The Toolkit is a collection of short videos, text, and audio that is designed to answer your research questions quickly and effectively. The Toolkit can be searched or browsed, and is designed so that the content can be reused in a variety of contexts.
Who is the Toolkit for?
The Toolkit is designed to help students get the research answers they need at any hour of the day.
What is the difference between a "tool," "toolbox," and "toolbench?"
A "tool" is one answer. It can be a short video, text, or an audio file. A "toolbox" is a collection of tools on a theme. A toolbox might be based on a specific database, a class, or a skill set. The "toolbench" is the part of the site that allows users to combine tools to meet their needs.
For Students
How can the toolkit help me?
The Toolkit has been designed to be simple and fast to use. If you have a specific thing you are looking for you can search at the top of the page. If you have a general idea, but want to see all the options, you can browse using "new," "popular," or the box of keywords in the lower right corner of the page. If you don't want to take the time to come to the reference desk, if it's very late at night, or if you just want to help yourself, the Toolkit was made for you.
What if I can't find the answer I need?
You can suggest a tool and we will make it for you. Of course, it will take a little time for a librarian to make a new tool, so if you need the answer within a few days, you probably should ask a librarian.
For Faculty
How can the toolkit help me?
The toolkit can give you a place to collect research skills that you want your students to learn. You can use this to supplement in-person library instruction or in lieu of it. We can create custom tools and toolboxes for your class. The toolkit is entirely modular, so you can also take the tools from the toolkit and embed them in other websites. The aim of the toolkit is to help your students do better research.
What does "embed" mean?
"Embed" means that you can take the tool from the toolkit and place it on another website. If you click the link for "Embed this tool" the toolkit copies a small piece of code to your computer's clipboard. You can then paste it wherever you'd like the tool to display. If you need help with process this you can ask a librarian.
How can I combine tools that are most useful for my class?
The toolbox function was designed for this specific use. You can combine tools into one toolkit which has its own webpage. If you would like, you can either distribute this URL to your students or display it on your website. If you would like help creating a toolbox, you can ask a librarian.
What if I can't find a specific tool that I would like for my class?
We will gladly make you tools as you need them for your classes. Please contact your subject liaison or Kyle Denlinger.