If you are new (or even if you are returning) to RRC Library, the various options on our website can seem overwhelming. At the same time, what you see on the surface is only the tip of the iceberg. We encourage you to check out our Library 101 collection of guides, which are designed to help you get the most out of your Library experience. These are a great starting point if you are unfamiliar with our Library or just want general guidance.
There are three sections, which may be used in any order:
Our online service desk is open
In addition to our Library 101, our online service desk is open during our regular hours. If you have a question, Ask Us at library.rrc.ca! We’d love to hear from you!
Collaboration resulted in a tailor-made guide
In this special edition of Guide Spotlight, we celebrate the collaboration between a Library staff member and an instructor from RRC’s Nursing Department. The Oncology Nursing guide began as a conversation and resulted in a tailor-made guide which “contains up-to-date and comprehensive Oncology resources and allows students enrolled in [the] 3rd-year Oncology Nursing elective to engage in meaningful research that will be individually tailored to their learning needs. Access to these up-to-date resources will also benefit our students as they prepare to enter practice in our health care settings across the province.” (Joanne Loughery, Nursing Instructor)
Special thanks to Rosemary for the support and valuable research expertise she provides to our nursing students as we prepare them for excellence in nursing practice in complex health care settings.
What is a guide?
Library Guides pull together a range of resources on a given topic. These include materials from the Library’s collection such as books, videos, and articles as well as online sources such as webpages, YouTube videos, and online reports. Guides house all of this information in one place, simplifying access and providing a single link you can place on your LEARN site. One of the great aspects of guides is their flexibility – they can be updated, adapted, and transformed at any time.
What is the process?
Rosemary Woodby describes the process of collaborating on a guide as “flexible, but typically starts with a discussion about what is needed for the class – what type of resources and topics will this guide focus on? I then ask for recommendations – are there webpages, videos, books, or articles that an instructor recommends to their students? I combine those recommendations with items from the Library into a guide format using our LibGuide software platform and when we are all happy with the result the guide is published and made available to students and the college community.”
I can build these myself but when developed in collaboration with faculty they are so much richer; and create a strong resource that is tailored to the needs of the students. (Rosemary Woodby, Library Services)
Interested in collaborating on a subject guide?
If you are interested in working with a Library staff member on the creation of a guide, please contact the Library by emailing library@rrc.ca or click on the Ask Us bubble at library.rrc.ca.
Visit the Guides
This academic year finds us in quite a different world; however, our commitment to providing you with the supports and services you need to succeed at RRC remains unchanged. As we continue this year together, the Academic Success Centre & Library are here for you.
Working from Home – A Guide for Students
With courses moving online, we need to change the way we approach our work and study. In addition, you may be coping with anxiety and/or other emotions connected to COVID-19. Indeed, these are challenging times! That’s why RRC Library has compiled a guide to help students succeed at working and studying from home.
What’s Inside
This guide covers everything from health and well-being to study tips and information you will need while at RRC. Here’s a list of the sections:
Related posts:
Related guides:
Have a question?
During the Library’s regular hours, a friendly staff member is available to chat with you online. Just click on the Ask Us bubble at library.rrc.ca.
Whether you’re at home or on campus, Library Services is here to support you and help you reach your goals.
A Mine of Demographic and Statistical Information
Developed in consultation with RRC Nursing instructors, the Nursing Community Assessment Guide is a valuable aid for nursing students completing the Community Health Assessment paper. As you gather information about communities to analyze health issues and health needs from a population perspective, it will give you a starting point to help focus your research.
While created specifically for Nursing students, this guide addresses a variety of community perspectives and is useful for anyone looking for demographic or statistical information about Winnipeg. This guide will help you identify and write about the following topics related to a community health assessment:
- Purpose, target group and location
- Community history and perception
- Population
- Physical environments
- Socioeconomic environments
- Education and healthy child development
- Culture and religion
- Health regions and social services
- Transportation
- Government and politics
We Are Here For You
While the Library’s physical doors are closed, the online service desk is still running and ready to serve you. Staff are online during the following hours (day-by-day Library hours are available at library.rrc.ca):
Monday – Thursday 7:30am – 8:00pm
Friday 7:30am – 4:30pm
Saturday 8:30am – 4:00pm
During this time, a staff member is available to chat or answer your email. Simply visit library.rrc.ca and click on the Ask Us bubble or send an email to library@rrc.ca.
Related guides >>
The Challenges of Changing your Study Habits
We all know that change can be difficult, especially during a time of so many unknowns.
As Red River College shifts to an online course environment, that means we need to change our study habits and change the way we access resources.
Helpful Tips
In response to the changes to Red River College’s learning environment, the Academic Success Centre and the Library have created an Adjusting Study Habits During COVID-19 document with tips to help students adapt the way they study.
The tips in the document include how to:
- Stay Organized
- Avoid Multitasking
- Make the Most of Video Lectures
- Set a Schedule
- Develop New Strategies
- Do Remote Team and Group Work
- Stay Connected to Others
As we are all adjusting to an online course environment, our advice is to be patient and to take care of your wellbeing first, then try out the suggested tips.
We Are Here For You
While the Library’s physical doors are closed, the online service desk is still running and ready to serve you. Staff are online during the following hours:
Monday – Thursday 7:30am – 8:00pm
Friday 7:30am – 4:30pm
Saturday 8:30am – 4:00pm
During this time, a staff member is available to chat or answer your email. Simply visit library.rrc.ca and click on the Ask Us button or send an email to library@rrc.ca.
Related links >>
The Challenges of Learning and Studying from Home
Many people find learning and studying from home a challenge, and this is magnified by the stresses associated with COVID-19. If you are not accustomed to learning and studying at home, you may be coping with some of the following difficulties:
- Loneliness and isolation
- Time management
- Disruption of plans and goals (graduation, work placements, etc.)
- Lack of structure
- Fear and uncertainty
- Technological problems
- Distractions
A Timely Guide for Students
In response to the stress placed upon RRC students at this time, the Library has developed the Working from Home – Students guide. This compilation features refreshing ideas, tips, resources, supports, services and links to help ease the stress of learning and studying from home. We also hope to save you time and energy by providing information you urgently need right now.
Online Service Desk Hours
While the Library’s physical doors are closed, the online service desk is still running and ready to serve you. Staff are online during the following hours:
Monday – Thursday 7:30am – 8:00pm
Friday 7:30am – 4:30pm
Saturday 8:30am – 4:00pm
During this time, a staff member is available to chat or answer your email. Simply visit library.rrc.ca and click on the Ask Us button or send an email to library@rrc.ca.
The Challenges of Working from Home
Many people find working from home a challenge, and this is magnified by the stresses associated with COVID-19. If you are not accustomed to working at home, you may be coping with some of the following difficulties:
- Time management
- Digital miscommunication
- Loneliness and isolation
- Burnout
- Technological problems
- Distractions
- Lack of structure
- Work-life imbalance
- Fear and uncertainty
- Disruption of plans and goals
A Timely Guide for RRC Faculty and Staff
Photo by bongkarn thanyakij from Pexels
In response to the stress placed upon RRC faculty and staff at this time, the Library has developed a Working from Home Guide. This compilation features refreshing ideas, tips, resources, supports, services and links to help ease the stress of working from home. We also hope to save you time and energy by providing information you urgently need right now.
Online Service Desk Hours
While the Library’s physical doors are closed, the online service desk is still running and ready to serve you. Staff are online during the following hours:
Monday – Thursday 7:30am – 8:00pm
Friday 7:30am – 4:30pm
Saturday 8:30am – 4:00pm
During this time, a staff member is available to chat or answer your email. Simply visit library.rrc.ca and click on the Ask Us button or send an email to library@rrc.ca.
Related links >>
In these uncertain times when many of us are unexpectedly isolated in work and study, RRC Library wants you to know that we care and are still here to assist you.
RRC Library Online
Online Service Desk Hours (Chat and Email)
While the Library’s physical doors are closed, the online service desk is still running and ready to serve you. Staff are online during the following hours:
- Monday – Thursday 7:30am – 8:00pm
- Friday 7:30am – 4:30pm
- Saturday 8:30am – 4:00pm
During this time, a staff member is available to chat or answer your email. Simply visit library.rrc.ca and click on the Ask Us button or send an email to library@rrc.ca.
Contact a staff member directly
To reach a specific individual, please consult our Library Staff Directory (email only). All staff are monitoring email and most are available to meet through WebEx at their virtual office link and/or by appointment.
Examples of Services
Through online chat and email, we can assist you in…
- Gathering together online course materials, whether from the Library collection or external sources such as websites and open source videos
- Troubleshooting technical issues related to electronic resources and applications
- Addressing copyright concerns related to transferring courses to an online environment
- Locating sources for an assignment or other research
- Obtaining electronic resources from other academic institutions using Inter Library Loan
- Learning how to use online collections and databases
Check our COVID-19 FAQ page for more information about our services.
RRC Library Online Collections and Guides
Our extensive selection of e-books, e-journals and streaming videos are available 24/7. If you would like assistance finding materials or accessing these resources, our friendly online staff can assist you during our regular hours.
The Library guides include selections of electronic resources curated by our own information experts and are a great starting place for any subject. Please note that our physical collection is currently unavailable. To create a list of favourites for future reference, check out the Favourites section of our OneSearch guide.
NEW! Working from Home Guides
In response to the stress placed upon the Red River College community at this time, the Library has developed two Working From Home guides – one for FACULTY & STAFF and one for STUDENTS. Featuring a compilation of ideas, tips, resources, supports, services and links, these guides were designed to help ease the stress of working from home. We also hope to save you time and energy by providing information you urgently need right now.
Academic Success Centre Online
The Academic Success Centre (ASC) is developing online alternatives to providing students with academic support. Visit the Online Academic Supports section of ASC’s website for information. Check back daily for updated information.
Examples of supports that ASC is developing for online delivery are:
- Weekly reviews
- Help desks
- Individual and group tutoring
- EAL supports
- Academic coaching
- Study skills training
- Diversity training
Additional Online Resources from ASC
- Student Success Skills (strategies for reading, writing, time management, study skills, test taking)
- Student Blog (strategies for anxiety, dealing with emotions, mindfulness)
- STEM Centre (worksheets and videos for different courses and subjects)
In these uncertain times when many of us are unexpectedly isolated in work and study, RRC Library and ASC want you to know that we care and are still here to assist you.
Online Guide: Writing College Papers
Assignments can be demanding, especially ones that involve writing. It takes time to settle on a topic, and then hunt for suitable sources. A few hours in and you’ve only just begun. You still need to decide on your main points, develop an essay structure, format your text and citations, and make sure everything is grammatically correct. Your Library staff and tutors know how tough this can be, and they are here to support you!
If you are working on a written assignment, Writing College Papers is for you! No matter what stage you are at, there is something in this guide to help you get your feet off the ground and finish that paper.
In Person: One-on-One Supports for Students
Academic Success Centre offers a Communications Skills Help Desk at NDC and EDC. They offer drop-in assistance with oral and written assignments.
RRC Library offers one-on-one guidance in locating suitable sources. Whether you are new or experienced with research and writing, there are likely great sources you have overlooked. Library staff are experienced at finding information, and want to support your coursework. To take advantage of research help, stop by in person, call, email, or go to library.rrc.ca and use our chat service.
Related Guides
From information security to building websites to running network cable – the Guides have you covered. The systems we use to stay interconnected are constantly evolving – stay connected with Library resources to get the most out of your time with RRC.
Find the COMPUTER & INFORMATION SYSTEMS guides here:
RRCLibrary.libguides.com/COMPUTER
or
- Go to library.rrc.ca
- Click on “Your GUIDE is ready“
- Select the subject box – COMPUTER & INFORMATION SYSTEMS – to see all the guides on this subject
- Click the desired guide and you have a great starting point.
Guides in this collection include:
- Application Development (https://rrclibrary.libguides.com/appdevelopment
- Information Security(https://rrclibrary.libguides.com/infosecurity
- Networking(https://rrclibrary.libguides.com/networking)
- Web Site Development(https://rrclibrary.libguides.com/websitedevelopment)
What is a Guide?
Guides are curated web pages created by our library staff. Many people who are starting to explore a topic aren’t sure where to start – there are so many options and it can be overwhelming.
Guides are a starting spot for students looking for more information on a particular topic in the collection. A guide will typically include featured books and journals (both print and electronic), databases, Videos (DVDs and streaming) and websites. They may also include specialized information specific to the topic (i.e. WHIMIS or resources specific to an assignment).
Do not hesitate to contact guide owners (information is on the guide) if you have any suggestions to improve this guide (content or special interest areas) or stop by the library – we would love to hear from you. If you would like to see a specific guide for a particular topic please let us know.
We encourage you to share this resource with your students, include it on your Learn site and help us promote this Library tool.
