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Adopted by CUWL
11/8/99
Revised 2/13/01
Revised 2/21/01
Revised 5/5/05
Revised 1/24/07                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

UW SYSTEM POLICY ON LIBRARY SUPPORT FOR DISTANCE LEARNING

PHILOSOPHY OF SERVICE:

Traditional, on-campus library services are insufficient to meet the needs of those involved in Distance Learning courses.  Innovative, personalized service and varied formats of information access and delivery need to be emphasized to properly serve these students.

The UW System Libraries operate under the concept of One System – One Library, and each library will work to maximize access to all UW System resources for their users.  Every effort will be made to accommodate the needs of Distance Learning students and faculty so that they receive service comparable to traditional, on-campus users.  Distance Learning library services refers to those library services in support of UW courses or programs offered away from a campus.  Each library will determine the criteria whereby students are eligible to receive distance learning library services.

PRINCIPLES OF SERVICE:

1.0       The home campus will be responsible for providing and arranging for library resources and access services.  This includes, but is not limited to:

1.1       Authentication processes for validation and identification.
1.2       Coordination with UW System and other libraries for filling ILL/Document Delivery requests, electronic access and on-site services.  All UW Libraries will participate in resource sharing among monograph collections.
1.3       Online and telephone reference service.
1.4       Distance Learning web page with links to library services and self-help modules.
1.5       Facilitating instruction to enhance students' information seeking skills.
1.6        Providing a toll-free telephone number to contact the library.
1.7       Delivery of resources and services in a format that, to the extent possible, is accessible for persons with disabilities.
1.8       Delivery of library materials to the student’s home, or other designated address or electronically to the student’s desktop as appropriate.

2.0       While libraries encourage distance learning students to get campus photo ID cards, in the event that this is impossible or impractical, or not technically feasible other forms of photo ID will be accepted.

3.0       A Distance Learning Librarian Liaison on each campus will be identified to promote and coordinate programs, agreements and policies/procedures for students, faculty and UW System libraries.

4.0       Interlibrary loan materials including returnables and non-returnables will be delivered directly to UW students currently enrolled in Distance Learning courses. 

5.0       Reserve materials must be made available to Distance Learners.  UW System-wide policy with respect to copyright will be followed.

6.0       All libraries will make available and promote information about library support for Distance Learning to their campus.

7.0       The Distance Learning Library Liaison will provide annual reports to the Director of the Library or CUWL representative, indicating the approximate number of student contacts, the services requested, problems encountered, etc.  These reports will be reviewed biannually by CUWL. 

8.0       As libraries consider new services or changes to existing services, they will consider the impact and repercussions on the Distance Learning population.  Libraries will require access for the Distance Learning population when negotiating licensing agreements. 

9.0       Library staff will make every effort to collaborate with Distance Learning faculty to strengthen the use of library services within the context of their courses. 

10.0     Libraries will develop collaborative strategies to integrate library resources into the Learn@UW or other course management system(s) currently in use.

11.0     When campuses enter into multi-institutional agreements for Distance Learning programs, libraries will work out agreements for who is responsible for providing service to those students.

Note:   These general guidelines and principles were adopted in accordance with the ACRL Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Service, 2004. http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/guidelinesdistancelearning.htm