UNC Charlotte

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UNC Charlotte

• Library Instruction Program

Donna J. Gunter
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Contents

• Administrative Location Of Instructional Services
  Program In The Library
• Underpinnings Of Library Instruction Program
• Curriculum of Library Instruction Program
• Present State Of Library Instruction Program

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Administrative Location Of Instructional Services
Program In The Library

• Part I

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Information Commons Department
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Underpinnings Of Library Instruction Program

• Part II

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• Is it Library Instruction, or is it Library
  Orientation?

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Library Orientation

• Generic
• One-Size-Fits-All
• Dog-and-Pony Show
• Walk-and-Point

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Library Instruction

• Assumes the writing and research process are one
  single process.
• Assumes that learning takes place within a social
  context.

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Library Instruction

• Specific to classroom assignments.
• Engaged in the curriculum.
• Aims to help teaching faculty reach their
  instructional goals, as related to researched
  writing.

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Curriculum of Library Instruction Program

• Part III

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Library Instruction Curriculum

• Information Literacy

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Academic Libraries

• ACRL Information Literacy Standard Competencies
  for Higher Education

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Information Literacy Standards

• Determine the extent of information needed
• Access the needed information effectively and
  efficiently
• Evaluate information and its sources critically
• Use information effectively to accomplish a
  specific purpose
• Understand the economic, legal, and social issues
  surrounding the use of information, and access
  and use information ethically and legally/

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Why are we concerned?

• Regional Accrediting Bodies are demanding more
  accountability for information literacy.
• UNC-Charlottes General Education Program
• UNC Tomorrow

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UNC-Charlottes General Education Program

• Basic skills of information literacy and
  technology Entering students are expected to
  have already developed the basic computer skills
  necessary to use word processing, email, and the
  internet. By the end of their first semester at
  UNC Charlotte, students are expected to have
  developed the basic information literacy
  necessary to find and evaluate information from
  the internet and bibliographic and database
  sources in Atkins Library. These skills are
  developed in English 1101 and 1103, and help with
  bibliographical and database search skills is
  available in the information commons of the
  Library. Basic tutorial help is also available at
  campus computer labs. Students are expected to
  exhibit ethical behavior in the use of computers.
  More advanced information literacy and technology
  skills are required by individual departments and
  majors.

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UNC TomorrowResponse Phase I, May 1, 2008 (UNCC)

• Information Literacy is mentioned in two places,
  within the Global Readiness chapter
• On pg. 7, as a part of "Existing Academic
  Programs Addressing 21st-Century Skills,
  information literacy is collapsed with digital
  literacy within library instruction. Its part
  with the first-year composition program is noted,
  but no other place in the curriculum is noted.
• On pg. 9, one of the "New Initiatives," is the
  proposed Communication and Critical Thinking
  program. Writing Across the Curriculum program is
  part of that program, and information literacy is
  mentioned as part WAC.
• On pg. 13, a formal program in "Information and
  Digital Literacy" is a secondary initiative.

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Present State Of Library Instruction Program

• Part IV

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Where do we stand?

• No formal information literacy program in place.
  We teach at the kindness of strangers.
• Assignment Driven and Topic Driven
• Information literacy is hidden curriculum.
• Instructional Services Program is the formal
  setting for our curriculum.

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Give Me the Facts, Maam

• 13 instruction librarians
• Teach in most subject areas
• Teach graduate and undergraduate
• 2008-2009 statistics
• 490 sessions
• 10803 students

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Class Components

• Class content usually based on assignment.
• Research paper
• Group project/presentation
• Analysis of a business
• Can include a web page created by the instruction
  librarian for that class. See Class Pages
  Database.

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Class Components

• Usually in Atkins 125/273
• Sometimes conducted in other campus spaces.
• Presentation/Demonstration
• Student Centered/Task Oriented

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Getting Business

• Publicity to faculty
• E-Mail
• Liaison Newsletters
• Departmental Meetings
• Participate in New Faculty Luncheon
• Specialized sessions for faculty/TAs
• Plagiarism prevention
• Preparing TAs for library instruction

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Maintaining Business

• Development of On-Line Tutorials
• Statistics
• Maintain Classes Web Page Database
• Library Instruction Home Page
• Teaching Space Issues
• Train New Teachers
• Liaison Advisory Team