Embedded Librarians:Developing Information Literate

Students from the InsideKelli Johnson, Staff Librarian

Marshall University and

Jennifer Sias, Associate Professor,Director of Research, Information Literacy and Instructional Services

Marshall University

Information Literacy• What is it?

-According to the American Library Association, information literacy is the ability to know what information you need and then access, evaluate and use that information ethically and effectively.

President Obama recognizes the importance of and need for information literacy: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-National-Information-Literacy-Awareness-Month/

Information Literacy

• Background– Librarians have been discussing information literacy

since the 1980’s– Research has been conducted in a variety of settings

(colleges and universities, workplaces) and looking at a variety of professions (students, firefighters, nurses)

– Developing information literacy leads to becoming a lifelong learner (one of the goals of higher education)

Information Literacy

• Background, cont.– Accrediting agencies are requesting information

literacy assessment data – Marshall University Libraries have answered the

call:• SAILS:

– http://www.marshall.edu/library/instruction/infolit/

• iSkills:– http://www.marshall.edu/it/newsite/seminar/iSkills_Presentation_Fall_2008

_Results.ppt– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYgKsHO9m5E

Information Literacy Standards (with examples!)

• The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

• The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.

• The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system.

Information Literacy Standards (with examples!)

• The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.

• The information literate student understands many of the economic, legal and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally.

“Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education.” 2000. Association of College and Research Libraries,. [October 8, 2009] <http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/standards.pdf>

Embedded Librarians

• Embedded journalists go to war; embedded librarians go to class!

• Embedded librarian project examples:– MCTC courses: Prof. Nedra Lowe and Dr. Donna

Donathan– JMC courses: Prof. Sandy Savage, Prof. Rob Rabe,

Prof. Allyson Goodman– Communication Studies: Dr. Cam Brammer and Dr.

Susan Gilpin– Political Science: Dr. Cheryl Brown

Dr. Donna Donathan LAS 280: Legal Research and Writing

Brainstorming and Clustering/Mapping Activity

Standard One: The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

Research Inventory

Which source is best?Information Literacy Activity

BOOK MAGAZINE ARTICLE

REFERENCE BOOK NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

SCHOLARLY JOURNAL ARTICLE INTERNET/WEBSITE

Conclusion• According to Andrew Keen, author of The Cult of the Amateur, “we’re

increasingly creating a media-illiterate society” that believe and trust what they read on the Internet; they don’t realize they’re ill-informed in many cases.

• According to research by University of Illinois professor Steve Jones, this wired generation does NOT use multiple sources to corroborate information unless a teacher explicitly requires it.

Beyond the classroom, we want our students to be informed, critical-thinking citizens, right? We want to support lifelong learning, don’t we?

What can we do? Promote and participate in information literacy efforts. Everyone has a role and responsibility to play in advancing our students’ information literacy: librarians, teaching faculty and administrators.

Clemmitt, Marcia. “Internet Accuracy.” CQ Researcher 1 Aug. 2008: 625-648.

RESOURCES• “Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education.” 2000. Association of College and

Research Libraries,. [October 8, 2009] http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/standards.pdf• http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/issues/infolit/index.cfm• SAILS (assessment):

• http://www.marshall.edu/library/instruction/infolit/• iSkills (assessment):

• http://www.marshall.edu/it/newsite/seminar/iSkills_Presentation_Fall_2008_Results.ppt– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYgKsHO9m5E

• Sophos, Patty "Information Literacy at Community Colleges." Community College Journal of Research and Practice 27.8 (2003): 735-739. ERIC. EBSCO. Web. 12 Oct. 2009.