best resource for academic research that many students believe it to be. Students searching the Web for information can be overwhelmed by the large number of items their searches can retrieve since it is not unusual for a simple query in a search engine to result in thousands of Web pages retrieved. In addition, when conducting academic research it is often very difficult to pinpoint valid academic sources among the commercial and general Websites. Search tools like Yahoo! and AltaVista are often very inefficient when used by novice searchers in need of quality information resources.

With Web research guides, however, librarians and other LRC personnel can gather together the best appropriate resources, allowing students to simply point and click their way through a pre-selected list. The guides offer several advantages as research aids, including the ability to categorize types of Web information sources as well as annotate individual resources. See Figure 5 for an example.

Figure 5: Sample screen from JSRCC’s Biology Web guide.

It is also possible to integrate Web and print resources into the same guide, so that students who may tend to concentrate their research on the Web are made aware of useful in-house LRC materials. See Figure 6 for an example.

Figure 6: Sample screen from BRCC’s Literary Criticism Web guide.

These Web guides can also be customized to fit the needs of specific courses or assign-ments. It is even possible to present a link to pre-defined searches in a LRC’s catalog, so students can link to a bibliography of library materials that is generated fresh with each use. For example, in Figure 7 there is a link to a predefined search in the BRCC catalog for all nursing videocassettes.

Figure 7: Sample screen from BRCC’s Nursing Web guide.

Finally, these Web guides can serve as tools for bibliographic instruction, and as a tool for reaching out to teaching faculty. Faculty are often pleased to have a page on the LRC’s Web site where they can send students who are conducting research for their class, and these Web guides can serve as starting points for bibliographic instructional sessions. And this offers librarians an opportunity to work more closely with faculty to develop an individualized Web guide that fits their needs while building stronger relationships between the LRC and the teaching faculty.

Anne Anderson is a Library Assistant at Northern Virginia Community College. She received her M.S.L.S. from Catholic University of America in Spring 1999. She also has an M.A. in Linguistics from American University, and a B.A. in Spanish and Hispanic Studies from St. Olaf College.

David Gray is Librarian at Blue Ridge Community College. He received his M.S.L.S. from the University of Kentucky, and a B.A. in Philosophy and M.A. in English from Morehead State University.

Jacque Dessino is Electronic Services Librarian atTidewater Community College. She received her M.L.S. from Louisiana State University. She also holds an M.A. in Humanities/Women’s Studies from Old Dominion University, a B.S. in Computer Science from Nicholls State University, and a B.A. in English from Shippensburg State College.