Frequently Asked Questions for Users of the ALPS LINK Repository of Learning Objects for Librarians

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What is LINK?

LINK is a repository of learning objects created by academic librarians. It's a place where librarians can store their learning objects and other librarians can locate and use them.

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What is a learning object?

Ah, a question with many different answers. For the purposes of our repository, we're considering a learning object to be anything which a librarian has created to assist in her or his instructional duties. Learning objects might include: a database guide; a lesson plan for a workshop; any handouts distributed to students in that workshop; a print or online guide on citing, plagiarism, or research techniques; an animated tutorial on a database; a WebCT tutorial on research skills; ... and so on. Pretty well any kind of instructional material a librarian creates is fair game for this repository.

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Can I use objects found here? What if I want to adapt them?

Of course! There are some restrictions based on the license type (Creative Commons or BC Creative Commons), but basically the point is that librarians can find and make use of the objects shared here. Adapting them for the needs of your own students is fine too. The license requires that you credit the creator of the object.

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If I adapt an object, do I have to upload it back to LINK?

Well, yes and no. Both the BC and Creative Commons licenses require you to make available any adaption and to credit the original author. But it's a matter of degree. In other words, how much modification makes it something entirely different? Sort of like those "when to cite" questions. In any case, we would all appreciate it if you did contribute, so that other librarians can benefit from your changes/updates. To be continued!

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Why participate in the ALPS LINK? What’s in it for me?

• Save Time: Starting from an existing version of a tutorial, guide or lesson plan can save you time. It may provide useful wording, content, or activities for your own resource and save you from having to “reinvent the wheel”.
• Design better resources: Viewing others' learning objects can highlight important points that should be covered in your own resources.
• New ideas/wording/presentation format: Seeing others’ materials may provide possible ideas about how to present your learning object in an interesting, novel way.

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Are there other repositories of learning objects for librarians like this one?

Yes, ANTS and CORIL are two notable Canadian examples. We're working on ways of allowing users to cross-search all of these repositories at once.

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I'd like to share some of the material I've created for my classes. Can I do it?

Of course! See the information on the LINK Community Portal about contributing to the collection.

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