Special Resources

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Click on any of the following links for information:

• Advanced Technology Studies
• Distance Learning
• Graduate Student Association
• Indiana University School of Medicine, Terre Haute
• Office of Information Technology and Center for Instruction, Research, and Technology
• Library Services
• Research Support Services
• Student Internships

SPECIAL RESOURCES

Indiana State University has many resources which, as an integral part of the institution, facilitate learning, contribute to the total education and success of its students, and also serve faculty and administrators in performance of their duties and the enhancement of their continuing professional development. What follows are selections of examples of special resources available at Indiana State University.

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) provides technology support and resources for students, faculty and staff at Indiana State University. As a student there are many resources available to assist you with technology at ISU.  

Cunningham Memorial Library (CML) bills itself as “Your Campus Living Room.”  The collection includes more than 1.4 million items and through the library’s website, access is provided to a countless array of electronic information resources.  Students have access to more than 130 public workstations located throughout the five floors of the library.  Public printers, scanners and photocopiers are also available. We offer quiet and group study floors, a coffee shop, and a host of individual services to meet your information needs.  During the Spring and Fall semesters we maintain a 24/5 operating schedule with reduced hours on Fridays and Saturdays. A complete schedule of hours and events is available on the library’s website.

Services:

Reference:  Reference assistance may be obtained in a variety of ways:

• in person at the Public Services desk,
• by phone at 812-237-2580,
• via e-mail:  http://library.indstate.edu/tools/questions/
• or on-line chat:  http://library.indstate.edu/tools/reflive.html

In addition to Library Reference Services, the Office of Information Technology maintains a student technology support desk in the Library for answers to your IT questions related to campus computing. 

Group Instruction.  A computer laboratory is available for librarian-conducted instruction to groups and classes. To receive more information or to make a Library instruction appointment, call 237-2604 or visit the instruction page on the library’s Web site.  

Individualized Instruction and Research Assistance.  Individuals may request specific, one-on-one instruction and research assistance in person or by appointment with a librarian. Library staff members have compiled several detailed guides to information on topics of interest to ISU patrons using LibGuides http://libguides.indstate.edu/. They may also use the self-guided on-line instructions and tutorials on database searching and other topics. These tutorials address practical concerns of conducting library research, including library and online research strategies.

Interlibrary Loan:  Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a free service which borrows materials (books, articles, scores, dissertations, media, etc.) that are not available here at ISU. Articles are delivered via email.  Print materials are picked up at the Circulation Services Desk, after email notification.

Document Delivery:  Request an article or book chapter that is available at the ISU Library and ILL will pull it, scan it, and send it to your email.  Go to the ISU Library home page.  From the library homepage, scroll down to the ‘Quick Links’ and click “Interlibrary Loan.” 

Questions: ISU-Libill@mail.indstate.edu, 812-237-2566.  ILL is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m-4:30 p.m.

Support for Distance Education Courses. Reference, instructional, and document delivery services are available for Distance Ed students and instructors. Access the library’s services for distance students through the “Services” link on the Library Web page.   A librarian has been designated for the distance learning programs and a distance ed support LibGuide is available at http://libguides.indstate.edu/.  For reference assistance, call 812-237-2580 or 1-800-851-4279; for document delivery or interlibrary loan questions, call 812-237-2566.

Equipment Loan.  iPads, laptop computers and portable device charging stations are available for in-library use by students.  These items can be checked out from the Circulation Desk for four hours and for in-library use only. For more information, call 812-237-2541.

The Math & Writing Center.  In conjunction with the College of Arts and Sciences, the ISU Library provides writing and research assistance to students through the Math & Writing Center, which is located on the second floor of the library. For hours and other information, visit the Math & Writing Center Libguide.  http://libguides.indstate.edu/

Support for Students with Disabilities.   The Library provides a number of assistive devices to support students with disabilities.  A computer with ZoomText capabilities that enlarges print and screen images and reads aloud for the visually impaired.  The Library also maintains a study area dedicated to adaptive technology, which includes a Braille display, a reading machine, a special individual monitor for people with retinal degenerative diseases, a head tracker, a multi-colored QWERTY layout with keys four times larger than normal, a voice-to-text program, and software to help people who struggle with reading.

Collections:

Circulating Collections:  Graduate students may check out most print material for a four month loan period using their student ID.  Digital media, such as CDs, DVDs, and computer games circulate for one week. The library is also part of the Library Consortium of Vigo County.  Through the online catalog called Fusion, students may access the collective library holdings of CML, the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, and the Vigo County Public Library. 

Electronic Resources: A growing number of journals, subject indexes, e-books and full text databases are available to the ISU community via the library’s Web page menu. For more information on how to use these resources, or suggestions on effective searching of databases, contact the library’s Public Services Desk at 812-237-2580.

Government Documents: CML is a member of the Federal Depository Library Program and maintains a large collection of Government Documents on the Lower Level.  Assistance in locating specific information and using the collection can be obtained at the Public Service Desk.

Class Reserve Material and Electronic Reserves.  Material that supplements classroom instruction may be placed on reserve by faculty or graduate instructors. These can include books, material scanned and available electronically, videos, slides, audiotapes, and CDs. Students may request reserved items at the circulation desk by the call number, faculty member’s name, or course number. An ISU student ID must be shown. The loan periods for reserves vary from two hours to one week. Those materials checked out for two or four hours may not leave the library.

Electronic reserves are photocopies of materials such as journal articles, practice examinations, homework assignments, etc. Electronic reserves are on-line materials and are not checked out. Students can access electronic reserves anywhere with a computer and Internet access. To access electronic reserves students must have their student ID and a password from the instructor.

Special Collections (http://library.indstate.edu/about/units/rbsc/) Located on the third floor of the library, the Special Collections Department encompasses Rare Books & Manuscripts, University Archives, the Permanent Art Collection, and Digital Initiatives. Three exhibitions per year spotlight its collections and are open to the public. All physical primary source materials are available for onsite use in the Reading Room Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Registration and a photo ID are required. The department provides reference services for its collections, offers opportunities for class presentations, and works with faculty to create assignments based on the rare and unique items contained within its collections. Photoduplication services are available upon request. For additional information on accessing Special Collections materials please call (812) 237-2610.

Rare Books and Manuscripts (http://library.indstate.edu/about/units/rbsc/#Collections) contains books, manuscripts, pamphlets, prints, photographs, maps, and memorabilia dating from the 15^th century to the present. Major collections include the Cordell Collection of Dictionaries; the Eugene V. Debs Collection; History of Education; Indiana Literature and History; the Indiana Federal Writers Project Papers; the Indiana Folklore Collection, Historical Sheet Music; Early Travel and Discovery; and the French Revolution. Approximately one half of the collections are catalogued and searchable through the Library’s online catalog. Uncatalogued titles in the Cordell and Rare Books collections are searchable through the Archon database (http://archon.indstate.edu). All items may be requested for use in the Reading Room. For additional information about the rare book and manuscript collections and links to searchable databases please see the Special Collections web page. For additional assistance please contact the Reading Room at (812) 237-2610.

University Archives (http://library.indstate.edu/archives/) documents and preserves the history of the University from its founding in 1865 to the present. The University Archives contains records of historical, legal, or administrative value to the University. Examples of records contained in the archives are: Presidential records, Faculty Senate Minutes, Board of Trustees Minutes, Financial Reports, various college and department program records, course catalogs, Homecoming photos, trophies, yearbooks, and much more. The University Archives collection is largely searchable through the Archon database (http://archon.indstate.edu) and digitized materials can be found in the Wabash Valley Visions & Voices Project and ISU’s Institutional Repository: Sycamore Scholars.  Interested researchers should consult these resources and contact the University Archives at 812-237-8435 to arrange a visit to view the materials in the Special Collections Reading Room.

Permanent Art Collection (PAC) (http://library.indstate.edu/art/) encompasses the collecting of the visual arts at ISU.  It houses and preserves many fine arts objects and their associated written records.  PAC has several sub-collections that are available for research and class presentations upon request. Sub-collections include a Study collection and Faculty/Emeritus collection which includes work by many current and former ISU students and Faculty, art created under the Works Progress Administration, a large Pop/Op art selection containing many photographs from the Andy Warhol Foundation, contemporary American art, 3-D art objects of ceramics, wood, metal and other materials and outdoor Public Sculpture.  Besides the 30 works of public sculpture found throughout the grounds at ISU, much of the collection can be seen enlivening the University’s interior spaces, made possible by our campus loan program. Inquiries can be directed to the Permanent Art Collection Curator (812) 237-7815.

Sycamore Scholars (http://scholars.indstate.edu) is ISU’s digital repository that collects, disseminates, and preserves the intellectual and academic output of the ISU students, faculty, and staff. Sycamore Scholars aggregates electronic theses and dissertations and other scholarly or creative works. The digital repository accepts a wide variety of formats such as text documents, PowerPoint files, media (video, audio, and graphics), specialized formats, HTML web pages and many more. This service helps to expose outputs of the university, maximizes the visibility and impact of these outputs, showcases the university, and contributes to the overall body of knowledge. ISU faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to contribute items they have written or produced such as journal articles, student projects, educational materials, papers in progress, technical reports, art, and music. For information on how to contribute to Sycamore Scholars contact the Data Curation Librarian at (812) 237-3052.

Wabash Valley Visions & Voices Digital Memory Project (WV3) (http://visions.indstate.edu) is dedicated to the documentation and preservation of the history and cultural heritage of west central Indiana in print, image, and sound. As a collaborative effort among the region’s libraries, museums, historical societies, community groups and area residents, the project provides free access to its digital collections via the Internet and promotes remembrance and lifelong learning. It is the oldest collaborative digital library project within the State of Indiana and it continues to attract new partners and to add new content. The project’s collections are fully searchable and contain representations of art, artifacts, administrative and personal papers, manuscripts, photographs, texts, yearbooks, maps oral histories and audio/video files. For more information about WV3 please contact the Project Director at (812) 237-2534.

The Office of Sponsored Programs is the pre-award grant and contract office. The primary mission of the office is to assist ISU faculty, staff, and students in obtaining external funds to support their research, creative, service, and other activities. The office also provides University review and record keeping functions for all proposals submitted and funded, and a variety of other administrative tasks. Support to the Institutional Review Board for review of human subject research is also provided. The office offers both source-finding and proposal development assistance. To assist proposal writers in their search for grant funding, the office maintains electronic databases and other sources of information, which describe governmental (public) and foundation/endowment (private) grant programs and organizations. Once a potential grant program is identified, the professional staff in the office can assist with the various phases of proposal preparation and budget and assurance issues, and other topics involved with externally sponsored activities. Persons interested in these services can find this information and more on the Office of Sponsored Programs home page www.indstate.edu/osp

The Consortium for Advanced Technological Studies was organized to offer the doctor of philosophy in technology management. This is an unique organization of five universities having studies in technology including Bowling Green State University; University of Central Missouri; East Carolina University; Indiana State University; and North Carolina A&T State University. The Consortium brings together leading schools/colleges of technology in the United States to capitalize on existing resources and faculty expertise in specialized areas of technology. The Consortium universities have been recognized for providing continued leadership to the technology, management, and applied engineering profession.

Indiana State University offers several courses and degree programs online. Online programs are designed for working professionals who cannot commute to campus and for the growing number of individuals who prefer courses delivered via the Internet. Many courses and programs can be completed entirely online. Other programs require minimal visits to the ISU campus. For more information about online programs, visit the website at http://www.indstate.edu/online/ or contact the office’s services via email at indianastateonline@indstate.edu or by phone at 812-237-2345.

Internship programs off campus and special clinical facilities on campus are integral parts of many degree programs at Indiana State University. They offer the kind of practical on-the-job experience and cooperative links with industry and community agencies which foster the advancement of knowledge. Graduate training and work experience are available in such areas as college student affairs administration, communication disorders, counseling, criminology, economics, education, geography and geology, history, political science, psychology, school administration, and sociology. Among the clinical facilities on campus which are used in the development of specialized skills are the Counseling Clinic, the Porter School Psychology Center, the Psychology Clinic, and the Rowe Center for Communicative Disorders. For more detailed descriptions of these programs and facilities, see individual departmental listings.

The Graduate Student Association is the official representational body for ISU graduate students. This organization works strategically to facilitate and enhance communication between graduate students, ISU administrative offices, and other campus organizations. The association’s functions and operations are currently funded by the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs through the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.  The Graduate Student Association participates annually in the research symposium and graduate student orientation. Representatives of the GSA serve on committees which promote and advance the academic interests and experiences of graduate students including assisting ISU with recruitment, retention of graduate students, diversity, and university award selection. Also, the GSA strives to facilitate the professional development of its members by providing scholarship opportunities for attending and presenting at conferences as well as researching.  Additional information about the Graduate Student Association is available at http://www.indstate.edu/gsa/.

Students accepted into the Indiana University School of Medicine may take the first two years of their regular four-year medical program at a statewide campus including the Terre Haute site located on the campus of Indiana State University. The basic sciences are taught during the first two years. The first year program includes courses in biochemistry, concepts in health and disease, gross anatomy, histology, immunology, introduction to medicine, microbiology, neuroscience, and physiology. Clinical exposure is provided to medical students in cooperation with Union Hospital, the Hamilton Center, Terre Haute Regional Hospital, and community physicians. After successful completion of the first year of medical school, students take the second year of courses, which include biostatistics, introduction to medicine, medical genetics, general and systemic pathology, and pharmacology. Medical students then transfer to the Indianapolis campus for their third and fourth years. Several of the third year clerkship rotations and fourth year clinical electives have also been established in community hospitals throughout Indiana, including Terre Haute, as part of the Indiana University statewide system for medical education. This system is presently expanding in the number of students accepted and the number of four-year sites.

In fall 2008, the Indiana University School of Medicine, Terre Haute inaugurated the Medical School Rural Program in which selected incoming students attend all four years at the Terre Haute campus. This program emphasizes early and rapid acquisition of clinical skills, the study of medicine from the perspectives of the rural physician and rural patients, and an understanding of the community context of rural medicine. It is believed that this novel program provides needed physicians to rural communities as well as provides educational opportunities for students from rural areas of Indiana.

Since 1997, Indiana State University and Indiana University School of Medicine, Terre Haute have conducted a joint Bachelors/Medical Degree Program. Interested and qualified high school students from rural counties apply and are admitted simultaneously to college and medical school. Provided that the students maintain a qualifying grade point average and obtain a competitive MCAT score during their four years of college at Indiana State University, they are directly admitted to the Indiana University School of Medicine to complete their four years of medical school. To date, 12 physicians have graduated from this program.  Requests for further information about the Medical Education Program should be directed to Dr. Taihung Duong, director. Information is also available at http://web.indstate.edu/thcme