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A library professional will work with you to design a group research visit that serves your instructional needs.
History Day - Guidelines for Visitors
- Western Libraries closed to the public but Open Online. See the COVID-19 Updates and Resources page for the latest information.
History Day - Guidelines for Visitors
Before you visit, please consider the following...
Preparation
Contact Us: Contact the Libraries at least two weeks in advance of a planned visit. We may not be able to accommodate a visit on a particular day, so please have a few potential dates in mind when calling to schedule your visit. You can use this form to Request a Visit.
Research Topics: We encourage you to send us a copy of your assignment and a list of your students’ specific research topics, so that we can review appropriate sources and search strategies prior to the library visit.
Pre-Visit the Libraries: We encourage you to arrange a pre-visit orientation. Although not required, this guided visit will be helpful to acquaint you, the instructor, with the library system and the physical arrangement of materials and services.
Group Size: We recommend a 25 student maximum to minimize the impact visits have on Western Washington University students, and to provide a more focused attention for your students. Consider dividing larger classes into smaller groups, or selecting those students whose research needs can only be met at an academic library.
Black-out Dates: Due to high demand of personnel, spaces, and research materials, we cannot accommodate group visits during the midterm and final exam periods during each quarter (roughly, the fifth and last weeks of the quarter).
Day of Visit
Chaperones: Arrange to have one adult accompany every 10 students. This ensures that the librarian or reference personnel assigned to your group will have sufficient help in meeting the research needs of all your students.
Borrowing Materials: If you want your students to be able to check-out books and other circulating materials using the Whatcom One Card program for community members, make sure they bring the required documents. Find details at Whatcom One Card. Information about the costs of printing and copying materials will also be helpful.
After the Visit
Research Tools: Students can continue their research after visiting by using the Western Libraries OneSearch available on the Western Libraries web site. Guide your students in searching the catalog to identify books and other items that they need prior to the visit. You might have them print out pertinent bibliographical records from our catalog to bring to the visit. Click here for tips on searching OneSearch.