Chat requires JavaScript.

Express Links

Meeting the Challenge

What Faculty and Librarians Can Do


What Faculty Can Do:

While research indicates that student attitudes and skills related to libraries and information literacy present educators with challenges, it also provides direction for those willing to meet those challenges. Specifically, faculty can help students the most by working collaboratively with librarians on designing research assignments and planning information literacy classes. The following excerpts highlight the importance of information literacy programs, particularly those that include partnerships between faculty and librarians.

"The most important predictor of proficiency in library skills is the frequency with which students receive assignments requiring library research." "A truly effective bibliographic instruction program requires faculty participation and commitment."

  • Lilith R. Kunkel, Susan M. Waver, and Kim N. Cook. "What Do They Know?: An Assessment of Undergraduate Library Skills." The Journal of Academic Librarianship 22, 6 (November 1996): 430-434.

"Students who have taken library skills courses tend to report experiencing fewer barriers and feeling more comfortable with and knowledgeable about the library." "Advisors and instructors should encourage students to attend library instruction courses, incorporate library instruction into their courses, accompany students to the library in the early stages of their research, maintain a close working relationship with librarians in order to support learning goals."

  • Qun G. Jiao & Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, "Antecedents of Library Anxiety." Library Quarterly 67, 4 (October 1997): 372-390.

"Don't rely on your own research skills. Traditionally, the best place to begin a research project was the reference desk of a library. It still is."

  • Steven R. Knowlton, "How Students Get Lost in Cyberspace." The New York Times (November 2, 1997): 18.

What Librarians Can Do:

The faculty and administration of Milne Library are working to provide experiences and resources that support the development of information literacy. We invite you to join us in creating meaningful and engaging information literacy assignments and projects that will help the students meet the following Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) competency standards.

INTD 105 Information Literacy Integration Plan

EXAMPLE ONLY - EXAMPLE ONLY - EXAMPLE ONLY - EXAMPLE ONLY

This plan is an example of how one might integrate information literacy instruction into a section of INTD 105. Ideally, a plan will be created collaboratively by the course instructor and the librarian. The first session is a general introduction to the library, while the second focuses specifically on resources necessary for students to complete a required course assignment. These two sessions are then supplemented with workshops on plagiarism and style guides, word processing, PowerPoint, and a Student Research Consultation. Please note, sessions I & II are during the regular meeting time for the class, while the supplementary options are on Students' time. Various dates and times are always offered for workshops and SRCs are scheduled by students with librarians.

Library Session I - 50 minutes (students required to attend)

Learning Outcomes:
Students will:

  • Recall the location of key service points and collections in Milne Library.
  • Locate and use the library web page to learn about library services and resources.
  • Use GLOCAT to locate books, periodicals, video, and audio recordings.

Library Session II - 50 minutes (students required to attend)

Learning Outcomes:
Students will:

  • Understand the difference between an online catalog, a research database/index, and a search engine.
  • Identify journal and magazine articles on the author Robert Alan Wright.
  • Use search engines, portals, and meta search tools to find web sites on evolutionary psychology.
  • Critically evaluate information found on the web.

Supplementary Opportunites (on students' time)

  • Plagiarism & Style Guides Workshop (required)
  • Basic Word Processing (students lacking computer skills encouraged to attend, not required)
  • PowerPoint Workshop (students using PP for presentations encouraged, not required)
  • Student Research Consultation (students having difficulty with research are encouraged, not required)