Reference Services
The James E. Tobin Library supports the goals of students and faculty by providing an environment conducive to academic learning. Reference services are available from librarians via chat, text, email and in person. For more information visit the Ask a Librarian page.
The JET Library is open 84 hours per week, with extended hours offered during finals. Reference librarians and virtual Chat services are available during these hours for research assistance to anyone on or off campus. On the main campus a minimum of two degreed librarians are always available to provide individualized assistance to students and faculty. There are a total of twenty full time and adjunct librarians utilized in order to support three shifts across multiple service points.
Outside of the JET Library, reference services during fall and spring semesters are available four days per week in the Information Commons; two evenings per week at the Suffolk Extension Center located in Farmingdale, NY and in the recently built Barbara Hagan Center for Nursing, an embedded Health Sciences Librarian is on site six hours per week.
Instructional Services
Customized instruction sessions are designed to serve the needs of any given class. Over 200 instruction classes are taught each year by librarians; some designed to target the FST initiative while others are specific to assignments, level of student (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, PhD) or a particular discipline. Classes can be conducted in our instruction rooms, in a professor's classroom or virtually through Canvas.
A professor can request an instruction session via the online form.
Library Credit Courses: The library offers two courses: LIB101: Information Literacy and LIB103: Information Literacy for Social Work students. Both versions are one-credit, hybrid courses. In these courses, students learn how to navigate 21st century information sources, understand the different types of sources appropriate for a given assignment, improve search strategies, navigate through an array of resources (including the internet and library databases), evaluate material to determine credibility, organize research effectively and use sources in an ethical manner. Through lectures and hands-on lab experiences, students learn the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in college and their professional life. LIB103 is a requirement for all Social Work majors and is not open to other majors; LIB101 is a requirement for all English majors and is open to any major.
One-on-One appointments: Students and faculty can sit down with a librarian for a half hour to an hour for individualized appointments. Appointments are conducted in the JET library, the Suffolk Center or virtually. Student appointments can focus on difficult research assignments, learning a new resource, or exploring library services. Students can request sessions via this online form. Faculty appointments can focus on compiling reading lists, supporting faculty research, or learning new resources. Faculty can request sessions via this online form. Last year, the library conducted 100 personalized one-on-one appointments.
