Scope of Library Services 

We aim to help Galveston College students succeed by empowering them to find, evaluate, manage, apply, and ethically use information in their academic research assignments, future educational endeavors and careers, and as life-long learners in an information-driven society. The library works collaboratively with faculty, students, and the college community through outreach, reference assistance, and library instruction to teach core competencies in information literacy. 

We Can

• Explain library and research concepts

• Answer questions about the various tools and resources in the Library

• Assist in developing search strategies that will maximize research

• Provide tips and tools to make your time spent in the databases more productive

• Assist in obtaining copies of resources not available in the Library databases

Complex research questions may take longer to answer than simple questions. However, you will typically receive a response from the Library within 24 hours, except when the Library is closed. 

We Cannot

• Analyze an assignment and come up with an appropriate research topic. We can help focus a general issue in a more specific direction, but choosing a research topic is the student’s responsibility

• Perform database research and provide you with specific articles for in-class assignments, projects, etc. While we can assist in search strategies (e.g., by suggesting search terms), it is the responsibility of the student to perform the research and examine the search results for pertinent articles 

• Assist with the content of assignments, papers, or projects. For assistance with the content and direction of an assignment or paper, we suggest consulting with the professor or Career Placement & Tutoring Center