Distance Education Services
Research and Instruction
Whether a student in a course taught off-campus, enrolled in a web-based course, or taking a correspondence course, Research and Instruction can provide assistance to help meet the research needs of SHSU’s Distance Learners. The Reference Area has phone, online chat, and email assistance to help answer brief, factual questions or to direct students to resources which might help provide needed information. The Ask-a-Librarian service is available all hours the Library is open for real-time chat, and email service. Telephone assistance at the toll-free number 1-866-NGL-INFO (1-866-645-4636) is also available during all regular Library hours.
When seeking assistance by phone, please identify yourself as a registered user of the Library’s Distance Learning Services, with the following information:
- Name
- SHSU ID Number
- Home Address
- Course Title and Instructor
Library Instruction Services
Librarians are available to give Library Instruction presentations, which emphasize research methods and how to use the resources and services provided by the Sam Houston State University Library. This service, must be requested by the course instructor, and is available on-campus, and off campus at The University Center, and at course locations in the Greater Houston Area. Instructors can schedule library instruction for classes by contacting Ms. Susan Strickland at (936) 294-3128, or by email at (lib_sds@shsu.edu). Instruction can also be provided by the Librarian at The University Center, Ms. Lonna Beers at (936) 273-7562.
The Online Instruction Series is comprised of Instruction Modules and Online Tutorials, providing a way for individual students to learn about using electronic resources. In the Instruction Modules there are short audio and video instructions on various aspects of library research such as: “Find a Book”, “Find an Article”. The Online Tutorials instruct users in how to evaluate and locate information throughout the library, including using the library catalog, online databases and the Internet. Each module of the tutorial requires students to pass a quiz to continue on to the next module, and there is a printable “certificate of completion” at the end of each tutorial.