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Instruction: Home

Library Instruction Overview

Not sure what we can teach your students? A librarian can visit your class to provide instruction on a variety of topics, ranging from accessing library resources and exploring advanced search techniques, to more in-depth discussion and analysis of information sources and their usefulness and/or appropriateness. Review the Library Instruction Menu for an array of options.

 

 

In addition to in-person classroom instruction, a variety of asynchronous instructional content is available for you to utilize. Topics include library search basics, distinguishing source types, and evaluating information sources (information literacy). Check out the available tutorials and videos, and contact Farren Benvenuti (Instruction Librarian) or Andrew Smith (Library Director) if you’d like to assign any of this content for your classes.

 

To maximize the potential impact of library instruction, we strongly recommend incorporating some variety of asynchronous content in conjunction with a scheduled in-person classroom session. Please get in touch to discuss some of the possibilities!

 

Depending on your course/assignment and the desired learning outcomes, you may find everything you need on this page. However, the menu options and additional content listed here are not exhaustive, so if there are other resources or topics you would like addressed, we are happy to discuss the options with you.

Access the library instruction request form by clicking the button below to submit your library instruction request, and contact Farren (x2536) with any questions or to customize the library instruction experience for your class!

Library Instruction & Information Literacy

Not sure what we can teach your students? A librarian can visit your class to provide instruction on a variety of topics, ranging from accessing library resources and exploring advanced search techniques, to more in-depth discussion and analysis of information sources and their usefulness and/or appropriateness. Review the Library Instruction Menu for an array of options.

Depending on your course/assignment and the desired learning outcomes, you may find everything you need on the Library Instruction page. However, the menu options and additional content listed are not exhaustive, so if there are other resources or topics you would like addressed, we are happy to discuss the options with you.

Access the library instruction request form by clicking the button below to submit your library instruction request, and contact Farren Benvenuti (x2536) with any questions or to customize the library instruction experience for your class!

NEW for 2024-25! Check out the Information Literacy Scaffolding page linked below for concrete ideas on integrating information literacy assignments into your coursework.

Library Instruction Menu

The concepts listed below are derived from the Association of College and Research Libraries' Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2015). Where applicable, click the link to learn more about each concept.


Learning Outcomes Potential Topics Related Concepts
Locating Relevant Resources

Defining the research question

Identifying keywords and related search terms

Using specific databases and resources appropriate for the subject area

Revising search strategies

Saving articles and citations

Using the Interlibrary Loan service

Research As Inquiry

Searching As Strategic Exploration

Developing Effective Search Strategies

Combining search terms

Using Boolean operators

Using appropriate limiters and search fields for efficiently locating potential sources

Searching As Strategic Exploration
Distinguishing Source Types; Determining a Source's Relevance or Usefulness

Recognizing various source types and their usefulness

Identifying the information need(s) for a project

Understanding a source's intended audience and purpose

Discussing peer review, scholarship, and the publication process/cycle

Authority Is Constructed and Contextual

Information Creation As A Process

Scholarship As Conversation

Evaluating Internet Sources for Credibility

Evaluating online sources for credibility and usefulness

Learning strategies for tracking down key information sources used in online publications

Authority Is Constructed and Contextual

The Library Instruction Menu was adapted from and inspired by Radford University's McConnell Library and University of Findlay's Shafer Library.

Austin College

 

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Please direct comments or questions about this website to Andrew Smith.