To schedule an instruction session, fill out the Instruction Request Form.
Please note that we can provide asynchronous online or synchronous online instruction for any of these sessions. The form will ask you whether you want to come to the library or have a librarian come to your class.
We can record an instruction session specifically for your class, but we always love getting the chance to connect with you and your students.
Each tab in this box contains topics WCJC librarians regularly cover in classroom presentations. Choose which topic(s) you want covered in the presentation, and fill out the Instruction Request Form for each class session you request. The tabs are organized by the estimated time required to cover the topic. You can choose whatever option(s) work for your needs, time constraints, and existing student knowledge.
Please note that we provide in-class, in-library, online, and pre-recorded instruction. If you have an additional request or want a specific lesson format, please include it at the bottom of the form. We are happy to present at multiple class sessions each semester; we can even schedule a quick follow-up visit or a working session if you would like to build additional time into your schedule for students to see us.
The Association for College and Research Libraries(ACRL) published a Framework for Information Literacy(FIL), referenced in this box and multiple times throughout this guide, in 2015. The FIL (ACRL, 2015) is widely accepted in the academic world (Contrada, 2019; Dempsey & Dalrymple, 2023; Julien, Gross, & Latham, 2018; and Terrile, 2019) and is the foundation on which all library instruction at WCJC rests. Each frame represents a threshold concept (Meyer & Land, 2003) that students should master by the end of their education journey.
The full ACRL Framework for Information Literacy is available at this link: https://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework#authority.
| Instruction Topic | Points Covered | Framework for Information Literacy Threshold Concept (ACRL, 2015) |
|---|---|---|
|
Meet a librarian 5 mins |
|
#5- Scholarship As Conversation |
|
Physical Library tour 5 mins |
|
#1- Authority is Constructed and Contextual |
|
Intro. to Library page 5 mins |
|
#2- Information Creation is a Process |
|
Citations (APA, MLA, other) 10 mins |
|
#3- Information Has Value |
|
Mid-semester or post-paper check-in 10 mins |
|
#2- Information Creation is a Process |
|
Creating an EBSCO account 10 mins |
|
#5- Scholarship As Conversation #6- Searching As Strategic Exploration |
|
Finding physical resources 5 mins |
|
#6- Searching As Strategic Exploration |
|
Database and digital organization 10 mins |
|
#2- Information Creation is a Process #4- Research As Inquiry |
|
Using AI for research 15 mins |
|
#5- Scholarship as Conversation |
|
Individual Research Guide demonstration 5 mins |
|
#2- Information Creation is a Process #3- Information Has Value |
|
Working session Time TBD |
|
#2- Information Creation is a Process #5- Scholarship as Conversation #6- Searching As Strategic Exploration |
|
Instruction Topic |
Points Covered |
Framework for Information Literacy Threshold Concept (ACRL, 2015) |
|---|---|---|
|
Finding and Refining- Creating a Search Strategy 15 mins |
|
#6- Searching As Strategic Exploration |
|
Finding Primary Sources 15 mins |
|
#5- Scholarship as Conversation |
|
Article Selection 20 mins |
|
#4- Research as Inquiry |
|
Database Roulette- Choosing the right database 20 mins
|
|
#3- Information has Value |
|
Evaluating Internet Sources (using TRAAP, SIFT, or another source evaluation method) 15-20 mins |
|
#1- Authority is Constructed and Contextual #3- Information has Value |
|
Scholarly vs. Popular Sources 20 mins |
|
#5- Scholarship as Conversation #1- Authority is Constructed and Contextual #2- Information Creation is a Process |
|
Specialized Database Tools 20-30 mins/ database |
|
#1- Authority is Constructed and Contextual #3- Information has Value |
|
Searching 101 30 mins |
|
#2- Information Creation is a Process #5- Scholarship as Conversation #6- Searching As Strategic Exploration |
|
Working session Time TBD |
|
#2- Information Creation is a Process #5- Scholarship as Conversation #6- Searching As Strategic Exploration |
| Instruction Topic | Points Covered | Framework for Information Literacy Threshold Concept (ACRL, 2015) |
|---|---|---|
|
Traditional Library Orientation 50-75 mins |
Meet a librarian Searching 101 Finding and Refining: Search strategy Meet a Librarian Article Selection Citations |
#1- Authority is Constructed and Contextual #2- Information Creation is a Process #3- Information has Value #4- Research as Inquiry #5- Scholarship as Conversation #6- Searching As Strategic Exploration |
|
Assignment Specific Research 50-75 min |
Topic, approach, databases, and approach determined by collaborating with the librarian conducting the session. This session is designed to focus on an assignment for which the students are specifically prepared in advance. |
T.B.A. |
|
Information Literacy Game 50-75 min |
||
|
Working session Time TBD |
No formal presentation will be given; this is a chance for the students to ask questions and work on assignments with a librarian present and ready to answer questions. |
#2- Information Creation is a Process #5- Scholarship as Conversation #6- Searching As Strategic Exploration |
| Student Retention and Persistence | Reduces Anxiety |
| Studies have shown that students who are exposed to library instruction in class are more likely to successfully complete that class. There is also a positive correlation between students who receive library instruction and their GPA (Bowles-Terry, 2012). | Anecdotally, students will express that they are more likely to visit with a librarian or library staff if they already know them and have been introduced to a librarian during class time. This sentiment is echoed by students in Bowles- Terry's 2012 study. |
| Higher Grades and Better Quality Papers | Timesaver |
| Studies have also shown that students who receive library instruction generally perform better in that class than if they had not received library instruction. Students also produce a better research product after engaging in a visit with an information professional (Julien, Gross, & Latham, 2018; Terrile, 2019). | It is widely accepted that community college students face many barriers to education and are sometimes underprepared for research at a collegiate level, even more so than their peers attending a four-year institution (Dempsey & Dalrymple, 2023). Giving students access to information professionals during class time leads to a greater understanding of library materials and source types, making research easier for students (Contrada, 2019). |
References
ACRL. (2015, February 9). Framework for information literacy for higher education. American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework
Bowles-Terry, M. (2012). Library Instruction and Academic Success: A Mixed-Methods Assessment of a Library Instruction Program. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 7, 82–95. https://doi.org/10.18438/b8ps4d
Contrada. C. (2019). Reference and information literacy in the community college library. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 59(1), 12–16. https://doi.org/10.5860/rusq.59.1.7220
Dempsey, M., & Dalrymple, J. (2023). Gaps in Information Literacy Preparedness Between Students at Community Colleges and Four-Year Institutions. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 49(1), 25–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2023.2256253
Julien, H., Gross, M., & Latham, D. (2018). Survey of information literacy instructional practices in U.S. academic libraries. College & Research Libraries, 79(2), 179–199. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.79.2.179
Meyer, J. & Land, R. (2003). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practising
within the disciplines. CiteSeerX. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.476.3389&rep=
rep1&type=pdf
Terrile, V. “Critical Pedagogies to Combat the Deficit Model in Community College Libraries: A Perspective,” The Journal of Academic Librarianship 45, no. 5 (2019), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2019.02.003.