In keeping with Amberton University’s commitment to provide a specialized institution of higher education for students, the Library Resource Center (LRC) meets the needs of on-campus and off-campus students through a collection of print and on-line media selected to support the University’s courses and degree programs. In conjunction with the faculty, the LRC continually identifies and acquires new print and electronic materials, which assure students accessibility to relevant and timely resources. All Amberton students are expected to conduct scholarly research in the fulfillment of course requirements.

CAMPUS RESOURCES

Library Resource Center on-campus resources include relevant reference materials, including books, handbooks, journals, indexes and abstracts. The convenient on-line public access catalog system is used to search library holdings which are continually updated. The LRC also houses an open research lab, available to all currently enrolled Amberton students. While Amberton students are expected to have access to the Internet through work or home, the LRC research lab, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, provides high-speed Internet access and those tools required by students to conduct scholarly on-line research.

REMOTE RESOURCES

For the student who may be taking courses off-campus, through distance-learning or simply wants the convenience of researching at home, the LRC provides access to a wide variety of on-line research services. These services are accessible through the University’s web site and through the Virtual University. Using these services, currently enrolled students can access thousands of full-text and abstract sources in the form of on-line journals, periodicals, electronic books and indexes. Students also have search access to the LRC holdings through the on-line public access circulation system.

Amberton University is a member of national and state library research associations. These affiliations enable the Library Resource Center staff to locate materials in national databases for student interlibrary loans. In addition, students who reside in Texas are eligible to obtain a TexShare card that can be used to borrow books in many public and academic libraries throughout the state. Students needing assistance with any of these services should contact library personnel.

RESEARCH ASSISTANCE

The Library Resource Center’s professional staff is available to assist all students, regardless of location, with their research needs. Assistance includes orientation programs, research training, document delivery, and reference help. Library personnel may be reached by phone, fax, e-mail or postings in the Virtual University discussion forum. Contact information is listed on the University’s web site and in each session’s Schedule of Classes. While the Library staff provides assistance in conducting on-line research, they do not provide basic computer training or training in application packages. Students are expected to be computer literate before attending Amberton. Students are also encouraged to assess their research needs well in advance of the due date of any research project and to plan accordingly.