Faculty & Staff

Information Literacy Instruction

Most students entering university need further assistance to navigate the complex information network that is suddenly available to them. One of the primary jobs of librarians is to assist the transition to using databases and information in an academic setting; working in conjunction with faculty, librarians can tailor instruction to flow seamlessly with course content and year-level of students.

To request an instruction session, email either sclark@burmanu.ca.

Putting Materials on Reserve

If you need a book to be reserved specially for your class, please ensure that the book is available and then email this form to library@burmanu.ca. Materials may be reserved for 2 hours, 4 hours, 1 day, or 3 day checkout periods.

Please allow at least a day after putting materials on reserve before giving assignments from it.

Request a Libguide

Faculty and staff can request libguides to augment their classes and provide their students with a place to find resources. To request a libguide, email library@burmanu.ca. Once your request is processed, a librarian will get in contact with you and discuss your needs, then craft the libguide according to your wishes.

Developing Your Library's Collection

The librarians are thrilled to receive any assistance from faculty and staff in creating a robust and useful collection for our students to use. If you have any needs for materials (electronic or print), please email library@burmanu.ca with your request and we will try to fill it as quickly as possible.

Laminating Services

Laminating services are available for $3.00 per meter (maximum 28 inches wide). Charges are made through the department at the end of the month.

Designing Assignments

The librarians are happy to work with you in designing effective assignments and providing course-integrated instruction. These assignments will allow you to educate students both in their coursework and the information literacy required for them to succeed. Please consider this list of example assignments:

1. Challenge Article: In response to reading an article:
   • Easy: Examine each assumption, proving its truth or falsehood with outside sources.
   • Medium: Investigate the writer and his or her bias.
   • Advanced: Rewrite the article in light of your version of the truth.
2. Literature Comparison
   • Easy: Compare the literature on a topic from different areas. How has the terminology of this topic changed over time?
   • Medium: What questions are still unanswered?
   • Advanced: Write an imaginary citation list on the topic from ten years in the future.
3. Pathfinder:
   • Easy: Create a miniguide to a topic: outline the topic and annotate a list of the best reference books, databases, websites, and journals.
   • Medium: Add a short list of seminal works and thinkers on this topic, and explain their importance.
   • Advanced: Explain the most efficient way to track this topic if I want to follow developments in the future.
4. Alternative Viewpoints
   • Easy: Read 2 - 3 magazine articles on a topic. Explain which viewpoints are not represented. Which persons, viewpoints, or groups are not included in the assumptions or worldview of the authors?
   • Medium: Locate a few of these voices and evaluate their arguments.
   • Investigate why the magazines missed these voices.
5. Review Update
   • Easy: Find a review article that is at least five years old and update the bibliography.
   • Medium: How has knowledge of the topic changed?
   • Advanced: What was the purpose of the review article? Was the review article biased?
6. History Source Criticism
   • Easy: Given a well-known primary historical source, who wrote the source and why did they write it?
   • Medium: Follow its use forward in history. Who used it and why?
   • Advanced: Has it been compromised or re-evaluated over time? How/why or how/why not?