A Link in every Syllabus: Providing Students with Current Information

Abstract

For distance education students, the learning management system (LMS) is their university. An essential document that students access from their LMS is the course syllabus. The standard information included from university support services such as the library can be dry, outdated, and not useful for students. In addition, pulling the information into the syllabus without a link back to the original source risks a syllabus riddled with broken links and incorrect information relayed to students. The project described here focuses on the creation of a LibGuide for online students that functions as both a resource and a portal to other essential resources. This LibGuide is kept current and userfriendly for students and is automatically inserted in all syllabi for distance education courses. This effort has significantly increased use of the LibGuide, a greater awareness of library integration possibilities, and has taken the burden off of academic departments to keep library information current and links working. The reader should walk away with a rationale for why this project is worthwhile and an understanding of how to complete a similar initiative.