Information versus Inspiration: Mind the Gap Matthew Borg & Deborah Harrop

Before today, what has been your experience of using a library? = (Interactive tools, 2007) + Year 1 Undergrad

Eureka momentTranspennine train moment - Use of college, school & public libraries. - Emphasis on books & to a lesser extent, IT facilities  Opportunity: limited experience of libraries  Facilitating the opportunity - Inspire ourselves, inspire academics, inspire students

Us and them: bridging the gap  Learning taxonomy, not information taxonomy - Information is a mechanism, not the outcome - Be learner focused, not inwardly focused on our goals - Take a holistic approach and place learning in context Information professional LearnerAcademic Inspiration SCONUL seven pillars (SCONUL, 2007)

Tailor skills to the curriculum  3 year curriculum - Develop objectives for course, module and session - Must learn something new every year  Talk the talk, walk the walk - Market yourself to academic staff, develop the brand  Outcomes - Series of sessions on ‘Skills for Science’ module - Identify specific info needs; for example, Forensic Scientists undertake law module - Retention strategy - Involved in course planning

Be inspiration literate  Present centred learning - Enquiry based for example, actually research assignments - Avoid ‘perfect’ searches; it does not promote learner autonomy  Assessment - Interactive tools provide formative feedback - Achievable short terms goals & progression  How do they think? - Don't deliver what they don't need - Auditory, visual, kinaesthetic - Associate material to existing knowledge

Inspiring feedback  Inspire audience to provide feedback  Get it quick  Stop, start, continue  Use feedback to inspire yourself  Tackle everyone (Xollob58, 2008)

Peering  Crucial to feedback is working with colleagues  Reflection rather than review  Share knowledge and practice  Self-evaluation (Fensterbme, 2008)

 Just say ‘no’; but suggest an alternative and better session  Use the ‘L’ word (that’s learning not libraries)  Multipurpose icebreaker that forms an activity, but also provides trainer with data  Provide incomplete handouts  Speak quietly; “of crucial importance…”  Use verbal/visual association  Focussed feedback – be specific  Don't oversimplify your skills Top tips

What next?  We were inspired  Inspire information as a mechanism – not an outcome  Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue  Inspire by marketing  Inspiring feedback  Co-teaching  Measure

References  ANDRETTA, S. (2004). Information literacy: a practitioners guide. Oxford, Chandos.  FENSTERBME (2008). Columbus Flickr Meet Group Photo. [online image]. Last accessed 28 February at:  INTERACTIVE TOOLS (2008). Post it notes. [online image]. Last accessed 1 March at:  REECE, I. and WALKER, S. (2006). Teaching, training and learning. London, Business Education Publishers.  SCONUL (2007). SCONUL seven pillars of information literacy. [online image]. Last accessed 2 February at: /sp/model.html.  XOLLOBO58 (2007). Traffic Lights in Germany. [online image]. Last accessed 5 March at: