Integrating the Library into Moodle

Include a librarian in your Moodle course page (in a student role) to:

• Answer student questions in discussion boards;
• Proactively post library and research tips, links to resources and other helpful information; and
• Provide help at students' point-of-need.

If your course is research intensive, it may be useful to create a Library Questions forum where students can post questions about library resources and research. Select the 'auto' or 'forced subscription' option to ensure that all students (including the librarian) receive a copy of the forum questions and answers in their email inbox.

For more information, contact your departmental librarian.

The easiest way to embed a librarian in Moodle is by adding a librarian as a student in your class, then creating a Library Discussion Forum, where the librarian can answer student questions or post library information and research tips.

To add a forum:

1. 'Turn editing on', select 'Add an activity or resource', select 'Forum' from the options menu, then hit 'Add'
2. Give the forum a name (such as "Library Questions and Discussion") and a description
3. In the 'Subscription and tracking section', select "forced subscription" from the drop-down menu by 'Subscription mode' to ensure that all students in your class also receive copies of forum posts in their email inbox
4. Hit "Save and return to class" or "Save and display"