Why You Should Bring Your Class to the Library For An Instruction Session
Library

As an experienced researcher in your discipline, you may have forgotten what it's like to be a novice researcher in an unfamiliar discipline. We ask you to put yourself in your students' shoes for a few moments, with their experience and perspective.

Novice researchers don't know subject-specific resources, lack frames of reference, knowledge of research paradigms, useful journals, prominent researchers, and jargon. They find it difficult to evaluate the quality and value of the information they discover.

When faced with an information need, most students fall back on familiar internet search engines for instant, easily available information.  They may stumble on some useful scholarly sources, but to meet your expectations, most will eventually need to consult more appropriate research resources.

Library research skills instruction helps to familiarize students with research skills and online and print resources tailored to your course and assignments.  Library instruction helps them to differentiate between subscription databases and freely available internet resources and between popular and scholarly resources.

Usually about 90 minutes in length, these sessions also included guided hands-on search time to build students' confidence.  Librarians are available for follow-up with the class later in the semester when students are in the midst of their research projects.

We have found that you can't assume that students know the basics - many are transfer students and even graduate students may be coming from other disciplines.

Faculty from all of the colleges have provided overwhelmingly positive feedback about library research instruction, through their session evaluations and occasional faculty focus groups.  Faculty are particularly positive about the customization of these sessions, which happens with active collaboration between librarian and faculty member to identify learning objectives and resources that will help your students be successful in your class.  Learning is enhanced when faculty members attend the session and extend the collaboration during the session.

Instruction sessions can be scheduled any time during the semester, but making your reservation early ensures that the session will fit your course needs and provide time for you and the librarian to collaborate in customizing the session.

To request a library instruction session, click here.