Welcome to Library Instruction Services

Library instruction services are integral to academic success and career readiness, providing students with essential skills to navigate and utilize scholarly and informational resources effectively. These services are tailored to enhance students' information literacy, research capabilities, and critical thinking skills, preparing them for academic assignments and lifelong learning. Through workshops, tutorials, and personalized consultations, our Research and Instruction (RI) librarians collaborate with faculty to ensure students develop the competencies needed to excel in their studies and future careers. Through all this, library instruction is able to support the university's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).  

Library instruction offers a multitude of benefits to both students and faculty, significantly enriching their academic journeys and professional endeavors. Here are some key benefits:

Student benefits:

• Improved Research Skills: Students learn how to efficiently locate, evaluate, and utilize scholarly information. This proficiency not only supports academic success but also prepares them for future careers where research competence is essential.

• Enhanced Information Literacy: Students learn how to critically evaluate sources, distinguish between credible and unreliable information, and understand ethical considerations in research. These skills are crucial in navigating today's information-rich environment both academically and professionally.

• Confidence in Learning: Library instruction empowers students to feel more confident in tackling assignments, fostering a proactive approach to academic challenges. This confidence extends beyond the classroom, shaping them into lifelong learners capable of independent research and intellectual exploration.

Faculty benefits:

• Time Efficiency: Faculty can focus more on teaching course material and critical concepts, knowing that students have the necessary research skills and information literacy from library instruction.

• Improved Quality of Student Work: By using library instruction to teach students to use library resources effectively, faculty see enhanced quality in student assignments and research projects.

• Support for Teaching Goals: Faculty receive support in achieving their teaching objectives as library instruction aligns students' research skills with course requirements, promoting a more engaged and informed classroom environment.

Information Literacy Insights

Check out the following articles for more insights to the benefits of information literacy instruction for students long term success. All link open in a new window.

• Bart, M. (2009, Feb, 23,). Information Literacy: Improving Student Research Skills in a Wikipedia World. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/information-literacy-improving-student-research-skills-in-a-wikipedia-world/
• Blake, J., Bowles-Terry, M., Pearson, N. S., & Szentkiralyi, Z. (2017). The Impact of Information Literacy Instruction on Student Success: A Multi-Institutional Investigation and Analysis. SMU Scholar.
• Kennedy, H. R., & Gruber, A. M. H. (2020). Critical Thinking in a Service-Learning Course: Impacts of Information Literacy Instruction. Communications in Information Literacy, 14(2), 205-226. 10.15760/comminfolit.2020.14.2.3
• Marineo, F., & Shi, Q. (2019). Supporting Student Success in the First-Year Experience: Library Instruction in the Learning Management System. Journal of Library & Information Services in Distance Learning, 13(1), 40-55. 10.1080/1533290X.2018.1499235
• Mercado-Sierra, M., & Northam, S. H. (2023), Beyond Reading and Writing: Information Literacy in Higher Education for Lifelong Success. Texas Journal of Literacy Education., 10(1), 46–58.
• Monge, R., & Frisicaro-pawlowski, E. (2014). Redefining Information Literacy to Prepare Students for the 21st Century Workforce. Innovative Higher Education, 39(1)10.1007/s10755-013-9260-5
• Rapchak, M. E., Brungard, A. B., & Bergfelt, T. W. (2016). What's the VALUE of Information Literacy? Comparing Learning Community and Non-Learning Community Student Learning Outcomes. Learning Communities Research and Practice, 4(1)
• Travis, T. A. (2017). From the Classroom to the Boardroom: The Impact of Information Literacy Instruction on Workplace Research Skills. Education Libraries (Boston, MA), 34(2), 19. 10.26443/el.v34i2.308
• Weiner, S. (2011, -10-18). Problem solving, information literacy remain essential skills. The Exponent. Retrieved Aug 1, 2024, from https://www.purdueexponent.org/opinion/columnists/article_ee426f9d-0378-5ce8-8317-1f56e1f8ed1c.html
• Wittkower, L. R., McInnis, J. W., & Pope, D. R. (2022). An Examination of Relationships Between Library Instruction and Student Academic Achievement. Journal of Library Administration, 62(7), 887-898. 10.1080/01930826.2022.2117953