Reference Departments
University Park and Biscayne Bay Libraries

In keeping with the Libraries Mission Statement , the Reference Departments provide a wide range of services to the FIU academic communities.  In addition to service at the Reference and Information Desks, reference librarians teach courses in library research skills, provide extended research assistance intheir subject areas for individuals, train faculty and students in the use of electronic research tools and the world wide web, review and recommend titles to add to the collection, and participate in professional activities such as research and publication.  Service areas include the Reference Desk at both the Biscayne Bay Campus and University Park Campus as well as the Information Desk and Electronic Research Center at the University Park Campus.

• Reference Collection - University Park  / Curriculum Materials Collections - Both Campuses
• Reference Collection - Biscayne Bay

Information Literacy Mission Statement

The pursuit of knowledge is the foundation of the University. Providing access to the world of knowledge, imparting knowledge through excellent teaching, fostering creative expression and encouraging the creation of new knowledge through research are at the core of the University's mission.

Information literacy enhances the pursuit of knowledge at the University by preparing students to think critically and use information for their academic, professional and personal lives. The information literate individual can recognize the need for information, can locate it using a variety of media and technologies and can evaluate information in order to use it effectively. Information literate students have the flexibility to take these skills from their formal education and use them throughout life as citizens and professionals and as a means toward continued learning.

Colleges, schools, programs and the libraries share the responsibility for helping students develop information literacy skills. Successful implementation of information literacy goals is achieved by integration across the curriculum and depends on active participation of all parties.

The Libraries seek to promote information literacy by educating students to understand the organization of knowledge, to gather data of all kinds using both print and information technology resources and to evaluate the relevance and authority of information in all its forms. The Libraries provide resources and services in an environment that fosters free and open inquiry and serve as a catalyst for the interpretation, integration, and application of knowledge in all fields of learning.

Library Instruction Mission Statement

The Library Instruction Program serves the students, faculty, and staff of the University. The purpose of the program is to assist members of the university community with developing information-seeking abilities appropriate for their individual levels of scholarship and to support their research. Through this program, the Library facilitates access to the vast resources available to the university, fosters a sense of independence and responsibility, and encourages a collaborative relationship with Reference / Instruction staff.

The faculty is invited to work with library instruction staff in designing course-related assignments that include information literacy objectives. The Library Instruction Program incorporates teaching strategies and methodologies that respond to individual differences in learning including level, style, and culture.

Staffed by Reference Department Library Faculty and Senior Library Technical Assistants, these Desks are the central points for assistance and instruction in the use of library materials and services. Each interaction is an opportunity to develop a more sophisticated and self-sufficient library user. Our philosophy of service is to teach the strategy and the skills necessary to find the answer to a research inquiry.

Information Desk (UP)

The Information Desk staff at University Park provide directional information and answers to questions concerning most library services. They also provide basic assistance for using WebLUIS to locate books, journals and other materials. Library users in need of research assistance help in writing a paper will be referred to the Reference Desk for consultation with our professional Reference Staff.

At BBC Campus, please come to the Reference Desk for all your information and research needs.

Extended Research Assistance and Consultation 

BBC Campus:
Please contact George Pearson 919-5721 or Lauren Christos 919-5396

University Park:
Please come to the reference desk for a referral or call 348-2454.

Copyright Law - Title 17 of the United States Code 

Sec. 107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use 

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work,
including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified
by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including
multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.
In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to
be considered shall include - 

     (1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether 
     such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit 
     educational purposes; 

     (2) the nature of the copyrighted work; 

     (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in 
     relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and 

     (4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or 
     value of the copyrighted work. The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a
     finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.