User Instruction for Distance Students: Texas Tech University System’s Main Campus Library Reaches Out To Students at Satellite Campuses

Texas Tech University recently established satellite campuses in the Texas Hill Country area northwest of San Antonio. Basic library support for students was in place when the Hill Country campuses began enrolling students in distance courses in June, 2002. In July Texas Tech Library’s Distance Learning Team assisted Hill Country staff in preparing for a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation review. After visiting the campuses, the Team wrote a report that addressed the SACS criteria related to library support. The recommendations made in that report served as the basis for developing a comprehensive library support program for the Texas Tech Hill Country campuses. Among other things, the report emphasized encouraging Hill Country students to take the University’s Web-based course, “Introduction to Library Research.” This paper discusses the SACS review experience and in particular the efforts made to develop, advertise, and implement the Web-based course for students at the Texas Tech satellite campuses.