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Dry as Dust? Think Again!Reviving a Weary Bibliographic Instruction Program
Hillary CampbellGovernment Documents Librarian
University of Texas at Dallas
Carol OshelDistance Learning LibrarianUniversity of Texas at Dallas
The Problem…Information IlliteracyUndergraduate students were, as a general rule,
not gaining information literacy skills as they progressed through their collegiate experience.
Rather, they stalled out in their abilities to seek and locate information, or they simply resorted to materials outside of the library’s resources…seldom to be seen or heard from again!
Statistical Evidence
Fewer patrons at the reference desk No increase in website / electronic resource
usage Increase in Subject-specific instruction
sessions
Observational Evidence…Reference Desk
Large number of upper-level undergrads / grads unfamiliar with basic library resources
Large number of students indicating library as “last resort”… when WWW searching proved fruitless
Inability to distinguish between peer-reviewed and popular titles
Observational Evidence – Library Instruction Sessions
“On-the-fly” remediation in subject-/ assignment- specific sessions
Less time for higher-level skills Students left unprepared Frustration of those not needing remediation
Rhetoric 1101 and Rhetoric 1302 Required for undergrads and transfers Addresses rigors of university life Library instruction component historically
optional, and underutilized Feedback solicited from faculty via printed
survey instrument – ineffective Better word-of-mouth faculty feedback
Rhetoric 1101-Faculty Response Some dissatisfied with the depth of
information or style of presentation No-shows resulted in “babysitting”
atmosphere Some didn’t foster good learning environment Some lacked information literacy skills –
passed on to students
The Rhetoric 1101 Library Component…
Was in trouble Could be a key player
in fighting the outbreak of information illiteracy
Needed help!
Plan of Attack – Strike Quickly
Previous statistics and feedback compiled
Librarians met to determine strategy
Faculty damage control
Plan of Attack – The Facts
Rhetoric 1101 library component completely revamped
Input sought from faculty Two librarians (both former high school
teachers) appointed to task force
Good Fortune! New Director of
Undergraduate Advising made library component mandatory for Rhetoric 1101 curriculum
New advocate intrinsic to success of new program
The Stage Was Set…
Faculty Input
Physical tour of the library Searching for articles online Peer-Reviewed vs. Popular Citation Styles Not Everything is on the WWW
Teaching Librarian Input
Core Elements Eradicate duplication between Rhetoric 1101
and Rhetoric 1302 Modify handouts distributed in sessions Order of presentation
Core Instructional Elements Introduce the Library Website – Useful WWW
resources, Ask-A-Librarian, VR, 1-on-1 library instruction
Introduce the Online Catalog - Basic and Keyword Searching
Not Everything is Online – Introduce Print Reference Sources
Introduce the Electronic Databases Evaluate Your Sources – Peer-reviewed vs. trade,
evaluating WWW resources
Handouts Before – A sheaf of handouts available at the
reference desk…messy and scattered…time-consuming…wasteful…left behind
After – A booklet…a compact guide to the library…less preparation for teaching librarian…less paper used…less cleanup…a more professional presentation
Publicity
Task Force addressed Rhetoric 1101 faculty Folders distributed Encouraged to schedule Q & A Generally positive response
Implementation
Rehearsed A LOT! Task force members initially taught all
sections Modified almost daily Other librarians eventually taught
Obstacles
Human Resources Class Length Faculty Resistance Teaching Librarian Resistance
Solutions – Human Resources
Patience Flexibility Determination
Solutions – Length of Session Core elements reordered according to priority
level Allowed for greater focus on most important
elements Elements of secondary importance ordered
last, as greater detail awarded in Rhetoric 1302 library component session
Solutions – Faculty Resistance Bibliographic Instruction Librarian would
ensure faculty attendance when scheduling session
Teaching Librarian would contact faculty member personally before session
Teaching Librarian would encourage non-attending faculty member to take roll at the end of the session
Solutions – Teaching Librarian Resistance Task force encouraged communication of
concerns Discussed, as a group, ways to combat these
issues Task Force emphasized “the big picture” Encouraged to observe sessions conducted by
task force A customizable session script was created
Measuring Success (or failure…) Follow-up email sent to each faculty member Online evaluation survey Compiled and compared data to prior year Reference Desk statistics Academic Search Premier statistics Word-of-mouth
Conclusions More than 10% of student body
reached through library instruction during September, 2003
Reaching more students increased usage of library resources
Increased use of library resources confirms viability of academic library
The Future of Rhetoric 1101
Constant cycle of seeking input and implementing change
Online tutorials for distance learners
New Director of Undergraduate Advising
Paper / Presentation
www.utdallas.edu/~hxc024100/dry.doc
www.utdallas.edu/~hxc024100/dry.ppt