Information for Faculty & Staff

Research Guides

The NECC Libraries offer research guides to help students find quality, relevant sources for a particular class or subject area. Librarians review, gather, and organize relevant research resources in a single place so students have library resources at their fingertips. Because NECC librarians create these guides and relate directly to the curriculum, they are uniquely helpful for our students. Guides can also be made for specific courses and general topic areas (for instance, we publish guides on topics such as using the NoodleTools citation helper).

The NECC Research Guides are indexed in Google and easily accessed from the library web page. If you are interested in having a guide created to complement your course or subject area, please get in touch with us. New guides are added regularly.

Information Literacy Instruction

The NECC Librarians provide information literacy instruction for NECC courses. Sessions may be scheduled anytime the library is open, including evenings. A Research and Instruction Librarian teaches classes, but we require that the instructor be present.

Information literacy instruction is highly recommended for any course with a research component and required for any course designated as “Information Literacy Intensive” to fulfill a NECC Core Academic Skills requirement. The library has created a guide for Information Literacy Intensive designated courses to help faculty incorporate this CAS into their curriculum.

Sessions are designed to fill an entire class period but can be adjusted to fit various schedules. We ask for at least one week of advance notice to schedule instruction to allow adequate preparation time. It is also helpful for the librarian to have a copy of the assignment and syllabus, as this will help us tailor the session to your students’ needs.

In addition to familiarizing students with the basics of using library resources, some topics we can cover include:

• The Architecture of Information – Understanding where different types of information in the discipline “live,” where we search for it, how it is produced, and how we understand data about it (catalog and database records, using subject terms for search, etc.)
• Source Evaluation – Understanding the difference between types of sources and evaluating them for purpose, use, audience, and relevance, exploring the ideas of authority and credibility and why those might change based on the intended use of the information.
• Advanced Web – Understanding domain names, the open nature of the web, how search engines rank information, the impact of social media, and how to evaluate a web source for reliability, accuracy, and bias.
• Citation – This refers to how to cite, why we cite, and how citation creates connections and context around the information.
• Ethics of Information – Understanding plagiarism, responsibly using and sharing information, “fake news,” copyright, digital rights, and open access.
• NoodleTools—NoodleTools is a bibliography generator (supporting APA, MLA, and Chicago styles) that helps students cite their sources properly. Students will set up their NoodleTools accounts and learn how to add different types of sources to their bibliographies.

To schedule a class in Haverhill Library, call 978-556-3401 or email Laura Mondt at lmondt@necc.mass.edu. To schedule a class in Lawrence, call 978-738-7400 or email Jenny Fielding at jfielding@necc.mass.edu.

Library Research Assignments

Incorporating library research into your course assignments can help your students better understand how information is published, organized, and disseminated in the library and on the Web. With expert knowledge of the availability and organization of print and electronic information, NECC Librarians can help design practical research assignments that avoid confusion and frustration among your students and help prevent plagiarism. Call Laura Mondt at the Bentley Library at (978) 556-3421 or email lmondt@necc.mass.edu, or Jenny Fielding at the Lawrence Campus Library at (978) 738-7400 or jfielding@necc.mass.edu.

Online Courses and Learning

With your help, librarians can make library resources and services more accessible to your online learners. Contact a librarian at Bentley Library at (978) 556-3401 or reference@necc.mass.edu.

It’s also easy to incorporate library resources into your Blackboard course with simple steps. To take advantage of this course enhancement, please contact one of the librarians.

If your students need assistance with using academic technology, please see the Academic Technology section below.

Suggesting Items for Our Collections

As experts in your academic discipline, you have a unique understanding of the resources that will enhance the learning experience. We are dedicated to making these resources available to you and your students and would appreciate your insight concerning our collections. Please let us know if you have a particular item that would be a valuable addition to the libraries.

Interlibrary Loan

Faculty may need to use materials that are not accessible or available in our collections. If information cannot be obtained from NECC sources, consult with a librarian or use the online request form.

The library will process up to 15 interlibrary loan requests per person each semester for NECC-related coursework. Some restrictions apply. Students and faculty requesting an interlibrary loan related to coursework at another institution will be referred to that institution’s interlibrary loan services.

Course Reserves

Faculty may place reading materials on reserve at the Circulation Desk at either library for the semester. The items can be restricted to “library use only” or may be checked out by students for a period chosen by the faculty member. Current “Course Reserves” are listed on a separate web page so students can locate them quickly. For more information, please get in touch with James Nalen on the Haverhill campus or Jenny Fielding on the Lawrence Campus.

Academic Technology Instruction

Academic Technology Specialists can meet with your class to help them use Blackboard, Office 365, and more. Contact Jacob Quiring in Haverhill or Rowan Blackwood in Lawrence. See our Online Learning Success page for additional information.