The subject savvy librarian: making

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• The subject savvy librarian? making
• IL skills relevant at Kingston University
• Lyn Porteous
• Gill Sims
• Kristy Widdicombe

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Collaboration with Faculty of Arts Social
Sciences
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Setting the context

• Teaching Fellowship
• Building confidence early in course
• Presence in first year designated academic
  skills module
• Parity across all fields
• Contribution to independent learning

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Phased Information Skills
As easy as one, two, three

• 3
• Embedding IL at
• all levels
• From
• pre-sessional to
• post-graduate

• 1
• Initial Induction
• - Interactive workshop
• in induction week
• Finding
• Information
• leaflets

2 Academic Skills
Modules at Level One -
Subject approach to IL
skills - Workbooks
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Making it relevant

• Embedded into the subject area
• Becoming subject savvy
• Building bridges the importance of
  collaboration

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Case study 1 Film Studies

• Calling the Shots Library Workshop
• Show and tell
• Introducing subject keywords
• Beginners guide to searching
• Assessed self-guided workbook
• Feedback evaluation

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Speaking to them in their own language?
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From the general
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To the specific
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Subject savvy?

• Be introduced alongside teaching staff
• Attend lectures and become more aware of the
  curriculum
• Collaborate with academic staff and attend
  meetings
• Be aware of current research interests
• Familiarise yourself with the key terms of the
  discipline

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Library Skills Workbooks
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Case study 2 Key features of Politics approach

• Self-guided workbooks
• Based on essay question
• Short answers
• Not just multiple choice
• Compulsory part of assessment portfolio
• Online submission
• Instant and tailored feedback

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Embedding IL skills into the VLE
Library Skills Button
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Case study 3 Psychology

• Independent research early in course

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How are we developing this?

• Further collaboration between library and
  academic staff
• Masterclasses
• Liquid liaisons
• Induction Podcasts
• Compulsory assessment
• Consult students
• Prior learning of students

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Questions?

• Discussion points
• Examples of being subject savvy? What does this
  mean for your institution?
• How do you make IL skills phased and relevant?
• How do you collaborate with academic staff?