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Resource Portal

STAR Center Services

The Student Tutoring And Research (STAR) Center offers a wide range of academic support services for students and instructional support services for faculty. Many of these services are available online and in-person. Services that are only available in-person are labeled as In-person Only. Click the service title for a full description.

For more information about our physical spaces and usage guidelines, visit STAR Center Spaces & Guidelines.

Service Desk Services

Computer stations are available for students to complete academic work in the STAR Center, building F (Library Building), 1st floor. The main computer area is located at the front of the STAR Center which includes computers with special programs. There is a second computer lab (F-160) located in the back right corner of the STAR Center. All computer stations are connected to pay-to-print printers (see Document Reproduction below). Computer station areas are not designated quiet areas.
Course reserves are textbooks that are made available for students to check-out and use in the library. Reserve items are made available by professors, so not all textbooks are available.
Most reserve items are available for a 2 hour check out. They are not available for hold and cannot be re-checked in order to provide ample access to all students. To learn more, visit Course Reserves Guide
Students may print, make copies, and use scanners in the library computer areas. Printing is $.10/ page for black and white and $.50/ page for color. Students may also copy documents in black and white for $.10/ page. Scanners are free of charge.
Students may check out a variety of items from the STAR Center. The STAR Center offers items such as CD's, DVD's, and books for both educational and entertainment purposes. Students may also place holds on items from Harris County and Montgomery County public libraries to be picked up at the LSC-Montgomery campus. Items available for check-out can be found in the LSC Libraries Catalog.
Currently enrolled students can get their student ID cards at the STAR Center main service desk. Students must provide photo ID (drivers license, passport, etc.), student ID number, and class schedule (proof of registration).
The library offers a variety of study spaces for student use. Students may use group study rooms to work with classmates on projects and presentations. Each study room is equipped with a TV for easy collaboration. The library also has individual study carrels and desks, comfortable chairs, and a quiet study area. All spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The library offers some technology items for check out such as calculators, mobile device chargers, HDMI cords, and headphones. Laptops are also available for check out for use in the STAR Center space.
A professor or department may put an item on reserve by completing a Reserve Request Form. Please fill out the form completely before returning/ bringing it to the Service Desk at the STAR Center (Building F, 1st floor).

The contact information should reflect the person responsible for the item(s) in the event that they are withdrawn and returned. Depending on the time of year, if can take up to 5 business days to get an item processed and on the shelf for students to check out. Peak times for putting an item on reserve are at the beginning of each semester (fall, spring, and summer).

To view a complete list of LSC-Montgomery Course Reserves, visit: Course Reserve Guide
All employees requesting an ID must provide an Access Request Form from their department. If an employee needs their ID printed on a One card (access card) this will come from their department as well. Employees will bring the Access Request Form, photo ID, and One card (if needed) with them to get their employee ID. Service Desk staff will take a picture, print the ID card, and return the Access Request Form to the employee.

Library Services

Students have access to digital versions of newspapers, magazines, academic journals, ebooks, and video collections. They can be accessed through the LSCS library website and the LSC-Montgomery STAR Center's Resource Portal. Access off-campus requires students to log-in using their library barcode on the back of their student ID. Librarians are available to assist with locating and usage of digital collections. To search available digital collections, visit: Library Services Guide: Find e-Resources.

In addition to the academic databases, the librarians have curated a list of digitized collections available for free on the internet. To view these resources, visit: Digitized Collections Guide.
Available equipment includes 3D printers, 3D scanner, audio/video recording and editing equipment, graphic design programming, virtual reality, and a data visualization suite. All equipment is located in the STAR Center and is available by appointment. Appointments for 3D printing are restricted to a max of four hours and students must have a completed file ready for print upon arrival. Use of equipment is restricted to LSC students for course assignments. To learn more about available equipment and spaces, visit: Emerging Technologies Guide.
The physical collection is composed primarily of academic resources for use in course research assignments but also includes smaller collections of popular fiction, graphic novels, professional skills development, and guides for software and career development. Items are mostly print books but also include DVD media. All items in the physical collection are housed at the LSC-Montgomery Library and the LSC-Conroe Center. Check-outs require a student library card from the service desk. Librarians are available to assist with item selection. To search the library's physical collections, visit: LSCS Libraries Catalog.
Librarians are available to assist students with developing research skills and strategies, identifying resources needed for an assignment, locating and using academic and media databases, and selecting items from the library’s physical collection. Librarians may also assist with citation questions in multiple required styles and in avoiding plagiarism. In addition, students can get assistance with understanding information creation and resource evaluation. Librarians may be contacted online via chat, text, email or by appointment for in-person or virtual consultations. To learn more about contacting a librarian for research and citation help, visit: Getting Research & Citation Help
Resource guides are library webpages with search strategies, resource collections, and assignment tips divided by subject areas. Resource guides are also available for special topics and skills development. All resource guides may be located on the LSC-Montgomery library resource portal. For a complete list of available resource guides, visit: Library Services Guide: Resource Guides.
Librarians regularly work with faculty in the development of research assignments. Collaborative assignments allow students to connect with materials needed for future projects, learn about various support services available to them, and to become familiar with important publications and researchers in a field of study. This knowledge can increase the chance of completion among participating students. To learn more about assignment collaboration, visit: Online Faculty Academic Support Services Guide.
Individual librarians are assigned to each division to communicate with faculty about items purchased for the collection. Item selection is meant to reflect the curriculum needs of program coursework. Faculty may request specific items be considered for addition to the collection. To learn more about collection development, visit: Collection Development.
Resource Guides are webpages that provide research strategies and resource collections on specific study areas. Librarians can create custom guides for professors to link into D2L. Students will be linked directly to resources and research topics tailored to the needs of a specific course. To learn more about customized resource guides, visit: Online Library Services.
All faculty are invited to participate in the IAS program. We are seeking faculty who are willing to integrate academic support services directly into a course using one or more of the following methods:
 
  • Virtual or in-class introduction of academic support services provided by a STAR Center staff
  • Scheduled study groups, workshops, content reviews, or other services
  • Mandatory use of academic support services by referring at-risk students to use specific services
  • Regular communication of academic support services at key times of the semester

Each of these methods can be customized to align with your course timeline, learning outcomes, and student needs. We’re happy to collaborate with you to add and/or customize services on request. For more information about this service, visit: Integrated Academic Support.
A librarian can present to your class on available resources and information literacy. Instruction includes locating appropriate scholarly sources and search strategies for fields of study or specific assignments. Also included is information literacy instruction that will teach your students concepts of information creation such as peer review and the ability to evaluate resources for authority and accuracy. Library instruction is available in-person, synchronously through Webex, or a librarian can create an asynchronous instructional video to link into D2L. To learn more about information literacy instruction, visit: Faculty Academic Support Services: Library Instruction.

Tutoring Services

Academic coaching is a live interactive one-on-one session with an academic coach that provides support and assistance in improving academic skills & performance. Coaches can help overcome perceived barriers, identify areas of strength and weakness, devise a personalized plan of action, and more! For more information, visit Academic Coaching.
If you are someone who wants to learn independently, we have the best resources to use as a start. Resources available at the labs include textbooks, handouts, models, bones, digital microscopes, slides and rock samples. We also have pre-recorded workshops that allow you to approach learning at your own pace, focusing on areas you are most interested in or want to understand better. For more information, visit Independent Study Resources.
Offers online individual tutoring assistance to master the language that you are studying. Students can also access to specialized computing programs for complementary support. For more information, visit Language Lab.
Scheduled, tutor-led study time designed to help the students with their subjects and development of effective learning behaviors. All students in a course are invited to join. A tutor reviews key concepts, models learning strategies, and assists the group in remaining focused on reaching session goals. To join or start a study group, contact Tutoring Services at MC-Tutoring@lonestar.edu.
Online and in-person tutoring sessions are offered in a broad selection of courses, including accounting, biology, chemistry, computing, English, ESOL, geology, math, physics, and Spanish. For more information, visit Tutoring Services.
Group sessions on a variety of topics, including, specific course concepts, TSIA2 test-prep, and academic skills. These sessions are led by STAR Center staff, as well as faculty, and offer the students an opportunity for hands-on practice outside the classroom. To view all of our currently scheduled workshops, visit Workshops & Events.
Services include free consultations in writing, ESOL support, reading, and public speaking to improve students writing, communication, and reading comprehension skills across the academic curriculum. For more information, visit The Write Place.
The STAR Center and The Write Place offer a full complement of on-demand academic workshops that can be presented online or in-person to your class. We can present on topics from our list of student success workshops, or you request a topic specific to your needs. These workshops are designed to provide students with an interactive experience to enhance their academic learning and improve their academic skillset. The STAR Center offers a wide selection of student-focused workshops hosted by staff and tutors. To request a custom workshop for your class, complete the Integrated Academic Support Services Form.
Synchronous, adaptive tutoring designed to offer instructors and students additional support in the classroom. To request embedded tutoring support, complete the Integrated Academic Support Services Form.
All faculty are invited to participate in the IAS program. We are seeking faculty who are willing to integrate academic support services directly into a course using one or more of the following methods:
 
  • Virtual or in-class introduction of academic support services provided by a STAR Center staff
  • Scheduled study groups, workshops, content reviews, or other services
  • Mandatory use of academic support services by referring at-risk students to use specific services
  • Regular communication of academic support services at key times of the semester

Each of these methods can be customized to align with your course timeline, learning outcomes, and student needs. We’re happy to collaborate with you to add and/or customize services on request. For more information about this service, visit: Integrated Academic Support.