The Information Literacy Professional

Ellen BreenSub-Librarian, Head of Information & Public Services

IATUL SeminarMunich, November 30 – December 1, 2010

Presentation Overview

• Information Literacy Education: Current Context

• Organisational Structure for IL

• Information Literacy in DCU…

• Qualifications and skills required

• The future……

Context: Information Literacy Education

• Emphasis on student-centred learning

• Retention issues and improving the first-year student experience and overall academic standards (Plagiarism)

• Information seeking behaviour studies highlight the need for IL support

• Lifelong learning and employability

• Demand

Context: Information Literacy Education

Claire McGuinness, Lecturer, SILS (Lilac, 2009)

• Librarians understand the importance of IL

• Librarians understand how students seek information, and what difficulties they experience in the process

• Librarians have a long history of teaching (19th Century)

• Librarians are information experts

• Other stakeholders (e.g. Academics) are not in a position to teach IL

“Information literacies, including searching, retrieving, critically evaluating information from a range of appropriate sources and also attributing it – represent a significant and growing deficit area.”

User Information Behaviour Studies

“There is an identifiable need for training, support and improved systems to help people find the information they need”

“Students need more guidance and clarity on how to find content and how to assess its worth as well as its relevance”

User Information Behaviour Studies

IL in the WorkplaceA study of SMEs in the UK, estimated that employees spend 6.4 hours a week looking for information. 

37% of searches are unsuccessful, equating to £3.7 billion in wasted time each year. (DeSaulles, 2007)

DCU graduate student and GMID

Business Community

Organisational Structure for IL

• Typically a Subject/Liaison Librarian Model– ‘Teaching’ Role

• Role of Subject Librarian itself is changing/expanding

• “Something’s gotta give”? (Reference Desk)

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2009/2010: 62.1% of student population (approximately)

Case Study Information Literacy for Engineers

Delivery: Classes, Workshops, Online Learning Support

• Presentations, workshops, demonstrations

• Collaborative group work where practicable!

• VLE support (resources, forums etc)

• Online Tutorials, Quizzes• Classroom response

systems (CRS)

Cross-Institutional Project

• Sharing expertise, resources in challenging times!

• MyRI (Measuring Your Research Impact)– Online tutorial and learning materials to support

bibliometrics and research assessment awareness and training

– ‘National Digital Learning Resource’ funded project– All materials will be available in the open access

NDLR repository– Using Articulate software

IL Developments Aligned to DCU Strategy

Learning Innovation Strategy (2006-2008) Develop a distinct learning environment which will result in

….”students with a high level of information literacy” Actions under “support for new learners” and “online support”

New Implementation Plan – Objective relating to ‘facilitating the transition to higher education’ with specific action points relating to a first year programme audit of study skills (including IL skills)

Graduate Attributes….

Expert Defined Standards

ACRL Standards for

Proficiencies for Instruction

Librarians and Coordinators

(2008)

– Administrative skills – Assessment and evaluation

skills – Communication skills – Curriculum knowledge

– Information literacy integration skills

– Instructional design skills – Leadership skills – Planning skills – Presentation skills – Promotion skills – Subject expertise – Teaching skills– Technical skills– Project Management Skills– Academic Writing

Training Needs….

“Lack of a consistent teacher identity among academic librarians may hinder their effectiveness in meeting these expanding instructional responsibilities in a changing organisational environment” (Walter, 2008, p.65)

• ‘Teaching Librarians’ must be supported with adequate training opportunities to build confidence and skills

Training for Successful IL Delivery

• 3 day ‘Teaching and Learning’ event for Subject Librarian team

• HR training events– Communication/

presentation/project management skills

• Learning Innovation Unit events

Training for Successful IL Delivery

• ANLTC (Academic & National Libraries Training Cooperative)– e.g. ‘Writing for academic publishing’

• Conferences/Seminars– LILAC– CONUL ACIL annual seminar

• Library School Module: ‘The Teaching Librarian’

• PG Certs in third level t&l• Masters programmes in HE, E-

learning

Importance of the ‘Teaching’ Librarian Role

• Our university is better informed about how we ‘add value’ (Faculty T&L Committees etc)– Strengthens and enhances the role of the library on campus

McGuinness, C. 2010

• Librarians who teach can develop a better relationship with students/users, with all-round benefits

• Librarians’ involvement with teaching can lead to greater insight into academic life, and better collegial relationships

• Librarians’ status in institution enhanced

Future…. • Demand for more online learning

support for information literacy

• Increased collaboration– On campus e.g. Learning Support Staff– Increased cross-institutional collaboration

• Appropriate ongoing training and support is essential

Questions?

ellen.breen@dcu.ie

References

DeSaulles, M. 2007. Information literacy amongst UK SME: an information policy gap. Aslib Proceedings 59(1) pp. 68-79.

Katz, Haras & Blaszczski 2010. Does Business Writing require information literacy? Business Communication Quarterly, 73 (2) pp. 135-149.

McGuinness, C. 2010. Teaching Librarians or Librarians who Teach? Teacher identity among academic librarians. Librarians' Information Literacy Annual Conference (LILAC), Limerick , 29-MAR-10 - 31-MAR-10.

Walter, S. (2008). Librarians as teachers: A qualitative inquiry into professional identity. College & Research Libraries, 69(1), pp.51-71.