Library Instruction/Information Literacy Team Report
2005.
In December 2004, members of the George A. Smathers Libraries Public Services
Council met to discuss the state of library instruction and information literacy at the
University of Florida. The agenda for the meeting was to "to identify an approach and
parameters for a library-wide instruction program. The first order of business will be for
PSC to identify issues/concerns that need to be dealt with and then present a team to be
headed by Jana Ronan with a general charge. The team would have the authority to add
members from other library units as deemed appropriate by the team members to ensure
library-wide representation in the process. Parameters/boundaries for the team to work
within will be discussed and then be clearly delineated. Issues, such as the team's ability
to recommend reporting lines and job assignments, should be defined." (Public Services
Council, Agenda, December 1, 2004). Librarians representing all areas of public services
were drafted to work on the team. The team members include Tara Cataldo, Patrick
Reakes, Paul Victor and Jana Ronan.
The team has spent four months studying the instructional environment here at the
university, as well as local and ACRL standards and guidelines for information literacy.
After an examination of the literature, other university library instruction programs and
consultation with George A. Smathers Libraries faculty and staff, the team formulated the
following set of recommendations to share with the Public Services Council.
1. Goals
The basic goals and objectives articulated in our existing Library Instruction
Program remain valid. The team took the liberty of making some small revisions to
bring the document up to date with the information resources and library catalog
system currently in use. References to instructional support for distance learners
were added to the document.
Recommendations:
a. Retain the Library Instruction Program, with minor revisions (see Appendix A.).
Make the document more visible and encourage all instructors to review it
periodically.
b. Be sensitive to the unique training needs of distance education students and
faculty (see 2j).
2. Communication and coordination
At the present time, there is a lack of consistent communication among library
instructors and public service units that support instructional endeavors such as
circulation or course reserves. In addition, instruction is somewhat balkanized;
librarians coordinating instruction in various units are often unaware of what other
colleagues are doing. Because of the lack of communication and of an overall
instructional coordinating entity, there is duplication of effort in developing
curriculum, instructional aids and in working with user groups.
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
Another factor making coordination difficult across various units is the increased
demand for instruction by university faculty and programs such as the University
Writing Program, International Studies and others. Instructional demand predictably
peaks at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters, times when other public
services responsibilities such as staffing the reference desk, are also intensive. To
compound the situation, instructional duties and responsibilities are not equitably
distributed among public services faculty and staff.
Recommendations:
a. Create an email discussion list for teachers (already implemented)
b. Establish a full-time library wide instruction coordinator, to coordinate activities
across branches, units and departments and provide teacher support.
c. Create a library wide Instruction/Information Literacy Committee. (See
Appendix B.)
d. Include library instruction in the job responsibilities of all new public services
faculty and staff hires, requiring a set number of hours (such as ten) a semester of
teaching activities or support.
e. Incorporate teaching or instructional support in the job assignments of existing
public services staff, also setting the number of hours (such as ten)
f Coordinate publicity, marketing and news with the Communicating with Users
Group
g. Distribute teaching load more equitably during times of intensive demand, by
requiring that everyone teach classes, or that other public services staff support
instructors by relieving them of regularly assigned reference and other public
service responsibilities
h. Cultivate new library instructors with training and mentoring.
1) Charge the instruction committee with developing orientation and training
opportunities for new faculty and staff.
2) Assign a teaching mentor to each new faculty or staff member, who would let
the new person observe their classes, etc. Charge the instruction committee
with identifying mentoring possibilities and development of a program.
i. Implement vacation blackouts during peak periods of instructional demand
j. Charge an instruction committee representative with attending the DCE (Distance,
Continuing & Executive Education) Advisory Board monthly meetings, to
monitor UF developments in this area, and to advocate library instruction.
k. Continue to foster non-public service staff participation in user awareness and
orientation level activities by including volunteers
1. Hold instruction "town meetings" twice a year near the beginning of fall and
spring semesters to share news, ideas, syllabi and technology updates.
3. Assessment
Our current library instruction program relies heavily upon volunteers to work with
big programs and in representing the library in various programs, assemblies and
other activities on campus. Some programs such as the training for the University
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
Writing Program, survey the writing faculty for feedback on training effectiveness,
yet the majority rely upon attendee headcounts as an indicator of success. Increasing
instructional demand will continue to supply high statistics, but is a faulty measure of
instructional quality when it is the only measure used. Instruction coordinators that
manage large programs such as biology, that rely upon the goodwill of their volunteer
teachers, may wish to explore other ways to assessing instruction, such as teacher
performance, but are afraid of losing volunteers. Another reason why instructors may
not explore other means of evaluating teaching is because development of good tools
can be very time consuming.
Recommendations:
a. Move from the volunteer based program to required participation in library
instruction (see recommendation 2d-e), to support development of instructor
assessment and make it easier for supervisors to address teaching performance in
annual reviews.
b. Charge Instruction/Information Literacy Committee with development of
assessment models and tools, and dissemination to teachers
c. Assess student learning
1) Develop pre tests to measure students' knowledge of information literacy
concepts prior to library training
2) Develop post tests to measure mastery and retention of concepts after
instruction sessions
1) Develop online quizzes with certificates of completion
d. Assess instructor effectiveness
1) Encourage peer reviewing, where a teacher invites a colleague to attend
classes and give suggestions for improvement. These would be voluntary,
confidential reviews, not tied to library annual evaluations.
2) Develop online class evaluations so that outside faculty and students attending
sessions may submit feedback online directly after the class or even later.
Evaluations could be tied to annual evaluations for librarians with instruction
in their job assignment.
3) Videotape librarians; offer videotaping services so that teachers may review
their own performance after a session. This would be voluntary and
confidential, not tied to library annual evaluations.
e. Use campus resources such as UCET to develop and deliver assessment
4. Technology
UF instruction librarians are very creative in employing available technology such as
e-reserves and the Web to support classroom teaching. However, there is a need to
invest money and development time in technology to answer the ever-increasing
demand for library instruction. Many university libraries serving comparable
populations are investing heavily in online training to augment classroom instruction,
as in the "Minute Modules" tutorials offered by the PennState Libraries and the
"Research 101" tutorial at the University of Washington. Other university libraries
are teaming with writing departments to incorporate online information literacy
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
tutorials in the curriculum, as in the example of the "Assignment Calculator" at the
University of Minnesota.
Recommendations:
a. Provide systems support staff knowledgeable in instructional technology
b. Extend instructional outreach to distance learners and satellites by putting training
online
c. Create standardized, easily deliverable instructional online modules addressing
information core competencies (as prioritized by Instruction Committee)
d. Develop online modules of instruction in a format or medium that UF faculty and
instructors can easily link to from their websites or within courseware
e. Purchase equipment and software to support teaching such as wireless projectors,
smartboards, wireless keyboards, Camtasia, PhotoShop, etc.
f Consistently train teachers in the use of technology
g. Charge Instruction Committee and Instruction Coordinator with selection,
purchase, implementation of technologies, and establishing training for
instructors. Develop a checklist of skills or technology competencies for teachers.
5. Training
There is a great desire for training in teaching methods, information resources and in
technology among the Smathers Libraries instructional staff. Yet there are an
impressive number of local and professional resources of which we do not take full
advantage. There is a need for an organized, consistent program of training to orient
new hires, to galvanize and motivate practicing teachers, and to keep teachers abreast
of new developments in the field.
Recommendations:
a. Charge the instruction committee with developing orientation and training
opportunities for new faculty and staff, such as regularly scheduled "train-the-
trainer" sessions.
b. Assign a teaching mentor to each new faculty or staff member, as mentioned in
2h.
c. Use campus resources such as UCET more
d. Bring in outside speakers and experts to motivate teachers
e. Coordinate training with the Human Resources staff development program as
appropriate
f Provide funding for and encourage librarians to participate in relevant NEFLIN
and SOLINET classes, in ALA preconferences, web casts, and to even take credit
courses from the UF College of Education.
g. Encourage supervisor support for training activities.
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
Sources Consulted:
ACRL. Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. American
Library Association. Chicago, IL: 2000. Accessed March 28, 2005.
http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.htm
Avery, Elizabeth Fuseler, ed. Assessing Student Learning Outcomesfor Information
Literacy Instruction in Academic Institutions. ACRL, American Library
Association. Chicago, IL: 2003.
George A. Smathers Libraries. Library Instruction Program. University of Florida.
Gainesville, FL: 2001. Accessed March 28, 2005.
http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/instruct/program.html
Information Literacy: University of Tennessee Libraries Long Range Plan, 2004-2008.
University of Tennessee. Knoxville, TN: 2004. Accessed April 5, 2005.
http://www.lib.utk.edu/refs/ilpg/longrpl08.pdf
Health Science Center Libraries. Library Instruction Class Evaluations and Tests.
University of Florida. Gainesville, FL: 2005. Accessed March 8, 2005.
http://www.library.health.ufl.edu/services/instructionevals.htm
PennState University Libraries. Instructional Programs. University Park, PA: 2005.
Accessed April 15, 2005. http://www.libraries.psu.edu/instruction/index.htm
Perkins Library System. Instruction & Outreach. Duke University Libraries. Durham,
NC: 2005. Accessed March 28, 2005.
http://www.lib.duke.edu/services/instruction/
Shapiro, Jeremy J. and Shelley K. Hughes. "Information Literacy as a Liberal Art:
Enlightenment proposals for a new curriculum." Educom Review 31. 2 (Fall
1996). Accessed March 28, 2005.
http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/review/reviewArticles/31231 .html
University Center for Excellence in Teaching (UCET). University of Florida.
Gainesville, FL: 2005. Accessed April 5, 2005. http://www.ucet.ufl.edu/
University Libraries. Instruction and Outreach Committee. Ohio State University.
Columbus, OH: 2004. Accessed March 28, 2005.
http://library.osu.edu/sites/staff/ioc/
University of Iowa Libraries. Instructional Services. University of Iowa. Iowa City, IA:
2005. Accessed March 28, 2005. http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/instruction/
University of Michigan. University Library Instructor College. Ann Arbor, MI: 2005.
Accessed April 15, 2005. http://www.lib.umich.edu/icollege/
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
University of Minnesota Libraries. Assignment Calculator. Minneapolis, MN: June 28,
2004. Accessed April 15, 2005. http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/
University of Washington Libraries. Teaching. University of Washington. Seattle, WA:
2005. Accessed March 28, 2005.
http://www.lib.washington.edu/ougl/teaching.html
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
Appendix A
Library Instruction Program Revision, March 2005.
Key: Edits to be added to the document are noted in boldface. Words or sentences that
the Team recommends be deleted are marked iith .,I iketiln l ,gh.
The ongoing mission of the George A. Smathers Libraries is to support the evolving
teaching, instruction, and research endeavors at the University of Florida. This support
applies to Gainesville based programs, as well as those offered at satellite campuses
and online via distance learning. To. further this mission, a Libraries Strategi Pln ha
been developed and adopted. The third of its six goals is to "increase programs to ensure
the University constituency can successfully utilize library resources." The Library
Instruction Program addresses this general goal by defining specific actions that will (1)
enable students to acquire information-seeking skills as a basic component of their
education at the University of Florida and (2) insure that faculty and staff are aware of
and competent in using services and resources of the UF Libraries. The program
identifies four increasingly sophisticated levels of information resources and retrieval
techniques: user awareness, orientation, general library instruction, and subject-
specialized library instruction. The eafamps-wide Library Instruction Program advocates a
pro-active approach to teaching information skills to the University constituency.
Goals of the Program:
1. To enable students to acquire information-seeking skills as a basic component of
their education at UF and to become competent in using services and resources in
the UF Libraries
2. To prepare UF graduates for life in an information-based society, i.e., to prepare
them to make effective lifelong use of information, information resources, and
information systems
3. To insure that faculty and staff are aware of services and resources in the UF
Libraries and are competent in using those resources for teaching and research
4. To insure that faculty and staff are knowledgeable about the library's role in
teaching, and how they can make effective use of library/classroom partnerships
and peer assistance programs
Statement of Program Responsibility:
Although instruction is the responsibility of all library staff, the Public Service Division
is charged with implementing the first three parts of the Library Instruction Program: user
awareness, orientation, and general library instruction. The Collection Management
Division has primary responsibility for subject-specialized instruction. CM staff analyzes
the instructional needs of specific academic program areas, determines instruction
appropriate to those needs, assesses the feasibility to carry out the program, and trains
those in the subject areas. Even though the Public Services and Collection Management
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
Divisions provide leadership for this program, staff from all areas of the Libraries are
expected to participate in instructional efforts.
A. User Awareness
Objective One: To insure that all new students, faculty and staff are aware of the
University Libraries and the specific resources available through the Libraries
Method One: Develop orientation sessions and handouts for new students, faculty,
staff, and teaching assistants; participate in programs such as Preview and new
faculty orientation
Specific skills and competencies
o Knowledge of existence and location of University Libraries including
branch and satellite libraries
o Knowledge of WebLUIS the UF Libraries catalog and appropriate
online resources
o Knowledge of information formats available in libraries, including print,
microform, video, audio and online eleetenie
o Knowledge of reference services
o Knowledge of subject specialists who will provide specialized assistance
o Awareness of library/classroom partnerships
Method Two: Conduct presentations and product demonstrations in non-library
locations such as the Reitz Union and the CIRCA labs and in meetings such as the
University Senate and large orientation events such as PAACT and the
Computer Fair.
Specific skills and competencies
o Awareness of specific resources available in the libraries
o Knowledge of services available through the libraries
Method Three: Radio and television news briefs; articles in the Alligator and the
Gainesville Sun and other media sources; displays; posters and flyers for campus
bulletin boards; promote library web presence on affiliated university web
sites such as myUFL and courseware; collaborate with Communicating with
Users Group
Specific skills and competencies
o Knowledge of specific product or resource
o Greater awareness of University Libraries
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
B. Orientation
Objective One: To insure that students, faculty and staff understand how the collection is
organized and accessed, and that they understand how to use library services, e.g.,
interlibrary loan and online course reserves.
Method One: Tours and orientation seminars
Method Two: Basic WebLUIS instruction and orientation (hands on when
possible) in lower- division undergraduate classes.
Basic (hands-on when possible) instruction in searching the UF Libraries
catalog and an interdisciplinary periodical database such as Academic
Search Premier in lower division undergraduate classes.
Method Three: Point of use assistance from librarians, staff and peer
assistants: at WebLUIS terminals (with library staff & peer assistants), in dorms
(with peer assistants), handouts distributed at point of use
at library information commons computers, in residence halls, online
through virtual reference, and handouts distributed at point of use
Specific skills and competencies for Methods One, Two, and Three
o Knowledge of physical organization of University Libraries
o Ability to use diagrams and other guides which indicate where materials
are located
o Ability to identify specific locations and what they signify, e.g., reserve,
reference
o Knowledge of library services and how to use them
o Awareness of Libraries' home page
o Ability to find books, periodicals and other materials by author, title,
subject or key words in WebLUIS the UF Libraries catalog
o Ability to recognize and interpret call numbers, locations, holdings, and
status of items on WebLUIS UF Libraries catalog records
o Ability to understand library vocabulary, e.g., serial, microform, record,
citation, fields
o Ability to use interdisciplinary periodical databases and locate articles
in online and print periodicals Abiliy to use a.icle indexes on
WebLUIS
o Ability to find information on a topic through keyword and subject
searches in WebLUIS-the UF Libraries catalog and interdisciplinary
periodical databases (if appropriate for group being instructed)
Objective Two: To extend networks of library instructional support outside the Libraries
by building partnerships with existing academic support units, such as Academic
Advising, OASIS and university tutoring services the' Mi4y; -Peer Counseling
program.
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
Method One: Train the trainers
Specific skills and competencies
o Knowledge of skills and competencies outlined in objective one
o Ability to demonstrate all skills from previous objective
o Knowledge of ways to help peers
C. General Library Instruction
Objective One: To insure that students, faculty and staff understand how to access all
appropriate resources available in the UF Libraries catalog and web site. en
WebLUIS-
Method One : Advanced WebbGL S-workshops (hands-on instruction)
Specific skills and competencies
o Ability to use online periodical databases such as Academic Search
Premier article indexes on WebLUIS
o Ability to use advanced searching techniques, e.g. proximity searching
Objective Two: To insure that students, faculty and staff will be able to access particular
databases or database systems, both print and eleetrni-e-online, such as LexisNexis
Academic, EBSCOhost, CD ROMS, FirstSearch and Cambridge Scientific Abstracts.
Method One: Hands-on classes (could be course integrated classes,
library/classroom partnerships or special stand-alone classes)
Method Two: Demonstrations (could be course integrated classes,
library/classroom partnerships or special stand-alone classes)
Method Three: Instruction upon request and handouts on use of databases
Specific skills and competencies for Methods One, Two, and Three For each
database or system students, faculty and staff should have the ability to do the
following:
o Select the appropriate database
o Determine contents and coverage
Select file, database, library (ability to choose content)
o Understand Utilize search strategy, commands, and controlled vocabulary
and effectively navigate database interfaces
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
o Use Boolean logic appropriately (if it applies)
o Perform an effective satisfactory search
o Interpret citations and retrieve full text of documents
o Determine the relative advantages/disadvantages of print/elec-troni online
format of source
D. Subject-Specialized Library Instruction
Objective One: To enable faculty to make effective use of Library/Classroom
Partnerships
Method One: Train the trainers
Specific skills and competencies
o Knowledge of skills and competencies from Section B (Orientation)
o Ability to set up library/classroom partnerships
o Knowledge of alternative library-based assignments
Objective Two: To insure that students, faculty and staff understand information structure
and management and are able to use subject-related resources
Method One: Classes for students entering major
Method Two: Self-guided instruction such as videos, tutorials, or home-page
links.
Method Three: Point-of-use instruction such as bibliographies of resources by
subject
Method Four: Individual consultations with librarians
Method Five: Workshops
Specific skills and competencies for Methods One-Five
o Ability to use resources and services of the library to find information on a
topic
o Ability to create a basic library research plan on any given topic
o Ability to evaluate materials for a particular need
O Ability to use basic article indexes in all foIrmats, e.g., on WebLUIS on
CD ROM, in full text and in print
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
Method Five: Course integrated instruction for upper division undergraduates or
graduate students, including library-based assignments, and credit courses in
subject areas using complex, specialized literature
Specific skills and competencies
o Ability to use print library resources in specific subject area
o Ability to use eleetrni-e online resources in particular subject areas
o Ability to use advanced searching techniques
o Ability to understand information structure of the subject area
o Ability to create a library research plan for the subject area
o Ability to evaluate literature critically
o Ability to use information management techniques and software
Revisions by Library Instruction/Information Literacy Team (Tara Cataldo, Patrick
Reakes, Jana Ronan and Paul Victor)
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
Appendix B
Recommendation to Form a Standing UF Libraries Instruction Committee
Members:
Chair -Permanent, full-time education coordinator
Hire or reassign a public services librarian with recognized skills and enthusiasm
for library instruction.
HS&S Representative (represents HS&S department instructors)
Science Representative (represents Science Library instructors)
Collection Management/Special Collections Representative (represents Collection
Management, Area Studies and Special Collections instructors)
Branch Representative (represents Journalism, Music, Art/Architecture, Education and
Government Documents instructors)
Staff Representative (represents all non-librarian instructors)
* 1 representative from each section
* Rotating 2-year terms
* Representatives to be nominated by their division head and approved by the
committee chair
* Representatives will have the responsibility of reporting to their respective groups
(thru email, mini-meetings, etc.) and will also poll their groups for information and
opinions when needed by the committee.
* If a representative cannot make a meeting, they will find a replacement from their
representative group to attend
o Alternative: have 2 instead of 1 representative from each group
It is recommended that the Instruction Committee hold an Instruction Town Meeting with
all instructors twice a year.
The committee is encouraged to include either the following people, or guests from the
listed areas, as appropriate:
* Systems
* HSCL
* Legal Information Center
* Director of Public Services
* Communicating with Users Group
* Webmaster
* Access Services rep
It is recommended that the committee meet monthly, or more often as needed.
Library Instruction and Information Literacy Team 2005
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