Students searching for an extra credit hour might take a course that will cause them to spend less searching time in the library.

Ohio University now is offering a University College class called College Information Seeking Skills that will give students a thorough introduction to the academic resources available at Alden Library.

The purpose of this class, which will meet twice a week for the first five weeks of Winter and Spring Quarters, is to introduce essential information gathering techniques to students, said Sherri Saines, an instruction librarian who will teach the course.

This class is aimed toward freshmen and sophomores, especially those doing research papers for other classes, she said.

"Students will learn what sources are available, what sources to use for a given subject and how to evaluate sources," Saines said.

Funding for the course comes from endowment funds used by the university to enhance undergraduate experimentation and research, said Nancy Rue, coordinator of user services and head of the reference and instruction department.

A committee interviewed a number of qualified applicants to teach the course and selected Saines because of her experience, enthusiasm and creative approach to teaching, Rue said.

Library information sessions currently are offered to freshmen through classes such as a university college course and English 151, but are not as in-depth and do not provide the same hands-on learning as the College Information Seeking Skills course, Saines said.

Freshman Cara Honider said although the course sounds like a good idea, she would rather walk into the library and ask people at the reference desk than sit in a class.

But some students said that the information gained would be worth the extra credit hour of class.

Junior Kerry King said she would take the course because it is essential to learn how to use the computer and Internet as a tool for research and communication.

Because new sources are developing rapidly and information is changing daily, the university felt this class is a necessity, Saines said.