Information for Faculty

Faculty and staff may check out books from the main collection for 120 days and can renew items twice. Government Documents may be checked out for 4 weeks.

Interlibrary Loan

Books and journal articles not owned by the Gordon B. Olson Library can be requested via Interlibrary Loan (ILL).

The Library will pay up to $25 for faculty requests. If charges exceed this amount, the library will contact you before ordering the item and you may be asked to pay the amount in excess of $25.

Certain materials may be difficult to obtain through interlibrary loan:

• Rare or valuable items
• Bulky or fragile items
• Entire journal issues or volumes
• eBooks

Books and other lendable materials received via interlibrary loan are generally available for 2-4 weeks, as determined by the lending library. Fines will be charged for overdue ILL items, and lost items will be billed at the replacement cost set by the lending library. If a user continually disregards due dates, ILL privileges will be revoked.

Interlibrary loans can take anywhere from three days to two weeks to complete depending on the item, the location of the lending library, and the U.S. Postal Service.

Articles will be delivered electronically. Books and other circulating items can be picked up at the Circulation Desk. Items not picked up after 10 days will be returned to the lending library. 

Contact Person:

Celeste Hauser
Purchasing Associate
(701) 858-3858

The Reserve Collection exists to provide students with access to course materials. Faculty may place items on reserve using one of five loan periods: 2-hour, 5-hour, 1-day, 2-day, or 7-day reserves. Reserve materials may include library-owned items or personal copies provided by the instructor.

Any photocopied materials placed on reserve must comply with U.S. copyright law and may be declined by the library if necessary. The library does not provide photocopying services for reserve materials.

Please allow a minimum of 48 hours for the processing of reserve requests. Faculty are encouraged to submit reserve materials to Jolene Nechiporenko as far in advance of assignments as possible.

Contact:
Jolene Nechiporenko
Library Director
701-858-3868

Planning a research assignment for your students? Give your students hands-on practice with research skills in a library instruction session.  

Our instruction librarians offer sessions that help students think critically about the research process. We emphasize active learning and support research projects and class assignments by building essential information literacy skills.

We would be happy to schedule multiple sessions to support your class.

Guidelines for a Successful Instruction Session

1. Please give the librarian at least two weeks to prepare your instruction session.
   Librarians take these instruction sessions seriously. Give them time to prepare a good session for your students.
2. Schedule for maximum impact.
   Instruction sessions are most effective when students have started working on the assignment but still have adequate time to complete their research.
3. Provide a copy of the assignment and due date to the librarian.
   This helps us tailor examples, search strategies, and resources to the assignment.
4. Explain your source expectations.
   Students benefit when they understand, before the session, your criteria for appropriate sources.

Contacts:

Ben Bruton
Reference and Instruction Librarian
701-858-3013

Mara West
Reference and Instruction Librarian
701-858-3095

Faculty members interested in library instruction or support for off-campus students should contact Reference and Instruction Librarian Ben Bruton. Ben provides research assistance to online students, including those who have never visited Minot State University’s Gordon B. Olson Library

Ben can assist students with:

• Locating books and peer-reviewed journal articles, including interlibrary loan services
• Citation help and guidance on using style manuals
• Individual research consultations
• Instruction on using library databases and the online catalog
• Questions about library policies, procedures, and services
• Referrals to other academic support services, including Information Technology, the Writing Center, and tutoring

Embedded Librarian Support

Librarians can also be embedded in online courses to provide direct student support. Services may include:

• Brief library instruction sessions
• Course guides tailored to assignments
• Individual research appointments
• Assistance with research skills, topic development, finding scholarly sources, and using citation style guides

Faculty should contact the Reference and Instruction Librarian at least two weeks in advance to arrange instruction or consultation sessions. Support is available via email, phone, or Microsoft Teams.

Contact:
Ben Bruton
Reference and Library Instruction Librarian
(701) 858-3013

Faculty are encouraged to participate in the development of the library collection. Each academic department or college is allocated a portion of the library’s collection development budget to support the purchase of materials in its subject areas. Faculty members should submit requests through their department’s designated representative, who will forward recommendations to the appropriate liaison librarian.

Final selection and purchasing decisions are made by the liaison librarian in consultation with the Collection Development Librarian, in accordance with the library’s Collection Development Policy, budget priorities, and curricular needs.

Contact the Electronic Resources and Collection Management Librarian with questions or concerns about purchasing materials.

Kathleen Simi
Electronic Resources and Collection Management Librarian
701-858-3203

Policy for the Assignment and Use of Study Carrels

1. Carrels are assigned to faculty and graduate students who require continuing use of library resources.
2. Application for carrels must be submitted by email to the library Purchasing Associate.
3. Carrels should be used for scholarship and will not provide office or conference space.
4. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to notify the Purchasing Associate when their carrel is no longer needed.
5. There is a $20 fee for replacing lost keys. 
6. Carrels are not accessible when the library is closed.
7. Furniture should be neither introduced nor removed from the carrels.
8. Walls and doors must be kept free of nails, tape, or any other method of affixing objects.
9. Windows must not be covered.
10. Carrels will be monitored by library staff, and any materials not checked out will be returned to the collection.

Contact:
Celeste Hauser
Purchasing Associate
(701) 858-3858

Classroom Space

We welcome classes utilizing our resources and collections. Although we lack a formal private classroom, we are happy to accommodate classes accompanied by an instructor in our shared spaces. Please contact Library Director Jolene Nechiporenko with questions or special requests.

Library Commons

The library's main floor serves as a technology hub, featuring PC and Mac workstations alongside document services, including color printing, scanning, and photocopying. For specialized research and study needs, we provide microfilm readers, mobile whiteboards, and device charging stations.