Library Services
Frequently Asked Questions about Library 10
For the current course schedule and sample syllibi, go to About Library 10.

What is information competency? It is the ability to recognize when you need information and then be able to find, evaluate, and use that information effectively. Library 10: Information Competency is a one-unit course that can help you develop these skills.

Is information competency a graduation requirement? Yes. As of Fall 2006, students must fulfill an Information Competency proficiency requirement in order to graduate with an AA/AS degree. Library 10 fulfills this requirement.

Is there an Information Competency Proficiency Exam? Yes, there is. You must receive a score of at least 70% on the exam to fulfill the Information Competency proficiency requirement. It is administered through the Mission College Assessment Center and students currently enrolled in Library 10: Information Competency are not eligible to take the exam. For additional information about the exam, including links to study resources, please refer to the Information Proficiency Exam Student Guide.

Are there study resources for the Information Competency Proficiency Exam? Yes. For additional information about the exam, including links to study resources, please refer to the Information Proficiency Exam Student Guide.

Are there any prerequisites? Students taking this course should be at or above the level for Reading 53, English 1A, and Computer Applications 70. Please note that students who are not eligible for these advisories may have trouble passing this course.

When should I take Library 10? It is highly recommended that you take Lib 10 early in your college career - preferably in your first semester. The research skills you develop in Lib 10 will help you in many of your classes.

This is a one-unit course so that means there will not be much homework, right? Wrong. Academic courses are assigned units based on the amount of time a student is expected to devote to learning per semester. For a one-unit course that meets once a week over the entire semester (16 weeks) the minimum is three hours of student work per week. This typically equals an hour in-class, plus two hours of study/homework per week. The time commitment doubles for an eight week course.

What is the difference between the 16 week course and the eight week course? The 16 week course meets over the entire semester and the eight week course meets over eight weeks. The material covered is the same, but the work load (time commitment) is double for the eight week course (six hours per week versus three) because it is presented in half the time. Also, in the eight week course, multiple topics are discussed each week and multiple weekly assignments are required.

What is the difference between the online course and the on-campus course? The online course does not have weekly meetings, but the material covered and the time commitment is the same: three hours per week for the 16 week course and six hours per week for the eight week course. To find out if distance learning is right for you, go to the Mission College Distance Learning Web page.

Is the online course easier because we do not have to meet on-campus weekly? Even though the online course does not have a weekly face-to-face meeting, the time commitment per week is the same. Class material and lectures will be presented in a variety of formats, including PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, PDF documents, and Flash presentations with sound. Often students new to online learning perceive and expect online courses to be easy and involve little to no work on their part. This is a misperception, and in fact, online courses may be more demanding then a face-to-face course depending on the learning style of the student. Online courses are not recommended for all students. To find out if distance learning is right for you, go to the Mission College Distance Learning Web page.

The schedule of classes for the eight week online course states that there are "2.25 online weekly hours." Does this mean that I will only need to spend 2.25 hours per week on this course? No. The 2.25 online weekly hours refers to the "class time" for the course; it does not include time spent on homework, which may be completed online or off line. The "class time" for an online course is equal to the "in-class" time for a traditional face-to-face course. Since the academic standard is an average of two additional hours of homework per every hour "in-class," expect to spend an average of six hours per week on this course.

Is the online course self-paced? No. The online course is not self-paced. You will have weekly assignments with weekly due dates.

Is the online course conducted completely online? Yes. The online course is conducted completely online, however, you will be required to physically go to a library in order to complete one homework assignment (you may use the Mission College Library or a public, college, or university library near your home). The primary mode of instruction is through the ANGEL Learning Management System.

Where can I find out more about the ANGEL Learning Management System? Go to the West Valley - Mission College ANGEL Support Web page.

Does the online course have a mandatory on-campus orientation? No. There is not a mandatory orientation for the online course; however, there is a VOLUNTARY half-hour orientation meeting that is available for students new to distance learning. For the time and date of the orientation, please refer to the course information in the Mission College Class Schedule. The voluntary orientation is only available for courses held in the fall and spring; a voluntary orientation is not available during winter and summer sessions. Note that the orientation is NOT mandatory.

Is Library 10 transferable? Yes. The credit from Library 10 is transferable to the California State University system (CSU) and the University of California system (UC). It may also be transferable to other colleges and universities, but you must check with each individual institution.





Please send comments to .
Revised November 19, 2009.