Western Libraries, with its Learning Commons partners, offers an array of resources, programs, and services designed to advance student learning and scholarship. Curricular offerings include credit-bearing courses on information literacy and special topics. Co-curricular services include tours and orientation sessions as well as opportunities for structured dialogue with faculty, staff, and community members. Curricular-embedded programming provides research and writing assistance for students in courses across disciplines through integrated research and writing workshops. In all its offerings, the Libraries helps students develop intellectual and practical skills for success while at Western and long after they graduate.
Library Faculty
MARK GREENBERG (2013) Dean of Libraries and Professor. BA, University of Toronto; MA, University of Western Ontario; PhD, University of Florida; MLS, University of South Florida.
J. GABRIEL GOSSETT (2009) Associate Professor, Head of Research & Writing Studio. BA, University Wisconsin-Milwaukee; MLIS, University Wisconsin-Madison.
ELIZABETH JOFFRION (2012) Associate Professor, Director of Heritage Resources. BA, Louisiana State University; MA, University of New Orleans; MLIS, University of Maryland.
MADELINE KELLY (2017) Associate Professor, Director of Collections. BA, University of Mary Washington; MLS, Simmons Graduate School of Library & Information Science.
ABBY KOEHLER (2018) Assistant Professor, Teaching & Learning Librarian. BA, Illinois State University; MLIS, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
REBECCA MARRALL (2010) Associate Professor, Director of Technology & Discovery Services. BS, Portland State University; MLIS, University of Hawaii at Manoa.
CASEY MULLIN (2016) Associate Professor, Head of Cataloging and Metadata Services. BA, Western Washington University; MLIS, Indiana University.
JENNY OLEEN (2014) Associate Professor, Scholarly Communications Librarian. BS, Kansas State University; BS, University of Arizona; MLS, Indiana University.
CAITLAN MAXWELL (2019) Assistant Professor, Learning Commons Student Engagement Librarian. BA & MA, Western Washington University; MLIS, University of Washington.
ANDREA PETERSON (1999) Associate Dean of Libraries. BA, University of Utah; MLS, Indiana University.
JEFF PURDUE (1999) Associate Professor, Learning Commons and Media Librarian. BA, MA, University of Illinois at Chicago; MLS, Dominican University, River Forest, Illinois.
MARIAN A. RITTER (1969) Associate Professor, Head of the Music Library. BME, MLS, University of Portland.
EMILY SPRACKLIN (2019) Assistant Professor, Teaching & Learning Librarian. BA, Western Washington University; MLIS, University of Washington.
ELIZABETH A. STEPHAN (2008) Associate Professor, Faculty Chair, Teaching & Learning Librarian,. BA, Northwest Missouri State University; MLS, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
SYLVIA TAG (1997) Associate Professor, Subject Librarian. BA, Colorado College; MLIS, University of Iowa.
MICHAEL TAYLOR (2018) Assistant Professor, Special Collections Librarian. BA, Indiana State University; MA & MLS, Indiana State University.
Tutoring Center
Learning Commons: Wilson Library 2 North, 360-650-3855
library.wwu.edu/use/tutoring-center/welcome
The Tutoring Center helps WWU undergraduates achieve their highest academic potential by providing a range of academic support services including drop-in tutoring, tutor-facilitated study groups, and study skills appointments and presentations. Information and access to these services are available in-person at the Tutoring Center in WL 280 and/or via online platforms through our website.
Drop-in Tutoring
Peer-to-peer tutoring support is offered 60 hours per week. Courses supported include, but are not limited to, most math and science General University Requirement (GUR) courses. Tutors help students to identify and articulate gaps in understanding, use quantitative and scientific reasoning to frame and solve problems, build confidence, and make problems relevant to the course and to students’ lives.
Study Groups
Many high-demand courses are also supported by tutor-facilitated study groups. Study-group facilitators are tutors who did well in the course, and who usually have at least two quarters of drop-in tutoring experience as well as extensive training. Students participating in study groups are encouraged to work collaboratively and engage with the material.
Study Skills Assistance
The Tutoring Center also helps students develop academic skills essential to a successful college career. Peer advisors offer one-on-one appointments as well as group presentations and workshops for skills such as time management, test taking, note taking, and textbook comprehension. Study skills appointments give students the opportunity to reflect on their individual learning preferences and to develop learning strategies that build on their personal strengths and goals. A study skills booklet is also available on our website for self-paced learning. Detailed quarterly calendars and weekly schedules are also available in the Tutoring Center and on the Tutoring Center website.
Resources
The Tutoring Center has numerous resources available to students. At our physical location we provide textbooks for many math and science GURs, answer keys, chemistry molecular model kids, scientific calculators, and other resources. On our website you can get access to Open Education Resources for many of the courses we support.
