Library and Information Science Commons^™

Centering Relevance In Information Literacy Teaching And Learning, Anne Jumonville Graf

Communications in Information Literacy

The process of determining whether a source of information is relevant is multidimensional, dynamic, and subjective. This essay puts information science scholarship on relevance, including the process and nature of making relevance judgments, in conversation with models of teaching and learning information literacy. Teaching librarians are encouraged to recognize students’ relevance judgments as sites of reflection and instruction. This essay suggests a variety of ways librarians might do this, from re-thinking source evaluation methods to emphasizing the opportunities available at the source selection stage. The process of determining relevance is a practical site of reflective possibility and deserves greater attention …

Evaluation Of Undergraduate Research Topic Skill Development, Vanessa Arce, Katelyn Angell

Publications and Research

Inspired by the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy frame Research as Inquiry, Lehman College Library conducted an assessment to measure its undergraduate students’ ability to formulate research questions that are appropriately scaled, encourage critical inquiry, and can be supported by available information resources. Using a sample of first-year students enrolled in an English composition class, the assessment revealed that students performed best at locating information resources and struggled most with scaling down a topic. Lessons learned from this study can be extrapolated to outside institutions to improve information literacy learning outcomes.

Midwest Entrepreneurship Case Competition (Mecc) Case Prompt - Anonymized, Zoeanna A. Mayhook, Liz Grauel, Annette H. Bochenek, Ilana Stonebraker, Terence O'Neill

Libraries Faculty and Staff Supplemental Materials

This case is an anonymized version of a prompt used in the 2024 Midwest Entrepreneurship Case Competition (MECC), a undergraduate regional event organized in collaboration with multiple Midwest libraries. The prompt challenges students to conduct market validation research using SimplyAnalytics and perform keyword research and analysis.

Three Years Of Misinformation: A Case Study Of Information Literacy Methods, Elizabeth Zak

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Misinformation is an ever-evolving digital issue. As the internet evolves, so too does misinformation and the ways in which it is propagated. Information literacy methods, such as the CRAAP test, the RADAR framework and the SIFT method, can help information users discern between real and fake information, and prevent the spread of misinformation. Unfortunately, the speed with which misinformation evolves often makes information literacy methods obsolete when they are designed and implemented. Furthermore, when people trust misinformation, they struggle with identifying correct information. Visual misinformation presents another concern: people trust what they see, and new misinformative developments such as deepfakes …

Evidence Synthesis In My Discipline: Yes, No, Maybe So?, Lindsay Bahureksa

Upstate New York Science Librarians Conference

In the noisy information landscape, evidence synthesis projects provide unbiased information needed to make big decisions. Evidence synthesis, which includes systematic reviews, comprehensively collects information across resources to ensure that the literature synthesis is both unbiased and reproducible. These types of projects have traditionally been run in medical fields, where evidence synthesis informs best practice in high-stake environments. In recent years, however, evidence synthesis projects have begun to grow beyond the medical fields. This presentation will focus on summarizing the shift of evidence synthesis projects in the past ten years—covering the numbers of projects published, the disciplines covered, or the …

How Multilingual Writers Talk About, Write About, And Engage With Sources In First-Year Composition, Mary Ann Zehr

English Theses & Dissertations

This study makes a contribution to the rhetoric and composition field by documenting the research and writing processes of a diverse group of 15 multilingual writers in first-year composition (FYC) at a small private southeastern university. I collected and analyzed data from three assignments: 1) a video think-aloud capturing participants’ first online search for sources, 2) a two-page reflection on the use of sources in the first full draft of students’ research paper, and 3) their first full draft of the research paper. The study is the first to systematically examine how multilingual writers in FYC at a U.S. university …

Selected U.S. Government Statistical Agencies And Their Data, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Provides introductory and detailed overview of U.S. Government agencies statistics. Includes examples of how an individual U.S. law authorizes government agencies to compile statistics for particular congressional committees and the general public. Statistics cover topics such as demography, defense, foreign assistance, economic growth, criminal justice, energy, Social Security, and Medicare.

Empowering Library Instructors: Reflections On The Information Literacy Scholars Program At Syracuse University Libraries, Kelly K. Delevan, Breeann Austin, Brie Baumert, Rebecca Mccall, Lauren Quackenbush, Olivia Russo, Alayna Vander Veer, B. Austin Waters

Librarian Publications

The need for authentic work experience is a concern for most graduates entering the field of librarianship. For academic librarians, authentic teaching experience is particularly desired, and while some courses are offered in most library and information science graduate programs, few pair the coursework with opportunities for practical applications. At institutions with LIS programs, there can be partnerships with the university or college library. The Information Literacy Scholars Program at Syracuse University is one such program.

“(Mis)Information Creation As A Process”: A Method For Teaching Critical Media Literacy, Winn W. Wasson

Librarian Publications

In January 2019, I taught a condensed credit-bearing media literacy course for undergraduates based on the ACRL Frame, “Information Creation as Process”. My main learning objective was to teach students to recognize accurate information, misinformation, and disinformation in the news and on social media, not by naming them as such, but by: 1) exposing students to the process through which news goes from field observations to a published or broadcast story, and 2) exploring current social and cognitive psychology research on how humans evaluate whether to believe the information they consume. The course ended with a discussion of healthy information …

Deconstructing Ai Literacy For Librarians, Samantha Seah

Research Collection Library

In this presentation, Samantha shares ways we can think about AI literacy - how it is similar and dissimilar from traditional information literacy, what we need to know about the mechanics of AI tools, and how SMU Libraries support the different users within the university in navigating the issues around artificial intelligence.

A Systematic Review Of Academic Writing Services In Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Augustine N. Gitonga, Peter M. Gatiti, Prisila Everisty Mlingi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Libraries are the key research and scholarly communication centres of any university. The information literacy skills offered to library users enable scientific communication. As new roles for librarians emerge to meet changing user needs and match fluid technological trends, academic libraries must combine their rich resources with cutting-edge skills to further impact the scientific world. There is a need for a sound, evidence-based appreciation of the factors that influence or hinder the establishment of academic writing centres and academic writing services in Low- and Middle-income Countries (LMIC). This article aims to synthesise qualitative and mixed methods research on academic writing …

Information Literacy And Learning In The Emerging Digital Landscape: A Theoretical Review, Adeoye Augustine Bamgbose

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The 21st century has witnessed an unprecedented surge in information availability, catalyzed by rapid digital advancements. This paradigm shift has not only transformed how information is generated and accessed but has also fundamentally altered the learning landscape. Within this dynamic context, the intersection of information literacy and learning emerges as a critical area of inquiry. Information literacy, once confined to library sciences, has evolved into a multidimensional competency encompassing adept navigation, critical evaluation, and judicious utilization of digital information sources. This review delves into the intricate relationship between information literacy and learning in the digital age, drawing from various theoretical …

The Wicked Problem Of Climate Change And The Challenge Of Engagement: Exploring Educational Approaches And Possibilities For Information Literacy, Andrea Baer

Libraries Scholarship

Climate change is a prime example of a “wicked problem”: it is characterized by complexity and unboundedness and has no complete or simple solutions, though communities can develop constructive interventions that address particular aspects of the problem (for example, in cities increasing green spaces that have a cooling effect). Because the problem of climate change is so expansive and the answers to it remain limited in scope and impact, engaging with the topic inevitably evokes difficult emotions like uncertainty, overwhelm, despair, and grief. So it is understandable that a common response to the realities of climate change has been denial …

Book Review Of Hicks, A., Lloyd, A., And Pilerot, O. (Eds.). 2024. Information Literacy Through Theory, Anders Tobiason

Boise State University Publications and Presentations

Theorising about information literacy (IL), or better, interrogating the idea of IL theoretically, is the guiding principle behind the edited work, Information literacy through theory (Hicks, Lloyd, and Pilerot, 2024). The editors have deliberately, and quite correctly, not asked contributors to come up with a theory of IL, but rather to put IL in conversation, contact, and sometimes conflict, with other theory(s) to inform new ways to critique and conceive of IL as a concept and practice. Because of this, the book, while well-written and well-researched, can be a bit of a daunting read. For anyone not versed in thinking …

Fostering Self-Reflection On Library Instruction: Testing A Peer Observation Instrument Focused On Questioning Strategies, Eric Silberberg

Publications and Research

This study demonstrates that a library instruction observation instrument can effectively foster critical self-reflection among academic library faculty and staff on their teaching practices. The paper outlines the instrument's design, which gathers low inference observations on instructors’ use of questioning as a pedagogical strategy based on recommendations from the LIS and education literature. To test and refine the instrument's design, the instructors’ utilised the instrument to collect data from classes taught by five participating instructors, who, during post-observation interviews, engaged in thoughtful reflections on their class planning, student participation, and teaching philosophy. They also provided valuable critiques of the usefulness …

The Power Of Solidarity: The Effects Of Professor–Librarian Collaboration On Students’ Self-Awareness Of Skill Acquisition, Christina Taylor Gibson, Elizabeth Massey

Communications in Information Literacy

The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy

revolutionized information literacy instruction. It asks librarians to instill in students the higher-level skills to navigate the information landscape. Literature establishes the value of shared faculty ownership of information literacy threshold concepts, but it also documents the potential pitfalls of faculty involvement (Franklin, 2013; Julien & Given, 2002; Lechtenberg & Donovan, 2022; Perez-Stable et al., 2020). This article explores one successful partnership, concluding that instructor—librarian collaboration forged around shared histories and structured by codeveloped objectives positively influences students’ receptivity to information literacy concepts. As demonstrated by surveys of those enrolled in the course, students’ …

Writing Instructors’ Intentional Integration Of The Information Literacy Framework, Catherine F. Riehle, Erica Defrain, Deborah Minter, Janel Simons

Communications in Information Literacy

This article presents an exploratory study that examines how 11 first-year writing instructors’ conceptualizations of information literacy evolved over the course of their participation in an inquiry group co-developed and co-facilitated by the Libraries’ teaching faculty and the Director of Composition & Rhetoric at a public university in the United States. The authors developed a coding schema to identify the presence of information literacy-related themes and practices in pre- and post-program course syllabi and in reflective pieces submitted by instructors. The findings revealed that instructors’ use and applications of the ACRL Framework increased after the program, showing greater personal engagement …

Choose Your Own Research Adventure: An Asynchronous Tutorial To Address “Research As Inquiry”, Stacy Brinkman, Samantha Hilton

Communications in Information Literacy

The Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education posits that the practice of asking questions in order to deepen inquiry and understanding is a key element of information literacy. While the “Research as Inquiry” frame is teachable in library instruction, it can be difficult to scale. Popular instructional design software tends to present information in linear formats that can limit how students understand the iterative nature of research. This article presents an attempt at an asynchronous tutorial that overcomes this limitation of medium and that presents “Research as Inquiry” through an iterative and question-based online game. We discuss the development, …

Exploring Professional Identities In Libraries: The Impact Of Credit-Bearing Courses Beyond Student Learning, Jane Hammons, Daniel S. Dotson, Hanna Primeau, Diana Ramey

Communications in Information Literacy

In this essay, we argue in support of library-led information literacy (IL) credit courses, emphasizing the impact that developing, teaching, and managing these courses can have on the professional identity of library faculty and staff. Existing research has indicated that librarians who teach credit courses may more strongly identify as teachers than those who teach only course-integrated sessions. We expand on this research by sharing the perspective of four individuals who are involved in the design, instruction, and coordination of credit-bearing IL courses, including two faculty librarians and two staff members. By providing these differing voices, we give a unique …

Review Of Information Literacy Through Theory, Vivian F. Bynoe

Communications in Information Literacy

Review of Hicks, A., Lloyd, A., & Pilerot, O. (Eds.). (2023). Information literacy through theory. Facet Publishing.

Incorporating Avoiding Plagiarism Into A Drug Information Course, Roslyn Kohlbrecher, Diana Sobieraj

UConn Library Presentations

Background: Maintaining academic integrity is a priority for professional pharmacy programs, but fitting this topic into the curriculum can be a challenge. In the absence of a medical writing course, our institution uses a drug information course to introduce students to the topic of avoiding plagiarism. The professor of this course approached their librarian for ideas on improving the way this topic had historically been presented. The librarian used an existing resource to build a LibWizard tutorial on avoiding plagiarism that is tailored to the PharmD curriculum.

Description: The tutorial includes 24 slides that present information and are accompanied by …

Incorporating Ai Tools To Enhance Information Literacy And Critical Thinking In First Year Medical Students, James Martin Ii, Mercedes Byrd

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

This study aims to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention incorporating medical databases, search engines, and generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools on the critical thinking skills and confidence of first-year medical students at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM). Approximately 125 students participating in a three-week pre-matriculation program will be subjects of the study. The intervention will consist of a curriculum focused on developing research questions, using search tools and GAI, evaluating sources, and writing a research paper. Pre- and post-tests, including a CARS assessment and a perceived knowledge and abilities questionnaire, will be administered to measure changes in …

Information Literacy Instruction Services At Rural Community Colleges, Fall 2019 Through Ay 2021/22, Heather Posey Vandyne

Library Faculty Publications

This exploratory study examines the instructional practices of two-year institutions located in rural areas during the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and the two academic years that follow. Since the virus commonly known as COVID-19 first made its way to the United States in March 2020, three classes of community college students have had an introduction to higher education unlike any other in living memory. The mixed method approach consists of a survey aimed towards rural college librarians and subsequent in-depth interviews. This study identifies attempts to retain connections with faculty and students, as well as adjustments in …

Ethical Dimensions Of Algorithmic Literacy For College Students: Case Studies And Cross-Disciplinary Connections, Susan G. Archambault, Shalini Ramachandran, Elisa Acosta, Sheree Fu

Librarian Publications & Presentations

This article addresses three key questions related to the ethical facets of algorithmic literacy. First, it synthesizes existing literature to identify six core ethical components, including bias, privacy, transparency, accountability, accuracy, and non-maleficence. Second, a crosswalk maps the intersections of these principles across the Association of College and Research Libraries' Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education and the Association of Computing Machinery's Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and Joint Statement on Principles for Responsible Algorithmic Systems. This analysis reveals significant overlap on issues like unfairness and transparency, helping prioritize topics for instruction. Finally, case studies showcase pedagogical strategies …

Librarians As Faculty Developers: Shaping Disciplinary Classroom Experiences Through Information Literacy, Rachel Fundator, Michael Flierl, Clarence Maybee, Catherine Frasier Riehle, Maribeth Slebodnik, Amity Saha

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Involvement in faculty development is a promising approach to realizing academic libraries’ goals for information literacy. This study examines an inter-institutional program where librarians partnered with classroom instructors to create projects where students learned to use information in disciplinary ways. Using thematic analysis to examine participant materials, the findings suggest that the informed learning design model underpinning the program supported the creation of information-rich projects and fostered a sense of empowerment in librarians serving as faculty developers. Librarians can advance their role as educators by partnering with classroom instructors and presenting information literacy as a way to foster disciplinary learning.

That’S Using Your Brain!: Mind-Mapping And Ai Tools For Information Management And Information Literacy Instruction, Ruth L. Baker

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

TheBrain.com is a dynamic, mind-mapping tool you can use to manage your files, links to web sites, and other content–any kind of information you need to collect and manage. You can use your ‘digital brain’ to gather and visualize information from various sources and formats (i.e. create ‘thoughts’). The advantage is you can organize your files and information according to how you think about them, without the limitations of a typical folder-and-file organization system.

Your digital brain is an invaluable tool for collecting and managing information but it also can be used as a tool in the higher education classroom. …

The Generative Power Of Teamwork: Using Collaboration To Support Genai Literacy, Annelise Sklar, Amanda Roth, Natalie Tagge

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

The potential impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) on the academic community raises numerous questions and answers, many of which have yet to be discovered. As a new and innovative technology, GenAI poses questions about functionality, training data integrity, ethics, intellectual property, and research functionality capabilities. With so many questions and little specific GenAI expertise, librarians at UC San Diego saw an opportunity to bring together experts in various disciplines to address the literacy needs of a campus community and fill the gaps where the campus had no official policy or guidance.

In this poster presentation, you will learn how …

Chatgpt And Friends: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly, Lara Little

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

ChatGPT and similar large language models have taken the world by storm. Many librarians and teachers are trying to get up to speed on these new technologies and understand how they will affect information literacy, the classroom, and more. This presentation will give a not-too-technical overview of how these technologies work, what they can be used for, ethical issues of hallucinations, copyright, and potential student plagiarism, and considerations for libraries and librarians to take into account as students and teachers embrace (or avoid!) this form of artificial intelligence. Attendees will come away with a better understanding of what ChatGPT and …

The Dragon In The Room: The Perils And Possibilities Of Ai-Generated, Openly-Licensable Rpg Program Content, Nathaniel Lee Bareford

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Role playing games (RPGs) like Dungeons and Dragons are becoming increasingly popular and more in-demand by patrons of both academic and public libraries. Research has demonstrated that role playing games are valuable tools for reinforcing discipline-specific knowledge, developing career-ready soft skills, and cultivating information literacy practices. However, librarians are taxed for time and the investment required to produce practically usable, openly licensed RPG content is substantial. Additional access barriers such as material costs and licensing restrictions often prevent librarians from being able to sustain roleplaying game programming. If AI can produce usable, open RPG resources based firmly on open licenses …

Assessing The Impact Of Library Orientations On Student Engagement And Academic Success, Shivanand Mulimani

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study investigates the influence of library orientations on student engagement and academic success within higher education settings. Using a mixed-methods approach involving surveys, interviews, and academic performance metrics, the research explores the correlation between participation in library orientations and students' familiarity with resources, research skills, and confidence in navigating scholarly databases. Findings indicate a positive relationship between attending orientations and improved academic performance, emphasizing the pivotal role of these programs in enhancing information literacy and shaping students' academic experiences positively. Recommendations include tailored, interactive, and ongoing orientation programs aligned with evolving student needs, aiming to optimize engagement and achievement …