From Two Dot to Turkey: Reaching Online Library Users via Web Conferencing

Abstract

Librarians at Montana State University (MSU) find themselves in a dual role with respect to urban versus rural distance students. MSU librarians serve students at a distance in both metropolitan communities much larger than MSU’s home, Bozeman, and in tiny rural towns of a couple hundred people or fewer, such as Two Dot, Montana. Regardless of where they reside, students and faculty want access to the full spectrum of the institution’s resources and services, including the library, and MSU librarians strive to provide equivalent services to all. For the past two and a half years, librarians at MSU have utilized Adobe Connect web conferencing software to teach research skills to online students in real–time. This article will describe the MSU library’s services to all library users including the successful implementation of synchronous library instruction. The discovery of best practices, the use of assessment involving both students and faculty, and institutional support were integral components of this project. After several years of using web conferencing, MSU librarians realized the need for marketing to grow support for the program.