B18. Special Users, Special Needs: Designing an Instructional Toolkit for Research Assistants at a Research Library

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Presenter(s): 
Kate Scherler, Rutgers University
Molly Stewart, Rutgers University
Judit Ward, Rutgers University

This presentation will share the Center of Alcohol Studies (CAS) Library’s experience with creating a specialized resource aimed at assisting library users new to research. Using LibGuides, the instructional toolkit provides an overview of the research process, including search tips, troubleshooting for finding online articles, an introduction to reference management software, and scholarly publication how-to’s. Known as RAT (Research Assistant Toolkit), the resource was developed by CAS librarians with the intention of combining technology and staff to reach out to the Center’s new undergraduate and graduate assistants, as well as post-doc and faculty members new to the university.

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Summary of RAT presentation

Rutgers University Center of Alcohol Studies (CAS) is a Multidisciplinary Institute dedicated to the study of substance use, with faculty specializing in sociology,psychology, neuroscience, education, and counseling among other areas. The CAS Library provides article and book delivery services, literature surveys and anything else the researchers need. A specialized toolkit, Research Assistants Toolkit (RAT), was developed to help users, especially research assistants, navigate and discover the resources of the CAS Library. Two platforms were used and created to deliver and discover relevant information: LibGuides and Sakai.LibGuides was chosen for ease of use and Sakai for its ability to protect proprietary information. Evaluation of RAT is ongoing and feedback is garnered from Faculty, Rutgers Librarians, Research Assistants, and Graduate, Undergraduate students. Aside from a being an important resource, RAT has also proved to be a great marketing tool - it allows CAS Library staff to reach out to faculty and show that the CAS Librarians and staff are thinking proactively about their needs.

Presented by Kate Scherler, Molly Stewart and Judit Ward; Rutgers University.

Recorder: Frank Jolliffe, 2012