The Department of Library Science offers distance education classes, using various delivery techniques. These include on-site instruction, interactive television (ITV), and Web-based delivery. Courses offered via the World Wide Web may, at the instructor's discretion, require some on-campus meetings. Any student may enroll in the department's distance education courses.
The department currently offers classes in the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg. Courses are usually offered in Duncan Hall, 2986 North Second Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110 (telephone 717-720-4081). Check the department's Web page on this site, which includes information about directions, registration and payment of tuition and fees, scholarships, and course offerings at the Dixon University Center.
All students taking classes at the Dixon University Center pay a site fee of $100.00 per course. Students taking classes at Dixon must register first at Clarion and then must contact the Dixon University Center to pay for courses taken there no later than one week prior to the start of each class to avoid a $35.00 late fee. After contacting Dixon, you will receive a letter from the center with information about your class, including room assignment. However, room assignments can change before the first class, so check at the administrative office on the second floor before class on Friday night. The office is to the right when leaving the elevator.
Free parking is available behind the classroom building, next to the National Guard Armory. Entry is on the ground (first) floor. The ITV classroom and computer lab are on this floor. There are vending machines (food/drink) across from the ITV classroom; however, they are often not well stocked. Regular classrooms are on the third floor of the building. There is a small eating area everyone may use on a mezzanine between the second and third floors. Only bottled water is allowed in the computer lab and ITV room; food and drink are permitted in the regular classrooms--please make sure that food containers are disposed of properly. Doors to the classroom building are locked around 4:00 on Saturdays; if you have to leave the building briefly after that time, make sure someone from the class is ready to let you back in.
For students who stay overnight for weekend classes, Days Inn is close to the Dixon Center. There is a Wendy's next to Days Inn; it is one of the closest places to eat. Another reasonably close place to stay is Best Western/Capital Plaza. Be sure to make reservations early; Harrisburg hosts many conventions and hotels/motels do fill up at times.
The department currently offers classes in the Free Library of Philadelphia. Courses are offered in room 108 of the Free Library of Philadelphia's Central Library, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 (telephone 215-686-5322). You can enter the library from the front door if you arrive before closing time (6:00 p.m.) on Friday. After closing on Fridays, and on Saturday morning, use the library's Wood Street entrance between 19th and 20th streets. There is a security guard at this entrance twenty-four hours a day.
The department's Philadelphia page includes information about directions, parking, registration and payment of tuition and fees, and course offerings in Philadelphia. When parking behind the library; sometimes you have to pay and sometimes you don't. But be prepared to pay.
Some students stay overnight in the area and report staying at Embassy Suites across from the library and at Sheraton Four Points at the airport.
Classroom temperatures may vary considerably. Food is not normally allowed in the classroom; however, by special arrangement, the Free Library has agreed to permit some food there. Please make sure that all food containers are disposed of properly. For lunch and breaks, Fresh Fields and Starbucks are located nearby. Nothing can be left overnight in the classroom Friday evening.
Students in classes offered at the Free Library are eligible for library cards. In addition, the Free Library offers access to some important electronic resources not available from Clarion (for instance, Biography and Genealogy Master Index). Floor plans of the library are available at the front desk.
The department currently offers classes at two sites in the Pittsburgh area, and other sites are under consideration.
Southpointe Center. Courses are usually offered at Southpointe Center's Bailey II Building, 135 Technology Drive, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania 15317 (telephone 724-873-2760). Southpointe Center is a facility of California University of Pennsylvania.
West Penn Hospital School of Nursing. Courses are offered at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing, 4900 Friendship Avenue, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 15224 (telephone: 412-578-5538), in the Nurses' Residence.
The department's Southpointe page includes information about directions, parking, registration and payment of tuition and fees, and course offerings at Southpointe. Ample free parking is available; use the upper level parking lot. Click here to find directions and parking information for West Penn. Another Web site explains how construction in the area may affect your route.
If you are staying overnight for a Southpointe class, a Super 8 Motel is located nearby in Canonsburg. Many other hotels and motels are located in the area. There are many places to eat in Canonsburg. In addition, there is a small kitchen on the third floor of the Bailey Building. Students may use the refrigerator and there is often free coffee available.
If you stay overnight for a West Penn class, you can rent a room very inexpensively in the Nurses' Residence. For more information about renting a room at West Penn, call the admissions secretary at 1-877-33NURSE. The hospital Web site lists other accommodations in the area. There is a cafeteria in the hospital, across from the Nurses' Residence.
At Southpointe, classrooms are on two different floors. ITV classrooms are on the third floor (the floor at which you enter when you park in the upper parking lot). Other classrooms are on the fifth floor. A sign posted at the elevator (as you enter from the upper lot) directs you to the classroom. The secretary's office is immediately to the right when you enter. Because Southpointe staff start work at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, you may find that you have a short wait for the building to be opened. Usually, however, the building is open before 8:00 a.m. There is a small library on the third floor which is open on Saturday.
West Penn is used primarily for ITV classes. There are two ITV classrooms, S124 and 614. The reception desk at the Nurses' Residence is always staffed. Emergency messages may be left for you at the desk. The phone number is 412-578-6981.
ITV delivery involves two or more sections of the same course that are taught simultaneously by the same instructor from a central location, with audio and video interaction. Classes are most frequently sent from Clarion and received at Southpointe, West Penn, or Dixon University Center, but on occasion, the classes are based at the distance sites and received on campus. Some instructors visit the receiving site once during the semester. Our Philadelphia site is expected to receive ITV equipment at a future date. Other Pittsburgh-area sites are under consideration.
ITV classes on the Clarion campus transmit or receive from the department classroom, 215 Carlson.
An ITV technician attends most classes at the ITV sites.
At this time, all Web classes offered by the department use Blackboard course management software. Information on taking Web classes can be found on the DE Graduate Student Manual Blackboard page.
The Dixon University Center Web site http://www.sshechan.edu/ssdixon.htm
Department of Library Science Web site Dixon University Center page
http://www.clarion.edu/libsci/dixon.htm
Days Inn http://www.daysinnharrisburg.com/howto.htm
Best Western/Capital Plaza http://www.bestwesternpa.com/Hotels/13.htm
The Free Library of Philadelphia Web site http://www.library.phila.gov/
Department of Library Science Web site Philadelphia page http://www.clarion.edu/libsci/philadelphia.htm
Embassy Suites http://www.embassysuites.com/en/es/hotels/index.jhtml;jsessionid=QTFCCWRFY1P55J31AOSMHZQ?ctyhocn=PHLDTES
Sheraton Four Points http://reservations.lodging.com/servlet/PropertyInformation/FP_123/ego1
Library card information for the Free Library http://www.library.phila.gov/registration/card.htm
Electronic resources at the Free Library http://libwww.library.phila.gov/databases/fulllistsearch.taf
Southpointe Center http://www.cup.edu/southpointe/
West Penn Hospital School of Nursing http://www.wpahs.org/education/undergraduate/nursing.html
Super 8 Motel http://www.searchhotels.com/us/pa/canonsburg/super_8_motel.92809.html
Department of Library Science Web site Southpointe page http://www.clarion.edu/libsci/southpointe.htm
West Penn's Nurses' Residence http://www.asri.edu/education/undergraduate/nursing_facilities.html
Accommodations in the area around West Penn Hospital http://www.asri.edu/wph/patient_info/lodging.html
Directions and parking information for West Penn http://www.asri.edu/wph/patient_info/directions.html
Construction affecting directions to West Penn http://www.asri.edu/wph/construction.html
DE Graduate Student Manual Blackboard page http://www.clarion.edu/libsci/DEBlackboard.html
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