Library short course in Canvas

Do you or someone you know hesitate to come into a library?  You're not alone.

Some people are anxious about entering a library, suffering from "library anxiety," viewing libraries as forbidding, confusing and overwhelming. Students may feel:

• Fear and uneasiness with the physical space of the library often related to how big the library is.

• Fear of approaching a librarian or library worker to ask for help.

• Fear that you are alone in not knowing how to use the library.

• Feeling paralyzed when trying to start library research.

If you find yourself experiencing any of these fears, it is important to understand that you are not alone and that you can overcome library anxiety. We have the best view on campus from the 3rd floor of Bldg. 9 and a friendly staff.

The Canada College Library short course is available in Canvas. This short course is designed to enhance library instruction given in the library classroom or through Zoom. This short course has no due dates, assignment deadlines or grades. Quizzes are optional with three or four multiple choice questions meant to solidify your understanding of the previous module. This five basic lessons are:

1. Library services, resources and hours
2. Using databases to find peer-reviewed articles
3. Evaluating sources and information: Finding reliable, credible information
4. What is plagiarism and how to avoid it
5. Citation style guides and how to use them

Whether you plan to transfer to a university or complete a certificate to improve your career, you will benefit by knowing how to use libraries. If you are a student planning to earn a bachelor's degree, you'll need to learn to navigate databases, create citations correctly and consult with librarians on research.

Cañada College offers a semester-long class where you can learn these skills, LIBR 100: Introduction to Information Research. This one-unit class transfers to UC and CSU and has no prerequisites or corequisites. 

If you can't fit a semester-long library science class into your schedule, this short course covers some of the basic lessons. Read at your own pace, take the quizzes, do the exercises, and contact a librarian when you have questions.

Libraries give you a lifetime of free resources

Even after you have completed degrees or certificates, you will benefit from having a public library card to gain access to books and materials, databases, and legal, government, and consumer resources. Public libraries give you access to:

• Books, magazines, movies and music. 
• eResources including language courses, online tutoring and more
• Museum and park passes through Discover & Go
• Computers, wi-fi, and printing 

You can have more than one library card

With a driver's license, passport, military or other government-issued ID and proof of a California address, you can open library accounts in an as many California public libraries as you'd like. Public libraries give library cards to anyone who lives in California.

• You do not need to live in the city where the library is.
• You do not need to be a US citizen or a permanent resident.
• You can have a library card at any age.

Sign up for a library card from any or all of these local library systems, each with over 20 branches. Find one in your neighborhood!

• San Mateo County is home to the over 30 libraries in the Peninsula Library System
• San Francisco Public Library
• San José Public Library
• Oakland Public Library

Having two or three library accounts gives you access to free resources like jobhunting and tax help.  Learning to use libraries is a good lifetime habit to cultivate.