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Social Work *: Faculty Resources

Library resources for the social work profession.

General Library Information

Research Consultations

  • Schedule a research consultation if you need to speak with a librarian to learn better search techniques, you’re new to using the libraries and need support, you’ve been searching for information but can’t find what you need, etc.

  • Typically 45 minutes, but can go up to an hour. Schedule an appointment with Alyssa: https://libcal.usc.edu/appointments/brissett

Systematic Reviews

Ways to collaborate/partner with your librarian (https://libraries.usc.edu/instructional-services) 

  • Partner with a librarian, throughout the semester, to develop information literacy resources and instruction around a particular topic or theme or skill for foundation courses and capstone projects
    • Eg. asynchronous tutorials and guides, workshops, guest lectures, small group discussions with students who have similar research topic and interests
    • Develop synchronous instruction around a specific topic,  skill or library resource such as a database
    • Develop course research guides for courses 
  • Consult on assignment or syllabi redesign/development for courses
    • Incorporate information literacy components into an assignment to build lasting skills in finding and using information 
    • Build more diverse and inclusive syllabi
    • Identify and locate course readings and media resources

Course Reserves (ARES)

  • Use ARES to manage your course reserves. Create a course, add items, submit requests to purchase ebooks, add a class proxy, etc.
  • Contact Gabriela Garcia, Course Reserves Supervisor at gabriela@usc.edu for more information and for assistance with navigating ARES.

Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery

  • Request USC-owned books for home delivery through our IDD services
  • Request scanned chapters or articles if there is no electronic version available
  • Contact IDD staff at idd@usc.edu

Recommend A Book

  • We encourage USC faculty, staff and currently enrolled students to recommend items for the library's collections. USC Libraries has made a strategic decision to invest in electronic resources including books, journals, databases, and multi-media formats. Moving to an “e-Preferred” plan, USC Libraries now purchases the electronic version of resources when available. When an electronic copy is not currently available, the Libraries will acquire the print version.

Access Privileges

  • Remote access to USC Libraries' electronic databases, electronic journals, electronic books, and other research websites is for the exclusive use of current USC students, faculty (including part-time), staff, post-docs, and official visiting scholars registered with a home department. Electronic resources are governed by license agreements, and the terms of use are set by the publishers and vendors from which they are subscribed.
  • Library privileges are not transferable to other individuals, and the library reserves the right to request secondary picture identification before allowing access to facilities or providing services.

Fair Use Checklist

Section 107 of the Copyright Act provides a framework for identifying whether something is fair use. Keep in mind that you need to consider all four factors of the framework. The information below is from the United States Copyright Office. 

Purpose and character of use How are you using the work? Nonprofit educational and noncommercial uses are most likely to be considered fair.  This does not mean, however, that all nonprofit education and noncommercial uses are fair and all commercial uses are not fair. Additionally, “transformative” uses are more likely to be considered fair.  Transformative uses are those that add something new, with a further purpose or different character, and do not substitute for the original use of the work.
Nature of the copyrighted work Using a more creative or imaginative work (such as a novel, movie, or song) is less likely to support a claim of a fair use than using a factual work (such as a technical article or news item). In addition, use of an unpublished work is less likely to be considered fair.
Amount or substantiality of the portion used Look at both the quantity and quality of the copyrighted material that is used. If the use includes a large portion of the copyrighted work, fair use is less likely to be found; if the use employs only a small amount of copyrighted material, fair use is more likely. In some cases, use of an entire work can be considered fair under certain circumstances. And in other contexts, using even a small amount of a copyrighted work that is considered an important part—or the “heart”—of the work is not covered under fair use.
Effects of the use upon the potential market for or value of the work To what extent, does the unlicensed use harm the existing or future market for the copyright owner’s original work. Example: displacing sales of the original 

 

Antiracist Teaching Resources

Open Education Resources

Copyright-Free Images

Use the resources below to find copyright-free images that you can use for presentations, workshops, and course materials. 

Research and Teaching Resources

Research Impact Metrics

Additional Resources from USC and other Institutions

Subjects: Social Work