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Mansfield Library

Community Instruction Policy

In support of The University of Montana's mission to provide a quality-based learning and research environment, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library provides users dynamic services essential to identifying and accessing information. One of these services is instruction.

The Library’s instructional services are primarily aimed at supporting University course assignments and learning. The Library also provides outreach in the form of instructional services to regional high school classes, and occasionally other community groups, in line with the General Guidelines and details listed below.

General Guidelines

  • Instruction sessions may be scheduled during The University of Montana's Winter, Spring, or Summer Breaks. See academic calendar for specific dates. When the regular academic semester is in session, University class requests take priority over community requests.
  • General tours can be given by the visiting group's leader. 

Instruction

High Schools

  • High School media specialists are encouraged to contact the High School Outreach librarian to establish a cooperative teaching approach to library resources, so that the school librarian might teach or co-teach their students at the Mansfield Library.
  • School media specialists or subject teachers should request an instruction class at least one week in advance of their preferred date.
  • Only assignment-related classes will be scheduled. Assignment information needs to be provided to the librarian, so that the librarian can plan a focused and relevant instruction session.
  • Teacher/parent to student ratio must be 1 to 10.
  • A Library account will be set up in the name of the high school, with the library media specialist as the contact individual. This account will enable visiting students to check out materials during their visit. See High School Class Visits Lending Procedures for details.
  • Campus tours can be coordinated with the Library class visit, per request.

Middle, Junior High, and Elementary Schools

  • Use of the public library is recommended, as age appropriate.
  • Exceptions will be made for specific class assignments that require resources only available at Mansfield Library and that meet the General Guidelines.

Teachers and Other Groups

  • Resource-related workshops will be provided according to the General Guidelines.

Contacts

All community requests should be directed to Kate Zoellner, coordinator of High School Outreach, 406/243-4421.

Additional services available before or after instruction sessions at the Library include electronic information resources, research assistance, online research guides, computer workstations, and a full-service The Paw Print.

Last Updated: 13 January 2025

High School Instruction Visit Lending Procedures

High school accounts enable students visiting the Mansfield Library with their class to borrow library materials,
including media, in their high school’s name. The lending procedures are outlined below. Alternately, students
15 and older with a Montana address and photo ID may set up a Montana Borrower account and borrow
materials on their own accounts.

Before the Visit

  • If a teacher wants their students researching at the Mansfield Library to borrow materials under the
    school name, a school account is needed. The teacher will let the library employee with whom they are
    working know and ask if the school has an active account.
  • If the school does not have an active account, the school teacher librarian will contact a Circulation
    Supervisor in advance of the visit to set up an account (library.circ@umontana.edu, 406-243-4071).

During the Visit

  • The visiting teacher will stop by the Check Out desk when they arrive at the Mansfield Library to inform
    a Circulation Supervisor of their approximate departure time.
  • When students find an item they want to borrow, they will bring the item to the Check Out desk,
    indicate their school affiliation, and leave it there. All students’ items will be checked out to the school
    and placed in a box for the visiting teacher to retrieve at their departure.
  • A list of all items checked out to the school can be printed at the end of the visit as an inventory for the
    visiting teacher.

After the Visit

  • The teacher librarian is responsible for returning borrowed items to the Mansfield Library.
  • The initial loan period is 3 weeks; most materials are eligible for renewal and are also subject to being
    recalled. The Check Out Policies for Montana Borrowers apply.
  • The teacher librarian will contact a library Circulation Supervisor at 406-243-4071 to request a renewal.

Additional Information

  • Students can use the OneSearch discovery system before and after the visit to locate physical materials in the collection, open access scholarship, and the research, creative scholarship, and unique resources produced and curated by University of Montana faculty, students, and staff in ScholarWorks.
  • Additionally, students always have access to the Digital Collections, the majority of which provide information about the people, places and events of Montana and the region.
  • Subscription electronic resources available at the library during class visits, and via the public use computers, are not accessible outside of the physical library, except to University of Montana faculty, staff, and students.
  • Certain items cannot be checked out from the Mansfield Library (i.e., non-circulating items, special collections).
  • Students can have copies made in the Paw Print from items that cannot be checked out, as well as print from subscription electronic databases, while at the Library. See Print costs for details.

Last updated August 2024