<div class="fr-view"><p>If you use the Library Study Volunteer request form to ask for articles or resources to support your studies, here are a few important updates you should know about, and some top tips that can help make sure you get the most relevant and useful materials back.</p>
<p><strong>What’s changing?</strong></p>
<p>The request form will be updated ready for the new academic year to help student volunteers find what you need more easily and quickly. Hopefully the changes will make it easier to say exactly what you&#8217;re looking for. However, it’s still up to you to give the best possible information to help the volunteers source what you need.</p>
<p>We hope the updated form will get to all of you without delay. However, if you still only have access to the “old” form, please don’t worry. We will still accept it.</p>
<p>Here are a few things the OU Library wants you to keep in mind:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>No OU module materials or set books:</strong> Unfortunately, we can’t send out OU textbooks or set readings, even for your own module. If you need these, contact the OU’s SiSE Accessibility team for guidance.</li>
<li><strong>Copyright limits apply: </strong>You can usually get one chapter per book or one article per journal volume. Full books can&#8217;t be printed and sent, even if they’re available online.</li>
<li><strong>You can ask for specific resources by name:</strong> For example, an article or book chapter you’ve heard about but it’s about 50/50 whether the Library has it. If they don’t, the student volunteer may find you a good alternative.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Tips for filling in the form </strong></p>
<p>Want better results from your request? Here’s how to give the volunteers what they need to help you:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Be specific about your topic – try to narrow it down:</strong> For example, instead of “Jane Austen”, ask for “Portrayal of gender in the works of Jane Austen”. Instead of “childhood obesity”, ask for “Link between junk food advertising and childhood obesity in the UK”.</li>
<li><strong>Ask for the type of resource you want:</strong> For example, if you’re looking for peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters or encyclopedia entries, be sure to say so.</li>
<li><strong>Include a date range if that’s important to your assignment:</strong> For example, “Please find resources published within the last 10 years.”</li>
<li><strong>Give full references (when you can): </strong>If you’ve found the name of an article or book in your course materials, include as much detail as possible: title, author, date, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Suggest keywords:</strong> Volunteers use search terms to find articles in the Library database. If you can suggest some keywords, that’s a big help.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Need help? </strong></p>
<p>If you have questions about the form or the process, the SiSE Accessibility team is there to support you.</p>
<p>As always, the Library Study Volunteer service is here to help you explore new ideas, back up your arguments, and get the most from your studies — so make your request count!</p>
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Changes to the Library Study Volunteer request form (and how to make the most of it)
Discover some important updates to the LSV request process (from Issue 7 of the Hoot SiSE Newsletter).
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