Abstract
In the fall semester of 2007, Hudson Valley Community College launched the course “How to Use the Library”, a tutorial that includes information literacy and research skills, on every student’s Blackboard account. The tutorial is an open-access course, the first of its kind to be developed by a faculty member and mounted on the College’s course management system. It represented several milestones, the most important of which is creating a prominent library presence in Blackboard. The course consists of eighteen modules, covering such topics as search methods, avoiding plagiarism, and how to use the library databases. There are six interactive quizzes, which are scored immediately, so that the student can see how well he or she has absorbed the material. It was designed to be accessible to everyone from the seasoned computer whiz, who loves all things wired, to the returning student, who may need to brush up on “point and click” skills. There is an opportunity within the course to submit feedback, and the response from faculty and students has been resoundingly positive.
