University Libraries Research and Instructional Services

Libraries Instruction Policies

University Libraries' faculty provide library instruction to classes and groups in collaboration with faculty in other academic departments, to promote information literacy throughout the university curriculum. We encourage teaching faculty to consider incorporating an information literacy component into their courses.

Faculty planning library instruction should consider the following guidelines:

• Requests for library instruction must be made at least two weeks in advance to ensure librarian and room availability and to give the librarian ample time to prepare for the class.
• The instructor should be present at the time of instruction.
• When possible, the library instruction visit should be done in connection to an assignment.
• No food or drink is allowed in the Instruction Center.
• Library instruction is scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Library instruction may be requested for remote sites and for mornings, evenings, and weekends.
• No library instruction will be scheduled in McWherter Library at times when the Library is closed.
• All library instruction is scheduled through Instructional Services

Room Use Policies

The primary use of the Instruction Center is for library instruction and our policies are designed to ensure the rooms are available for that use. U of M faculty and staff may schedule non-library-instruction use of either of the rooms in accordance with the guidelines below. Students may not schedule the rooms and are not allowed to use the rooms without a faculty or staff member present.

Please review the space information for both rooms - 225 and 226 - to determine which will suit your purposes. NOTE: Room 226 laptops are available only for sessions involving library personnel. In other cases, participants may bring their own laptops or check out laptops from the library. 

Use of a room is restricted to those who comply with the following guidelines:

• The rooms are for short-term use only; semester-long courses will not be scheduled.
• Recurring or regularly-scheduled meetings or classes will not be pre-scheduled in the Instruction Center.
• The Instruction Center may be limited to library instruction use during the first 8 weeks of the semester, as this is the busiest period for library instruction.
• Requests for non-library-instruction use will not be scheduled more than two weeks in advance during Fall and Spring semesters. Exceptions may be made if the requested date falls within the last four weeks of the semester (including Finals week).
• A University of Memphis employee must be listed as the responsible party and must be present in the room at all times. Students may not schedule the rooms and are not allowed to use the rooms without a faculty or staff member present.
• No food or drink is allowed in the Instruction Center.
• If needed, all responsible parties must arrange for training on the equipment in the Instruction Center prior to use.
• No software should be loaded onto the computers. If software is needed for the training, please inform Instructional Services at the time of scheduling so the University Libraries Systems Department may oversee the installation and removal.
• No laptops or other equipment may be connected to the computers in the Instruction Center without prior arrangement with Instructional Services.
• Rooms 225 and 226 will be locked at all times. The responsible party should ask at the RAD (Research Assistance Desk - to your right as you enter the McWherter Library) to have the reserved room unlocked.
• All instructor station equipment should be turned off and the room returned to its original order before leaving.
• All scheduling is done through Instructional Services.

If you wish to reserve ML 225 or ML 226 for non-library-instruction purposes, please use the In-Person Library Instruction Request form, also available through the Request Library Instruction link on the Libraries Instruction page.

About Guided Instruction Visits

Guided Instruction Visits provide an orientation of the spaces, services, and resources of McWherter Library. Visits are associated with and tailored to visitors' current assignment(s), areas of study, and/or research interests in order to increase relevancy and retention. Requesters will be asked to provide details regarding this information. 

• Guided Instruction Visits are available to 7th-graders and older only. Requesters for groups that include minors (anyone under the age of 18 who is not a University Schools student) must first submit a request through the UofM’s Educational Initiatives Youth Program (EIYP). If this request is approved by the EIYP, it will be forwarded to the Libraries for further approval. Once approved, requesters will be notified and must abide by the UofM Minors on Campus Policy. The approval process for a visit including minors may take up to 60 days.
• Guided Instruction Visits (not including minors) must be requested at least three (3) weeks in advance.
• Guided Instruction Visits may accommodate up to 30 people; each visiting group will be made up of no more than 15 people.
• Guided Instruction Visit requests may be refused if the request cannot be accommodated by Libraries' personnel.

To request a Guided Instruction Visit, contact Barbara Thomas at brthomas@memphis.edu. If you have not heard back within two business days, call the RAD (Research Assistance Desk) at 901.678.2208.

Tours of Libraries spaces which are unrelated to instruction/research are not available through the Libraries. If you are interested in a tour of the University of Memphis, please visit the UofM Admissions' Visit Campus page.