Information literacy — then and now The information literacy movement & American libraries

1. Information literacy — then and nowThe information literacy movement & American libraries Patricia Davitt Maughan The Teaching Library University of California, Berkeley U.S.A. Inno2000 — Helsinki

2. Agenda • Information Literacy movement in the U.S. • Convergence with concept of the “Teaching Library” • The Teaching Library @ University of California, Berkeley • Recent developments in Information Literacy Inno2000 — Helsinki

3. Information literacy — 1974 • Proposal to the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science • National goal of “information literacy” within a decade Paul G. Zurkowski — Information Industry Association Inno2000 — Helsinki

4. Information literacy — 1974 • “Information literates” • people “trained in the application of information resources to their work … who have learned techniques and skills for utilizing a wide range of information tools as well as primary sources in molding information solutions to their problems.” Paul G. Zurkowski Information Industry Association Inno2000 — Helsinki

5. A Nation at Risk — 1983 • U.S. National Commission on Excellence in Education report • A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform • largely ignored the roles of libraries Inno2000 — Helsinki

6. The Boyer Report — 1987 • College: The Undergraduate Experience in America • “the quality of a college is measured by resources for learning on the campus and the extent to which students becomeindependent, self-directed learners.” Inno2000 — Helsinki

7. Response to 1980’s educational reform reports • No mention of emerging information technology • In response, Columbia University and U of Colorado brought together leaders in higher education and librarianship for a summit meeting • Question — how can meaningful educational reform occur without consideration of the emerging “Information Society” where future generations of students will live? Inno2000 — Helsinki

8. Information literacy — 1987 • American Library Association (ALA) Presidential Committee on Information Literacy • charge — • to define information literacy • to determine “its importance to student performance, lifelong learning, and active citizenship.” Inno2000 — Helsinki

9. Information literacy — 1989 • ALA Presidential Committee on Information Literacy Final Report • the information literate person — • able to recognize when information is needed • able to recognize what information is needed to address a given issue • able to locate, evaluate and effectively use the needed information Inno2000 — Helsinki

10. Information literacy — 1989 • ALA Presidential Committee on Information Literacy Final Report • new model of learning — based on information resources • active & integrated, not passive & fragmented • develop critical thinking on the part of students • commitment beyond the library by schools & colleges • to “integrate the concept of information literacy into their learning programs.” Inno2000 — Helsinki

11. National Forum on Information Literacy • focus — to promote “individual empowerment” within the Information Society • broad based membership • 75 national & international organizations • adopted ALA’s definition of Information Literacy • meets 3 times per year in Washington, D.C. Inno2000 — Helsinki

12. National Forum on Information Literacy 2 Inno2000 — Helsinki

13. Tompkins — evolution of “The Teaching Library” • American universities • preeminent in research • undistinguished for the quality of undergraduate teaching & learning • American university libraries • preeminent in building research collections • largely unsuccessful in their support of undergraduate teaching & learning Inno2000 — Helsinki

14. “The Teaching Library” — 1990 • Tompkins, Philip, “New Structures for Teaching Libraries,” Library Administration and Management 4 (Spring 1990), pp. 77-81 • envisions a new role for the university library ... a technology intensive library of the future, which has come to be called “the teaching library” Inno2000 — Helsinki

15. Tompkins — “The Teaching Library” • 1960s and 1970s institutional response to the growing complexity of research libraries on U.S. campuses • the separate undergraduate library • core collection of books and journals • librarians dedicated to teaching their use Inno2000 — Helsinki

16. Tompkins — “The Teaching Library” • 1990s — some U.S. libraries afforded the chance to plan for expansion • to conceptualize a new type of library Inno2000 — Helsinki

17. Tompkins — defining “The Teaching Library” • “… an environment that will empower users to create a distinct learning culture with new roles for faculty, computer professionals, librarians and students … a facility that will continue — via computer courseware, information software, and print products — the learning that is formally initiated in the lecture hall.” Philip Tompkins — Deputy University Librarian University of Southern California Inno2000 — Helsinki

18. Tompkins — Teaching Library goals - 1 • unique facility to train students & faculty to acquire information • the core — large numbers of interactive workstations • humanizing the use of technologies Inno2000 — Helsinki

19. Tompkins — Teaching Library goals - 2 • campus center & retreat • encouraging group learning & study • combines traditional information with emerging learning & information technologies • provides collections & technology for collaboration • print, electronic, graphics, animation, sound & video Inno2000 — Helsinki

20. Tompkins — Teaching Library goals - 3 • gateway to more extensive library services and collections • locally • regionally • nationally • internationally • staff oriented toward supporting & enhancing technology-intensive learning • comfortable with innovation • teachers & trainers Inno2000 — Helsinki

21. The Teaching LibraryUniversity of California, Berkeley (UCB) • “… to bridge the gap between the classroom and the Library’s information resources” • Teaching Library mission — • to ensure that all graduates of the University are thoroughly familiar with the information resources and tools in their respective fields of study • prepared to conduct a search for information resources in any field of study Inno2000 — Helsinki

22. UC Berkeley Teaching Library Program • focus — humanities & social sciences • customized in-class presentations • teaching resources & strategies appropriate to particular courses • drop-in workshops • Faculty Seminar series • self-help leaflets • web design Inno2000 — Helsinki

23. Instruction page Inno2000 — Helsinki

24. Faculty Seminar page Inno2000 — Helsinki

25. Faculty Technology Program — 1998 — • co-taught by Teaching Library, Information Technology Program & Office of Media Services staff • teaching technology • web page design • courseware • digital imaging • participation doubled in 3 years • progress — slow, incremental • spring 2000 attendance est. 38 Inno2000 — Helsinki

26. UC Berkeley Teaching Library Organization — 15.5 FTE Inno2000 — Helsinki

27. UC Berkeley Teaching Library Organization • Program coordinators • teach faculty & students how to use a wide range of information resources • collaborate with selectors, faculty & campus student support units Inno2000 — Helsinki

28. UC Berkeley Teaching Library Organization • Program coordinators • integrate library & information literacy instruction into appropriate points within the undergraduate curriculum • design & provide course-integrated & drop-in instruction sessions • publicize the instructional program Inno2000 — Helsinki

29. UC Berkeley Teaching Library Statistics Inno2000 — Helsinki

30. UC Berkeley Teaching Library Organization • User research coordinator • designs programs to better understand library users & focus library services on known user needs • helps to identify user needs • describes library users’ levels of information literacy and computer competency Inno2000 — Helsinki

31. UC Berkeley Teaching Library Organization • Teaching Library User Research Program • Ongoing survey of Information Literacy Competencies Survey of graduating seniors (1994 — ) • pre- and post- testing in 2-hour course-integrated instruction sessions • fold what we learn back into the re-design of library instruction programs Inno2000 — Helsinki

32. UC Berkeley Teaching Library Organization • Teaching Library User Research Program • Survey of Faculty & Graduate Student Library Use and Satisfaction (1997) • Collections and Services • SERVQUAL Survey of Faculty and Graduate Students (Fall 2000) • Strategic Planning Focus Groups • Statewide Resource for Focus Groups • instruction • moderating Inno2000 — Helsinki

33. UC Berkeley Teaching Library Organization • California Heritage Project — 1 • K-12 outreach effort • teacher training in Oakland & San Francisco public schools • basic training in use of classroom computers • MS word, web pages (Netscape Composer), Internet searching, saving images & editing with Photoshop Inno2000 — Helsinki

34. UC Berkeley Teaching Library Organization • California Heritage Project — 2 • training in use of primary resources to teach history & social sciences • California Heritage databases of historical images, Library of Congress American Memory Collection, National Archives • training in historical analysis • synthesizing, interpretive & evaluative skills training Inno2000 — Helsinki

35. UC Berkeley Teaching Library – CA Heritage Projects Inno2000 — Helsinki

36. Information Literacy — recent developments • 1996/1997 — California Association of Research Libraries • Statement of Principles for Information Literacy criteria • revised existing WASC accreditation standards • recommended institutional information literacy assessment plans • 1997 — Association of College & Research Libraries • formed the Institute for Information Literacy Inno2000 — Helsinki

37. IIL Organization Inno2000 — Helsinki

38. Information Literacy — recent developments • 1998 — American Libraries Association • updated 1989 Presidential Commission on Information Literacy Report • 2000 — American Libraries Association/Association of College & Research Libraries (ALA/ACRL) • approved revised draft of Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education • Middle American States Commission on Higher Education distributed as resources for evaluators • formally endorsed by American Association of Higher Education (AAHE) Inno2000 — Helsinki

39. ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards • Information literacy higher order skills lower order skills Inno2000 — Helsinki

40. What’s needed to undertake information literacy training by the Library? • Strong commitment from the institution • strong commitment from library administration • proficiency in teaching, technology & assessment among library staff • a faculty who will partner with librarians and other information handling professionals Inno2000 — Helsinki

41. Challenge for the 21st Century • Instructional librarians must develop rhetorical & political skills • to persuade faculty & administrators that there is a coherent set of intellectual skills in information seeking that can be taught and evaluated • can be dovetailed with the larger goals of the institution Inno2000 — Helsinki

42. Implications for Teaching Librarians • teaching • faculty development • outreach/advocacy • assessment Inno2000 — Helsinki

43. Endnote • “… information literacy must be seen as a concept inextricably connected to the improvement of the undergraduate curriculum — and not just the “hobbyhorse” of librarians … information literacy — when it is narrowly conceived — will continue to be viewed ... as a peripheral activity unless it is an integral component of the teaching and learning process. Broadly construed, information literacy should be seen as a strategy for improving a student’s ability to learn how to learn.” Howard L. Simmons The Challenge and Practice of Academic Accreditation Inno2000 — Helsinki