University Libraries Help Distance Learners to Succeed

Julie Rosenbaum, a 12-year employee of the University Libraries, received her Associate Arts degree in General Arts during Ball State’s Spring Commencement Exercises, May 6, 2006. Everyone who knows Julie is proud for her for this accomplishment. What is special is that she succeeded without ever stepping in the classroom.

Julie works full time in the University Libraries’ Business Support Services. She is also the mother of two sons, wife, and a homemaker. For the past 6 years, she has also been a student in Ball State’s School of Extended Education where she has taken all of her classes through distance education over the Internet. She says that using resources in the University Libraries were helpful to her in completing the program. She will continue to use those resources as she pursues a bachelor’s degree.

“I was always short on time. The biggest help was the distance education web page on the Libraries’ web site and the new blog that students can link to,” said Julie. "The site has everything -- an interlibrary loan link, research links, and other services like chat with a librarian.”

Kelli Keclik, Information Services Librarian, has developed a blog to connect with distance education students and has helped to make the research process more accessible. The blog can be found at http://distancelibrarian.blogspot.com
Julie said the e-journals and Academic Search Premiere database for periodicals and books were particularly helpful to her. “It wasn’t always easy to study,” Julie reported.

Click on www.bsu.edu/library/collections/distanceed to view the University Libraries’ web page specifically designed for distance education students.