The Information Landscape : learning to navigate for the present, success for the future. Lorrie Evans, Auraria Library (Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State College and Univ. of Colorado at Denver). June, 5, 2007 SLA Denver, CO

What abilities and capacities do you want to see in the workforce? Analytical thinking, problem solving communication… Collaborative and intercultural abilities Competence in technical, quantitative and scientific areas Knowledge of the aesthetic, historical and multicultural world Ethical and civic responsibility The preparation to be an active part of the global economy Schneider 2005

The community colleges Provide both the general education curriculum and applied, technical programs. Gen education Prepare for transfer to four year system. Support associate degrees. Associate and technical degree programs Prepare students for job placement Mutually exclusive?

Radiology Technology: selected requirements, where is the library instruction? General Education Requirements ENG 121 English Composition I Select either BIO 106, or both BIO 201 and 202 BIO 106 Basic Anatomy and Physiology or both BIO 201 *Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4 - and BIO 202 *Human Anatomy and Physiology II Classes with an * must have been completed within the past five years.Select 1 course from the following MAT 106 Survey of Algebra 4 - MAT 107 Career Math 3 - MAT 121 College Algebra 4 - MAT 135 Introduction to Statistics 3 - RTE 101 Introduction to Radiology* Select 1 course from the following 3 - PSY 101 General Psychology I 3 - SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology I 3 - PSY 235 Human Growth and Development

How does one find the skills to succeed in an information intensive economy? Throughout the curriculum, student services and the college library? –Atmosphere –Outreach –Tutorials -Formal classes -Collections - Focused workshops

The ideal model: Research instruction integrated fully into the curriculum (and campus culture) 1.First year experience program: introduction, connecting to the library. 2.Introductory classes – effective library use for assignments. 3.Majors – specialized resources in their field of study. Go beyond assignments! What does your industry use? 4.Second year experience (follow-up) – team with career services, student services. Understand your work environment before you start. How to search for jobs, apply for positions, evaluate potential employers. 5.After college – is the academic library still there for you as a non-student?

Road blocks from the faculty Many faculty see library instruction as important, but dont use it. Why? CUNY system study in 2000 found: –21% didnt know the service was available –12% felt that students should already know this –25% felt that students could just ask them for help –25% tell their students to use reference help This is the job of basic English classes Course instructors do the library instruction themselves They didnt like the service. The other 17% : Feldman 2000

Faculty perceptions: Rate each learning objective according to how well you think library instruction helped the student develop the skill. You may use evidence from assignments and papers or student comments for your decision

I have used this service Would like to but cant fit it in. I dont need this service. I had no idea this was an option. Conduct 2 library sessions: 1 st lecture & introduction 2 nd : hands on lab. 22%15%7%56% Require students to take the online tutorial before the library class. 28%16%8%48% Consult with the librarian prior to the session about goals and objectives 65%4%12%19% Faculty: Which of the services listed have you used, would like to use, or have no need to use?

Road blocks from the institution (administrative) A purely instructional issue is not their domain. They work at the program level. Credit requirements in certain programs max out elective choices. Credit requirements for graduation or transfer make adding required courses difficult. net result – participation falls to the teaching faculty

Stake holders: Faculty Administration Student services –writing and tutoring centers –career centers

How do librarians become change agents? Collaboration Communication Outreach Education – of administration, support services, individual staff and faculty

Use connections with agencies outside the campus library College faculty Student support services Administration Local business National professional organizations Accrediting agencies

Library as center of student life Place that promotes engagement, physically and virtually. Teach students how to take advantage of institutional resources. Outreach with student services (career center, writing center…) Make available to students what they need, when they need it. Student engagement through the library

Student engagement: the class Relevance to goals. –Find out, conduct a pre-class survey. Many students feel they already know how to do research. Do they? Less is more Sell research as a skill for life - need to evaluate everything Assessment Follow up and make changes

Information seeking students develop better study skills. During the college first year, high internet and library use correlates with: Development of better study skills Adjustment to academic demands Satisfaction with library facilities However… High hours (over 20 per week) spent surfing the internet indicates LESS academic skill development. Hardesty 2007

Sources and Information Photo credits: Hawthorn, Rachel. Between The Leaves: A site specific installation on the University of Colorado at Denver campus. April/May Feldman, Devin; Sciammarella, Susan. Both sides of the looking glass: librarian and teaching faculty perceptions of librarianship at six community colleges. College & Research Libraries 61(6), November, Hardesty, L. (Ed.) (2007). The role of the library in the first college year (Monograph No. 45. Columbia, SC: University of Sough Carolina, National Resource Center for The first-Year Experience and Students in Transition. Schneider, Carol G. Liberal education. In, Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk. Hersh, Richard H. and Merrow, John, eds. Palgrave Macmillan, Warren, Leslie A. Information Literacy in Community Colleges: Focused on Learning. Reference & User Services Quarterly. 45(4), Summer, 2006.