Library Instruction Manual

Side quests are an optional choose-your-own-adventure tasklist that students in specific communications classes can use to boost their grade. When a student receives three side quest credits, their mark can be lifted by half a point, i.e., they can go from a B to a B+

current side quests involve:

• mindwell activities
• career services
• tutoring
• completing ASC self-directed LEARN modules or attending workshops
• nature walk / Reflection on the 7 Grandfather Teachings
• there are also quests embedded within particular classes

(note: these are subject to change)

Currently (eff. 2025/01/01), the library side quest ONLY applies to...

Students who take COMM-2174 Communication for Business

this class occurs in the following programs:

• Accounting and Management - International,
• Administrative Assistant - International,
• Applied Accounting
• Business Accountancy CE
• Business Admin - Financial Services,
• Business Admin - Human Resource Management (Wpg, Portage, Steinbach, & Winkler)
• Business Administration - Marketing (Wpg, Portage, Steinbach, & Winkler)
• Business Administration-Accounting (Wpg, Portage, Steinbach, & Winkler)
• Business Administration-General (Wpg, Portage, Steinbach, & Winkler)
• Business Administration-Logistics and Supply Chain Mgmt (Wpg, Portage, Steinbach, & Winkler)
• Business Management CE
• Business, Accounting & Management (Wpg, Interlake, Portage, Steinbach, & Winkler)
• International Business,
• Legal Assistant
• Transportation, Logistics, and Supply Chain Management

Students need to sit down with a library staff member to get assistance on their assignments. Topics of discussion can include:

• defining search topics and keywords,
• how to use OneSearch or other databases, 
• searching strategies, 
• building search strings and applying boolean syntax, 
• employing source evaluation techniques, 
• citation and source documentation, and,
• other related tasks. 

Tasks that do not count for credit:

• help with the printer
• help finding a specific book online/on the shelf (unless it is part of a more considerable discussion as described above)
• tutoring or help with writing tasks (there are other side quests for those tasks)

Students can walk in or make an appointment in person or via chat. 
The conversation must be face-to-face (in-person or Teams/Webex); it cannot occur via chat. 

The discussion should be at least 15 minutes, i.e., substantial reference questions. 

Can only acquire this side quest once. 

At the beginning:

•  verify that the student is looking for a side quest credit
•  verify they are eligible for that credit

**Of course, ineligibility doesn't mean we won't help them - just that they won't get side-quest credit**

Closing off the discussion:
BEFORE THE STUDENT LEAVES!

While the student is still at the desk with you, prepare the email to their instructor that verifies they received assistance from the library. They cannot get credit without this email. 

Please use the template below and cc Rosemary on the email for statistical tracking purposes. 

Email Template
___________________________

To: {Instructor of COMM-2174 Communication for Business}
cc: Rosemary Woodby (rwoodby@rrc.ca)
      {Student}

Subject: Side Quest at the Library

Body: 

Student name: {insert name here}
Student number: {insert number here}
Student Program: {insert full program name here}

Date of meeting: 
Topic of discussion: {insert a very brief, very high-level topic, i.e. "talked about searching better using OneSearch"}