LibGuides: Information Literacy and the Library: How can I use these resources?

Information Literacy is...

The ability to find information, critically evaluate it and then be able to appropriately apply the information to your everyday life (or your assignments!)

Make the most of your Liaison Librarian

Feel free to embed the expertise of your Liaison Librarian into your classroom.

Liaison Librarians are able to work alongside the tutor in class over several weeks to facilitate 1-hr workshop sessions where students work on a course assignment to build their skills to use search tools, find and assess resources, apply their research to their assignments, and correctly reference the sources used.

Our services can be utilised in a type of team-teaching function, so if you hold a class in which you are letting students get on with their research projects, we can be in there helping students with their searches and with evaluating the information they find. Alternatively, we can come in and do introductory sessions on a range of research based topics to help boost your students researching and referencing skills.

We can cover a range of research/informational literacy based skills, such as:
- Using browsers and websites appropriately and effectively.
- Critical assessment of resources
- Research skills, such as using keywords, finding and using a range of resources, synthesising information and how to get the most out of the Library's resources (OneSearch, the catalogue, using books, eBooks and journals).
- APA referencing
We may also be able to come into class with a range of books to help demonstrate, encourage and promote the types of resources students could/should be using.

Encouraging information literacy skills within the classroom.

How else can I promote Information literacy and library skills in the classroom?

Have learners practice searching for information in class or send them to the library with a minor project to ask the librarians about getting started on.

As you go through get your learners to think of keywords to describe what has been discussed in class.

Instead of just linking to readings in Moodle, link to the catalogue record or provide the reference for the item so that students have to look it up for themselves.

When setting assessment criteria, stipulate a minimum of sources that must be used and referenced, for example, at least 5 different resources must be used and referenced and 3 of those should be different types of resources (eg. book, journal article, website).
- Even better, get your learners to look into the pros and cons of each of these resources, to gain and understanding of the purposes of different types of resources.

Embed your subject LibGuide into your Moodle page and discuss options with your subject librarian as to how to these guides could be designed to be better utilised by you and your students.

Watch and use LibGuides and Powtoons in class. Talk to your subject librarian if you have any ideas of new ones to be created or updated.