Librarians are faculty members and offer a variety of instruction to help WCC students succeed in the research process. There are opportunities to learn research strategies, effectively access information, critically evaluate that information, and use that information legally and ethically through proper citation formation and plagiarism awareness.

Students can enroll in credit classes, attend quarterly drop-in Information Literacy Classes, or visit, call (360)383-3285 or e-mail the reference desk for individual and small group help. The Information Literacy Classes are offered a few weeks after the start of each quarter. Learn about the print and non-print collections, try out our databases, effectively search the Internet, learn the most effective methods of researching your topic, and discover that citations aren't so scary after all.

All library courses and research instruction is taught in our computer-equipped instruction room, providing plenty of hands-on experience.

Research Instruction

Librarians also provide discipline-specific research instruction for classes. Research instruction sessions are developed with faculty to create a session or series of sessions for a particular class or assignment. These sessions can include demonstrations of electronic resources, evaluation of resources, Internet searching, and more. Most of our instruction provides hands-on, active, and collaborative learning. Librarians will be glad to teach in the library instruction room or in your classroom. A much more in-depth approach to research within a discipline can be explored in a customized one-credit library course.

Faculty interested in either scheduling a research instruction session or in working with a librarian to create a customized one-credit course can use our online Library Instruction Request form or call the library Reference Desk at (360) 383-3285.
Also, be sure to check on our Services for Faculty page for the Faculty Toolbox and other useful links.

New!  Handouts from various library instruction sessions are recently been made available online.

Contact Information 

LIBR 194 Special Topics in Research (1 credit) This 1-credit course is designed to link with an academic course which requires research and/or a research paper. The course provides students with a basis for academic research in a specific discipline, including proper citation formats, avoiding plagiarism, and an introduction to advanced research. This course can be repeated up to 5 times for credit.

LIBR 100 Learning for the 21st Century (5 credits) This is an online course which introduces students to the research process, using print and online formats, emphasizing building transferable skills for lifelong learning.