Policies Regarding Rod Library Tours
for School Groups

The Rod Library at the University of Northern Iowa offers tours of the Library to groups of junior high and high school students. Library tours last approximately 30 minutes and are usually conducted by library student assistants or by staff members. Teachers need to arrange for a tour at least two weeks in advance by calling Julie Williamson, Library Assistant, Reference and Instructional Services Department, at (319) 273-2838, or emailing Julie Williamson at julie.williamson@uni.edu. No more than one school group at a time will be scheduled so it is important to call early to reserve a particular time and day.

The purpose of the tour is to familiarize students with the services and resources found at the Rod Library. During the tour students will generally be shown the following areas within the library: Reference Desk, Reference Collection, Indexes and Abstracts, Documents and Maps Collection, Circulating Book Collection, Art and Music Collection, Special Collections, Youth Collection, Current Bound Periodicals, Browsing Room, and the Circulation Desk. Teachers may also request a 10-20 minute demonstration of the online catalog, library databases, and online resources.  Please make this request when scheduling the tour.

Student groups must be accompanied by their teacher/s throughout the tour. Students must keep in mind that they are touring a building in which study and research are principal functions. Appropriate behavior is expected.

The Rod Library encourages the school librarian to accompany the group as well. We ask that the teacher/s and the school librarian serve as initial contacts for student questions following the tour.

To schedule a tour, contact Julie Williamson at least two weeks in advance at (319)-273-2838 or email Julie Williamson at julie.williamson@uni.edu.  No more than one school group at a time will be scheduled so it is important to call early to reserve a particular time and day.

If an arriving tour group encounters travel delays such that the group would arrive more than 10 minutes late, the school group leader must contact Julie Williamson to determine if the Library can still accommodate a new arrival time.

If a teacher or school librarian wishes to lead their own tour, they should contact Julie Williamson at least two weeks in advance at (319)-273-2838 and indicate the school name, instructor name, grade level, and number of students.

When a school group is ready to leave the library, we request that the teacher/s accompanying these students be present at the exit as their group leaves the building. Should the book alarm sound, we ask that the accompanying teacher/s assist library staff in requesting students to return to the adjacent circulation desk to determine if library materials have been inappropriately removed from the building.

Please also note the following.

The first priority of the Rod Library Reference and Instructional Services Department is to serve UNI students, faculty, and staff. As time and conditions permit, faculty will provide limited reference and directional assistance to non-UNI students.

The limited number of electronic workstations makes it important that persons using these workstations do so in a serious fashion, accomplishing a search and freeing the computer for the next person. If conditions permit, visiting school groups may use up to ten workstations, with no groups, individuals only at each workstation at a time. Non-UNI students may be asked to release workstations for use by UNI students should the library be very busy at that time.

We extend borrowing privileges to area high school students for most book materials, at written and specific recommendation of the student's high school librarian. The request from the librarian should explain the student's project, its expected completion date, and the reason UNI resources are required to complete the project. The librarian should mail the request to the Rod Library Access Services Department, Attn: Dave Hoing, University of Northern Iowa, 1227 W. 27th Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50613-3675 or fax Dave Hoing at (319) 273-2913.  Requests for exceptions to this policy should be directed to Linda McLaury, Access Services Coordinator - (319) 273-3610.

Classes and other groups wishing to devote part of a school day to doing research in the Rod Library, but not needing a tour should contact Marilyn Mercado, Dean of Library Services - (319) 273-2737.