Information literacy in the Chemistry major: s-t-r-e-t-c-hing our money Connie Ghinazzi Reference Librarian Liaison to Natural Sciences Division Augustana College Rock Island, IL

Challenges High cost of journals to maintain ACS accreditation. Expensive reference books are infrequently used. Do students really need lit research instruction in Chemistry courses? Writing assignments are difficult to incorporate into already heavy content courses with large numbers of students.

Answering the challenges Rethink journal format and selection choices. Purchase only reference books that have strong ties to actual assignments. Transferability of information literacy skills from general education to Chemistry. Assignments designed to reflect these questions- What is it you want the students to be able to do? What do they need to know to do it?

Group photograph of five students from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. Two women and three men are sitting or standing at a table, and they are using scientific equipment.

Challenge – Chemistry Journals Articles about the high cost of journals have been widely published. Van Orsdel and Born reported in 2004 the average cost of Chemistry journals to be the $2695 per title. Articles about the high cost of journals have been widely published. Van Orsdel and Born reported in 2004 the average cost of Chemistry journals to be the $2695 per title. By 2003, we subscribed to slightly more than enough ACS journals in print to satisfy minimum for accreditation. By 2003, we subscribed to slightly more than enough ACS journals in print to satisfy minimum for accreditation.

Solution – Cancel and join consortia ACS Searches and articles downloaded ACS Searches and articles downloaded Current ACS Online cost - $20,843 Current ACS Online cost - $20,843 Jan / / to date * *

“Add” open access journals PubMedCentral or PMC PubMedCentral or PMC Highwire Press Highwire Press DOAC – Directory of Open Access Journals DOAC – Directory of Open Access Journals BioMedCentral BioMedCentral

Add Science Direct College Edition Physical Sciences Collection – 600 journals Physical Sciences Collection – 600 journals Health & Life Sciences Collection journals Health & Life Sciences Collection journals Searches and articles downloaded Searches and articles downloaded 2005/ to date

Challenge – Reference Collection Significant money spent on reference encyclopedia series. Significant money spent on reference encyclopedia series. Longtime standing orders ate up significant amount of book budget. Longtime standing orders ate up significant amount of book budget. Low usage of many of these texts. Low usage of many of these texts.

Solution: Weed and Feed Using circulation stats, we removed out of date reference materials. Using circulation stats, we removed out of date reference materials. When in doubt, we checked with professor most closely affiliated with subject area. When in doubt, we checked with professor most closely affiliated with subject area. Asked for recommendations for new materials that could help answer these questions: Asked for recommendations for new materials that could help answer these questions: How will students use this for assignments? How will students use this for assignments? Are there other ways to answer these questions? Are there other ways to answer these questions?

Chemistry Book Budget Decreased since Decreased since Now about $2000 per year, with about 60% used for reference materials. Now about $2000 per year, with about 60% used for reference materials. Tend to purchase specialized reference books. Tend to purchase specialized reference books. 2000/012001/022002/032003/042004/052005/06 $9843$2462$4021$1850$2268$1875

Challenge - Info Lit As part of their department assessment report, Chemistry has included “develop basic skills necessary to effectively utilize primary chemical literature. As part of their department assessment report, Chemistry has included “develop basic skills necessary to effectively utilize primary chemical literature. Prior to 2003, I worked only with CH 451 Lit Research class on using STN to access Chemical Abstracts. Prior to 2003, I worked only with CH 451 Lit Research class on using STN to access Chemical Abstracts.

Solution: Research and write in Organic Chemistry Fall – Prepare an annotated bibliography describing your research on a well known pharmaceutical. Winter – 4 assignments that involved deconstructing and reworking a research article. Spring – Literature research on a named reaction

Solution: Incorporate more writing and research In the Chemistry Senior Inquiry proposal, the report outlines literature research and writing assignments over all four years students take Chemistry classes. Literature research and writing are now included in General Chemistry, Bio Chemistry, and Instrumental Chemistry in addition to Organic and Chem Lit. An exhaustive literature research project is also a Senior Inquiry option.

Library instruction – call it? Point-of-need instruction - Malenfant and Demers Point-of-need instruction - Malenfant and Demers “strong indications that offering advanced library instruction to upper-division students at their point of need, as they are facing more challenging research assignments in their regular coursework, also increases student interest and participation.” “strong indications that offering advanced library instruction to upper-division students at their point of need, as they are facing more challenging research assignments in their regular coursework, also increases student interest and participation.” Insertion sessions – Insertion sessions – Just in time – emphasis on reference desk service to answer their needs. Number of interactions are up. Just in time – emphasis on reference desk service to answer their needs. Number of interactions are up.

Conclusions Be Creative – No means not yet. Curriculum designed to reflect these questions- What is it you want the students to be able to do? What do they need to know to do it? Resources purchased only if they support goals. Assess results and modify as needed.

Acknowledgements The Chemistry department faculty, particularly Dr. Dell Jensen and Dr. Kurt Christoffel. The Chemistry department faculty, particularly Dr. Dell Jensen and Dr. Kurt Christoffel. Mary Tatro, Tredway Library Technical Services Librarian. Mary Tatro, Tredway Library Technical Services Librarian. Images from Upper Mississippi Valley Digital Image Archive, Augustana College and ArtStor. Images from Upper Mississippi Valley Digital Image Archive, Augustana College and ArtStor. The students who enjoy the hunt for answers through experimentation and literature research. The students who enjoy the hunt for answers through experimentation and literature research.