Information Literacy at Academic Libraries

This weeks blogging assignment was fun and unique. When the class took a poll last week on whether or not they wanted to choose their own readings, I was torn. It seems that conducting our own research, finding out own ideas and analyzing them are essential parts of graduate study. Especially at a school like SI where we are encouraged (forced?) to determine our line of study with a great deal of flexibility. Long story short, I enjoyed being able to do this. Further, as an employee at the UM library, I'm currently observing information literacy workshops and am planning to prepare to teach them within the next year.

The articles I found represented three various types of information literacy as they relate to academic settings.  The first, "The readability of information literacy content on academic library web sites" by Adriene Lim, focused on first-generation college students, a subject I've not found to be greatly discussed in the academic library setting, but one that is extremely important when thinking about the success of students. 
Lim discusses the lack of research and need for studies about how first-generation college students learn information literacy and how important it is to their success in college.  She found research discussing the importance of this and ways that academic libraries can be successful.

He [Tyckoson] advises libraries to improve services for first-generation students by: identifying them; scheduling instruction sessions during evening and weekend hours; providing a “family friendly” environment; establishing peer mentoring programs; offering more personalized research services; and joining first-year experience programs at the campuslevel.  He advocates for libraries to design instruction assignments that do not discriminate against first-generation students. One form of discrimination may occur if the subject content of library assignments uses “a large amount of academic or bibliographic jargon” that will only “confuse the student who has little familiarity with college-level research.” This comment forms one of the only statements found in the non-LIS and LIS literature touching upon the readability levels of academic service materials and its possible affect on the success or failure of first-generation students. (Lim, 298)

Further, through examination of research, focus groups, and evaluation, Lim found very clear ways that academic libraries can help first-generation students successful learn information literacy.  The successful universities that engaged students used videos and images, and explained vocabulary such as Boolean terms.  As I develop and modify current workshops (particularly those for first and second year undergraduates), I will keep this in the forefront of my mind.

The second article I read, "Information literacy learning outcomes and student success" by Sue Samson, focused on the difference in information literacy levels between undergraduate freshman and capstone students (seniors in research classes) based on the ACRL standard for information literacy (ALA ACRL information literacy standards) at the University of Montana.  This study found that first year students used Wikipedia much more than advanced students, used fewer citations and databases, but performed the same ability to correctly cite information.  At this university,

liaison librarians work collaboratively with faculty in all
departments, schools, and colleges to tailor advanced information
literacy instruction to upper-division students in their major studies.
Liaison librarians target research and writing courses in all majors and
facilitate the successful delivery of information literacy content
through collaboration with faculty that includes: integration of
information literacy standards into the curriculum and learning
outcomes of individual academic units; provision of consultative
services to teaching faculty to develop curriculum-integrated library
research assignments; promotion of instruction in the use of library
resources to students and faculty, integrating the tiered Library
Information Literacy Curriculum; creation of web-based subject
resources for faculty, students, and staff; and provision of regular,
advertised office hours, scheduled reference assistance, and small
group instruction sessions as part of the Learning Commons. (Samson, 203)

The outcome of this article was not particularly interesting to me, as the results appeared to suggest that through practice and over three years of university study, students gained information literacy skills through the help of their libraries and librarians.  What the University of Montana does for its students, however, suggests that is information is quite valuable, as the capstone students are much more information literate than freshman.

Finally, and progressively, I read "Information illiteracy: Examining our assumptions" by Rosemary Green which discussed doctoral students information literacy.  She used the following definition to discuss information literacy:

According to American and Australian information literacy frameworks, an information literate person is one who achieves information literacy, doing so by developing abilities to understand, locate, evaluate, and use information critically and ethically. (Green, 314)

The outcome of her study suggested that information literacy was achieved for doctoral students through practice, as she exclaims is "the goal of doctoral research" (Green, 317).  The students in her study used various forms of gaining information literacy such as exploring the library, working with librarians, and self-guided research.  They did suggest that librarians often helped in their literacy.  However, at the doctoral level the students often were "autonomous" and "privileged" (Green, 317) and thus very likely different than the students in Lim and Samson's studies

From personal experience, however, it is interesting how little some doctoral students know about information literacy.  My experience working in the Hatcher Graduate Library's Knowledge Navigation Center (KNC), where doctoral students often come for help with bibliographic management and formatting their dissertations, has showed me a wide range of information literacy.  Some students come to the KNC for help with their Microsoft Word formatting, days before their dissertation is due.  Some previously attended a workshop on this, others come in cold.  We can help them only as much as time allows them.  In terms of bibliographic management, some students realize this is going to be a major part of their doctoral statement so they get started early using Endnote or RefWorks.  Others come in, again, days before their dissertation is due and want us to point them in the right direction.  So, even for UM's best and brightest, information literacy takes on a wide-range of abilities.

Green, R. (2010). Information illiteracy: Examining our assumptions. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 36(4), 313-319.

Lim, A. (2010). The readability of information literacy content on academic library web sites. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 36(4), 296-303.

Samson, S. (2010). Information literacy learning outcomes and student success. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 36(3), 202-210