The Information Literacy Professional

1. The Information Literacy Professional Ellen Breen Sub-Librarian, Head of Information & Public Services IATUL SeminarMunich, November 30 – December 1, 2010

2. Presentation Overview • Information Literacy Education: Current Context • Organisational Structure for IL • Information Literacy in DCU… • Qualifications and skills required • The future……

3. Context: Information Literacy Education • Emphasis on student-centred learning • Retention issues and improving the first-year student experience and overall academic standards (Plagiarism) • Information seeking behaviour studies highlight the need for IL support • Lifelong learning and employability • Demand

4. Context: Information Literacy Education Claire McGuinness, Lecturer, SILS (Lilac, 2009) • Librarians understand the importance of IL • Librarians understand how students seek information, and what difficulties they experience in the process • Librarians have a long history of teaching (19th Century) • Librarians are information experts • Other stakeholders (e.g. Academics) are not in a position to teach IL

5. User Information Behaviour Studies “Information literacies, including searching, retrieving, critically evaluating information from a range of appropriate sources and also attributing it – represent a significant and growing deficit area.”

6. User Information Behaviour Studies “There is an identifiable need for training, support and improved systems to help people find the information they need” “Students need more guidance and clarity on how to find content and how to assess its worth as well as its relevance”

7. IL in the Workplace A study of SMEs in the UK, estimated that employees spend 6.4 hours a week looking for information.  37% of searches are unsuccessful, equating to £3.7 billion in wasted time each year. (DeSaulles, 2007) DCU graduate student and GMID

8. Business Community

9. Organisational Structure for IL • Typically a Subject/Liaison Librarian Model • ‘Teaching’ Role • Role of Subject Librarian itself is changing/expanding • “Something’s gotta give”? (Reference Desk)

12. 2009/2010: 62.1% of student population (approximately)

15. Case Study Information Literacy for Engineers

16. Delivery: Classes, Workshops, Online Learning Support • Presentations, workshops, demonstrations • Collaborative group work where practicable! • VLE support (resources, forums etc) • Online Tutorials, Quizzes • Classroom response systems (CRS)

17. Cross-Institutional Project • Sharing expertise, resources in challenging times! • MyRI (Measuring Your Research Impact) • Online tutorial and learning materials to support bibliometrics and research assessment awareness and training • ‘National Digital Learning Resource’ funded project • All materials will be available in the open access NDLR repository • Using Articulate software

18. IL Developments Aligned to DCU Strategy • Learning Innovation Strategy (2006-2008) • Develop a distinct learning environment which will result in ….”students with a high level of information literacy” • Actions under “support for new learners” and “online support” • New Implementation Plan – Objective relating to ‘facilitating the transition to higher education’ with specific action points relating to a first year programme audit of study skills (including IL skills) • Graduate Attributes….

20. ACRL Standards for Proficiencies for Instruction Librarians and Coordinators (2008) Administrative skills Assessment and evaluation skills Communication skills Curriculum knowledge Information literacy integration skills Instructional design skills Leadership skills Planning skills Presentation skills Promotion skills Subject expertise Teaching skills Technical skills Project Management Skills Academic Writing Expert Defined Standards

21. Training Needs…. “Lack of a consistent teacher identity among academic librarians may hinder their effectiveness in meeting these expanding instructional responsibilities in a changing organisational environment” (Walter, 2008, p.65) • ‘Teaching Librarians’ must be supported with adequate training opportunities to build confidence and skills

22. Training for Successful IL Delivery • 3 day ‘Teaching and Learning’ event for Subject Librarian team • HR training events • Communication/presentation/project management skills • Learning Innovation Unit events

23. Training for Successful IL Delivery • ANLTC (Academic & National Libraries Training Cooperative) • e.g. ‘Writing for academic publishing’ • Conferences/Seminars • LILAC • CONUL ACIL annual seminar • Library School Module: ‘The Teaching Librarian’ • PG Certs in third level t&l • Masters programmes in HE, E-learning

24. Importance of the ‘Teaching’ Librarian Role • Our university is better informed about how we ‘add value’ (Faculty T&L Committees etc) • Strengthens and enhances the role of the library on campus McGuinness, C. 2010 • Librarians who teach can develop a better relationship with students/users, with all-round benefits • Librarians’ involvement with teaching can lead to greater insight into academic life, and better collegial relationships • Librarians’ status in institution enhanced

25. Future…. • Demand for more online learning support for information literacy • Increased collaboration • On campus e.g. Learning Support Staff • Increased cross-institutional collaboration • Appropriate ongoing training and support is essential

26. Questions? ellen.breen@dcu.ie

27. References DeSaulles, M. 2007. Information literacy amongst UK SME: an information policy gap. Aslib Proceedings 59(1) pp. 68-79. Katz, Haras & Blaszczski 2010. Does Business Writing require information literacy? Business Communication Quarterly, 73 (2) pp. 135-149. McGuinness, C. 2010. Teaching Librarians or Librarians who Teach? Teacher identity among academic librarians. Librarians' Information Literacy Annual Conference (LILAC), Limerick , 29-MAR-10 - 31-MAR-10. Walter, S. (2008). Librarians as teachers: A qualitative inquiry into professional identity. College & Research Libraries, 69(1), pp.51-71.