Course instructor as customer.

Abstract

Teaching librarians have long struggled with the limitations of the one-shot, fifty-minute class. As the influence of information literacy continues to grow in the world of librarianship, many librarians feel additionally overwhelmed with the need to provide an even more complete instructional experience in the classroom. For the one shot, fifty-minute teaching sessions, the struggle seems to be between the teaching of process in doing research as opposed to teaching available sources and how to use them. This article proposes that the course instructor is the key figure in deciding what sources, objectives and competencies should be taught. Adapting the "reference interview" to course instructors should be the library instructor's main tool to accomplish this.

Recently, the buzz phrase, "information literacy" has given life to many philosophical issues within librarianship. Teaching librarians have long struggled with the desire to present the right information in the limited one-time, fifty-minute class that has traditionally been theirs. Recently, some librarians have found opportunity to teach credit courses in addition to the one-shot classes. This has allowed them greater flexibility and opportunity to teach theory along with specific sources. Nearly fifteen years ago when one-shot presentations were the norm, Carol Kuhlthau noted, "traditionally library instruction has been oriented to teaching the sources in the library and not to the process of information seeking." [1] In contrast, today's theory in library instruction seems to be more on the process of learning information gathering skills with less emphasis on the teaching of specific and available sources. Process seems to be at the very heart of information literacy. Application of the theory of information literacy and the practical teaching of specific sources still remain competing issues for many teaching librarians.

Although teaching librarians are finding greater opportunity to teach credit courses, the one-time, fifty-minute class is still the norm for most. A popular idea among today's teaching librarians, is that "information literacy objectives" should be the cornerstone of teaching efforts in the classroom, including the one-shot, instruction session. Many librarians refer to the most recent version of information literacy instruction objectives entitled, "Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model Statement for Academic Librarians," which was published by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) in April 2001. [2] In the ideal world all student should be introduced to the fundamentals of information literacy found in the above document. However, in the limited time of the one-shot, library class, the teaching of process in locating information must be carefully weighed with what students need to know about specific sources and how to use them. The single most important gauge of what should be taught in the fifty-minute session is what professors want their students to know about the library. The course instructors are truly the teaching librarian's customers. Librarians need to come to know them and help them meet their needs before they, the course instructors, can meet the needs of their customers, the students.

Definition and Challenge

In defining information literacy, Dane Ward provides the following: "Information literacy is currently understood as embracing the ability to define a problem, find information to solve the problem, evaluate the information, and use it effectively." [3] Ward goes on to explain the scope and challenge of developing a program of information literacy: "In theory, these broad competencies encompass the entire research process and, ideally, should be integrated across the curriculum. In practice, however, most librarians continue to teach one-shot sessions on locating information, and rarely find the time or opportunity to develop applications of the theory." [4] Teaching librarians indeed feel the desire to promote information literacy, but in practice find their efforts to be frustrating, given the limitations of time. Until information literacy is integrated across the curriculum, librarians will need to learn to live with the restrictions of time.

When one considers the exponential growth of information sources and the diversity of users and their individual needs, I believe that there is no such thing as a generic, best practices approach for teaching librarians. The objectives of each presentation should be uniquely centered on the needs of the course instructor. When librarians lose focus of the course instructor's needs and instead begin focusing on what they think the students need they are preparing themselves, and more particularly, the students for failure. Furthermore, when librarians insist on presenting their canned or pet information literacy objectives they do not always effectively serve the professor or their students. For example, someone who earnestly believes that every college student needs a good dose of boolean logic whether they want it or not does not always advance the cause of the fifty-minute experience. Cleverly planned for, however, the concepts of boolean logic may be weaved into a variety of demonstration topics.

One can be certain that on any given day when students arrive for library instruction, their presence was not preceded by a sleepless night filled with anticipation of a glorious fifty-minutes of instruction in the library. Too often, they are there upon penalty of losing points for class attendance. Frequently, their arrival to the library is not accompanied with any real understanding of the particular reason for their attendance. It is not uncommon that students come to library instruction without a solid understanding of the research requirements for their writing assignments. Under any of the above circumstances, it is unlikely that the best prepared library instructor will make a great deal of difference in either the students' abilities or attitudes toward acquiring meaningful information literacy skills. Even under the very best of circumstances, it is simply impossible to cover sufficiently the objectives and outcomes of information literacy as outlined by the Association of College and Research Libraries [5] within a fifty-minute period.

Solution

So what would one suggest librarians do? The solution is not unlike what reference librarians do each day in meeting the information needs of individuals at the reference desk. They conduct the reference interview. Quite unconsciously they go through this routine many times in a day and know without a great deal of introspection whether or not they have succeeded. The difference in library instruction is that teaching librarians conduct the interview with the course instructor. Instructors are not always sure what they want in library instruction. Too often when course instructors are asked what they are wanting for their students, the response has been, "Oh, you know, some overview of the library, where things are ... how to get stuff for their papers ... that sort of thing." If this answer is accepted, librarians are indeed setting themselves up for failure. The more specific course instructors can be regarding student research assignments, the greater chance librarians will have of meeting students' individual needs in a meaningful way.

Topics for Reference Interview

Regarding the "instructor reference interview", the following topics might be considered:

* The instructor needs to have already communicated to his or her students what will be required for library research. When students are able to make the connection between the required elements of library research and their grade, amazing things happen in the library instruction setting.

* Students need to know how many and what types of sources will be required as resource material for their writing assignment. Some faculty are as confused as their students in distinguishing the difference between the content from a full-text subscription database and material obtained from a search engine. It sometimes takes some careful and patient, pre-class consultation with the course instructor to clarify what will be allowed as "acceptable" library sources. For example, some writing assignments require a certain number of both primary and secondary sources. Prior agreement between course instructor and teaching librarian as to the definition of these terms is often needed

* Timing of the library visit is crucial to success, Librarians need to make their presentation at a time in the instructor's course syllabus where it will most benefit the student. Instruction too far in advance of the actual library research experience is at times as useless as none at all for the student. Librarians need to be proactive in helping identify the fight date for instruction.

* A verbal commitment should be obtained that the professor intends to be present on the day of instruction. The presence of the course instructor is almost always beneficial to both students and the librarian. For example, the librarian with the help of the professor might clarify for the student that only "scholarly" sources will be accepted as resource material. The teaching librarians can then help define "scholarly" and give appropriate examples and how to locate them.

* It is useful to know what topics the students will be researching. When librarians demonstrate knowledge of the topics that will be researched by students an immediate connection is made with them. Students then see that the librarian already knows something about them and their needs. Discussion of topics between the professor and students prior to library instruction further encourages focus and preparation for their visit.

Summary

The more clearly the course instructor knows what he or she wants in library instruction for their students, the more effective the librarian can be. Insuring that students know the professor's assignment prior to the library instruction helps the student focus on the presentation. Working with the professor on choosing the appropriate day for library instruction can make a significant difference in preparing students for the immediate research tasks. Gaining the professor's commitment to attend the instruction is good for the students and the teaching librarian. Accomplishing all of the above may not be realistic in the initial "reference interview". Each initial contact with a course instructor will be different. Follow up communications by email or phone may help in covering those topics that initially may have been overlooked. Some library instruction programs provide policies and guidelines for professors at a website. In such cases referring faculty to these can be helpful in establishing teaching librarians' expectations.

Knowing and Choosing Objectives

In meeting the instructor's needs, librarians will need to accept the challenge of providing focused coverage on a particular topic. Their work will require a great deal more thought and effort for each class they teach. In this process, it is likely that students will not be learning the broad range of competencies found in ACRL's "Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model Statement for Academic Librarians." [6] However, in studying this document one will see that limitations are recognized within the context of the fifty-minute presentation. The document's introduction explains that, "The IS [Instruction Section] Objectives may be used in a variety of instructional formats. For example, one or two objectives may be employed in a 50-minute 'one-shot' class and a related assignment." [7] It goes on to further explain that teaching additional objectives would be desirable in a credit course that allows for more time. [8] This instrument may actually better serve new teaching librarians as a learning model in acquiring competencies for their overall success. To the more experienced, it may be a good place to go for a periodic review to help refresh and retool. The ready mastery of these competencies will enable teaching librarians to be flexible in adapting to instructor's needs in covering the teaching of process along with the teaching of specific sources in doing effective research.

Course Instructor Expectations

Teaching librarians commonly struggle with the temptation to try and tell all the story of doing research. For most librarians, learning the story took a good deal of time in graduate school in order to master basic research skills. Hopefully, many continue to learn something new each day about information tools, sources, and the process of research. Learning simple research tasks will be about as much as most students will successfully retain in a fifty-minute class. Just as librarians struggle with how much to tell, course instructors often want more of the story told than they realize time will permit. For example, a course instructor recently requested a tour of the building for his students. Additionally, he wanted a demonstration of the databases related to his discipline. He also requested a demonstration of the online catalog and special instructions for completing a two-page library assignment. Finally, he requested some time for hands on use of the databases. Fifty-minutes of instruction could not begin to effectively accomplish the goals of the instructor. Such a request could be an opportunity for the librarian to suggest an additional class period to meet the students' information needs.

It should follow then, that the "pre-class interview" with the course instructor becomes vital as the professor and librarian work together in deciding what concepts and sources will best serve the students during the presentation. Librarians must be careful not to force their will upon these instructors during the interview. It is a supportive role that librarians provide for faculty that will continue to assure opportunities to teach. It sometimes takes a semester or two of pre-class consultation with the professor before he or she can share the librarian's vision of information literacy competencies balanced with instruction in special sources for specific assignments.

Diversity in Research Assignments

Course instructors who know what they want in library instruction for their students are remarkably more diverse than one may care to think. However, one might argue that librarians are equally diverse in their own goals for teaching library skills. One would like to believe that most course instructors have the same objectives and expectations for their students. They don't. Even in college programs where the freshman English courses are more uniformly structured, a variety of styles and individual concerns among teaching faculty can be found. These differences demand attention in order to meet needs that are unique. For example, many instructors are concerned about plagiarism issues and consequently impose unique restrictions on their students. Teaching skills to meet these and other concerns are almost as unique as there are course instructors. Many instructors demand controversial issues as topics. Some still insist that only paper sources be used. One instructor requires students to use an issue of local interest coupled with personal experience. These variations require librarians to uniquely prepare for each class. Generic, canned library presentations do not usually meet these students' needs. In order to meet the diversity in course instructors' needs, it would be best to address a few well-chosen library sources and research process skills. For example, one could briefly focus on use of the online catalog and locating magazine articles. Then a greater amount of time could be spent on sources unique to the students' actual research assignment. In another case, the class may need focus on specific sources that could help students choose good controversial topics and the specific databases that appropriately cover them. When a certain discipline such as international politics is the focus of instruction, the majority of class time may be needed in order to identify specific reference sources and databases that help students complete the assignment.

Conclusion

The challenge for most library instructors continues to be the struggle of providing the best information for their students and having enough time to do it. Librarians are further pressed to accomplish this task with the growing desire to employ the concepts of information literacy in their teaching. A realistic solution to this dilemma may be for librarians to reconsider who it is that they really serve. It is generally accepted among librarians that students are the main objective of their service. While students' academic success is the ultimate goal of all academicians, it's the students' professors that librarians depend on to bring them to the library and to help interpret their needs. For this reason, one could argue that students are not librarians' prime customers in the classroom, but rather the course instructor. The tool that will serve teaching librarians in achieving their teaching goals is the course instructor reference interview. In that interview, among other things, librarians will learn to ask the specific questions that define the students' research needs. In turn, this will enable librarians to choose specific sources and the few appropriate information literacy goals that might be covered. This shift in the thinking process of librarians, while focusing on the needs of course instructors, does not ignore students in their research needs. Nor should it interfere with that important bond librarians have nurtured with students over the years. This shift in focus to facilitate instructors' needs goes a great deal further in meeting students' specific needs and can bring greater fulfillment to librarians in the process.

References

[1] Carol C. Kahlthau, "The Information Search Process of High, Middle, and Low Achieving High School Seniors," paper presented at the Research Forum of the American Association of School Librarians, July 1988, EDRS, ED310787, microfiche: 4.

[2] ACRL Instruction Section, "Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model Statement for Academic Librarians," College & Research Libraries News 62, no.4 (April 2001): 416-428.

[3] Dane Ward, "The Future of Information Literacy," College & Research Libraries News 62, no. 9 (October 2001): 922-925.

[4] Ward, "The Future of Information Literacy," 922.

[5] ACRL Instruction Section, "Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model Statement for Academic Librarians," 416-428.

[6] ACRL Instruction Section, "Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model Statement for Academic Librarians," 417.

[7] ACRL Instruction Section, "Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model Statement for Academic Librarians," 417.

[8] ACRL Instruction Section, "Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model Statement for Academic Librarians," 417.

Robin Payne, Arkansas State University 

Robin Payne is Coordinator of Bibliographic Instruction. He has developed and teaches credit courses in information literacy.