Library System
The Research Consultation Service supports the missions and strategic goals of the Kennesaw State University (KSU) Library System and the University as a whole. The library system's mission, the user's needs, and the library faculty's professional judgment will determine the appropriate level of service. Since the KSU Library System is a unit within an educational institution, research services are primarily instructional. Library faculty foster patrons’ information literacy and self-sufficiency by teaching research methods, print and virtual research tools, and research material evaluation.
Service Expectations
Research Consultations—are intended for Kennesaw State University students, faculty, staff, and affiliated researchers. Requests for appointments from non-affiliated users will be approved at the discretion of the Research Consultation Coordinator. A research question or project description must accompany all requests.
The KSU Library System provides Research Consultation Services at all KSU Libraries and via online meetings. Research Consultations are offered by appointment only and are scheduled for 60-minute sessions. Appointments must be requested at least 48 hours in advance. Only one project may be discussed per appointment.
Currently, The KSU Library System cannot provide individuals with multiple Research consultations on a single project unless prior arrangements have been made with a specific librarian. Additionally, only one project may be discussed per appointment.
Denial of Service
The Research Consultation Coordinator reserves the right to refuse any request that violates the terms of the service’s policy (i.e., request timeline, delayed response to an email inquiry, etc. or in instances where the requestor exhibits inappropriate behavior. Currently, the KSU Library System cannot provide individuals with multiple Research Consultations on a single project unless prior arrangements have been made with a specific librarian. Additionally, the KSU Library System cannot provide Research Consultations for class credit without prior arrangements with the KSU Library System Instruction Coordinator. In rare instances, a request may be denied due to scheduling conflicts within the KSU Library System. For more information on research services offered at KSU, please see the Research Help page.
Faculty Information
Research Consultations cannot be used in place of a library instruction session or place of a visit to our Help Desk. The KSU Library System welcomes course-library partnerships and recommends that teaching faculty complete a Librarian Teaching Request Form to arrange for a librarian to meet with their students. The Research Consultation Coordinator will only honor appointment requests to resolve a research question or support a work project in a particular research project. Instruction sessions can be scheduled using the Librarian Teaching Request Form found under the Faculty Service tab on the Library’s website.
Students
During the session, the library faculty will provide accurate and timely information in response to questions about the student’s research needs before the appointment. Additional information can be emailed to the assigned librarian within 24 hours of appointment approval. Should a student require more than one research appointment per class, the library faculty conducting the appointment will contact the Research Consultation Coordinator on behalf of the student.
Competencies
All library faculty providing Research Consultation services will adhere to the highest standards of knowledge and proficiency possible.
Code of Ethics
All Research Consultations between library faculty and users, regardless of whether they take place at a formal service point or in some other context, will be governed by the standards articulated in the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association.
Equity of Service
Library faculty will provide Research services to all users without discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, KSU status, or disability. Should you require assistance or have further questions about the American Disabilities Act of 1990, please contact:
Student Disability Services (SDS)
- Kennesaw: 470-578-2666
- Marietta: 470-578-7361
Commercial Products and Services
The Library System will not provide recommendations on commercial products and services
unrelated to library resources and will refer users to sources of information on these
topics.
Legal, Medical, Tax, Political, or Personal Advice
The Library System will not provide legal, medical, tax, political, or personal advice
during Research Consultations.
Liability
The Library System assumes no liability for any misinformation and interpretations drawn from sources cited in response to queries.
Patrons
The primary community served by KSU Library System consists of current students, faculty, staff, and administrators of Kennesaw State University. Outside users are welcome at any KSU Library. Research services provided by KSU Libraries to non-affiliated users (visitors, other librarians, independent researchers, etc.) do not take the place of services offered by their primary library - whether school, public, academic, or unique. KSU alumni and retired KSU employees with active status also receive reference services dependent upon availability. Please see the Frequent Asked Questions on the library homepage for more information.
Disclosure
The Research and Instructional Services Unit reserves the right to revise these policies as organizational changes are necessary.
