1. Libraries and 21st Century Workplace Literacy Skills: lCP findings and applications
We have been studying workplace literacy for the last year and will share some of our findings with you.
Denise Parrott, Technical Services Librarian
Mary Jane Pittman, Lunenburg Campus Librarian

2. Building a modern post-secondary institution
- These are pictures from the Halifax Campus in 1951 (NSCC Yearbook Collection). A lot has changed in vocational training in Nova Scotia since then.
- In 1996,19 separately run vocational schools, technical institutes and vocational high schools from across the province were brought together under the direction of one Board of Governors.
- Jack Buckley, the College’s first president, believed that a “high-functioning library service” was essential in supporting the “goal of becoming a modern post-secondary institution” (Debbie and Charmaine’s report), and a well-developed province-wide model of college library services was one of the first initiatives identified for this new, modern college system.
- Buckley’s successor, Ray Ivany, continued to value NSCC Library Services in its support of workplace literacy.

3. bSource: 2016 Graduate Survey
Because NSCC is the occupational training arm of the Government of Nova Scotia, we are driven by industry and our rates are high for students who are employed in their trades or who take advantage of the university credits we provide and continue their studies, and employers are generally satisfied with our grads.
bSource: 2016 Graduate Survey

4. Across North America, though, employers are reporting that new grads have good technical skills, but they are reporting deficiencies in what we often call “soft” skills, the skills that apply to all jobs.
Workopolis: The most sought after skills in Canada (2015)

5. Workplace literacy
The skills and abilities your employees need to have to function effectively, efficiently and safely in the workplace…
… reading, writing, and math skills … critical thinking skills, computer use and the ability to work with others.
We’ve observed that the soft skills come together under the umbrella of Workplace Literacy.
We feel libraries have a critical role in helping people develop effective workplace information literacy skills.

6. Institutional Learning Outcomes
Some colleges in Canada are responding by building institutional learning outcomes for soft skills. These are from Mohawk College. Seneca and others are following suit, developing soft skills outcomes that are structured and measurable.
NSCC has not reached this stage; soft skills are addressed sometimes by LCAs, Communications faculty, Students services programs and Library programs.

7. How can Library services respond?

8. People-in-Practice
A “people-in-practice” model encourages practitioners to “connect with the workplace knowledges of their disciplines” (Lloyd, 2013)
Information literacy skills are context-specific and not necessarily transferrable skills (Hicks, 2015)
Recommended practices:
Teach to the information tools students will use in industry.
Interview practitioners in a field to determine what information and resources are used and how.
Learn what resources are available beyond NSCC and incorporate them into your instruction.

9. 21st Century collections Development practices
We are called to “transition from institution-centric collections to a user-centric networked world” (ACRL 2012 Issue Brief)
Recommended practices
Learn what resources are in our collections and how they are used (collection evaluation).
Learn what resources are available beyond NSCC in a field of study.
Develop an understanding of our electronic resources so you can highlight relevant resources through LibGuides.
Involve faculty in evaluating print and online collections.
Use information gathered to build a focused collection plan that corresponds to a “people-in-practice instructional programming plan.

10. Implementing our research findings
Diesel mechanic “people-in-practice” pilot (Mary Jane)
- Meet with instructor to discuss how information is used in this trade.
- Create an infolit session that focusses on the skills identified by the instructor.
Collection evaluation working group planning (Denise)
Meet with LCP “grads” (Deb K. and Charmaine) to set up a plan to explore more in-depth collection evaluation and planning.
Upcoming webinars for Proquest Central & Gale, to learn more about subject-specific resource.

11. References
Association of Research Libraries. (2012, March 10). 21st century collections: Calibration of investment and collaborative action. Retrieved from: collections-2012.pdf Here & Now: Nova Scotia Community College Strategic Plan [PDF]. (2017). Halifax: Nova Scotia Community College. Retrieved from Hicks, A. (2015). Drinking on the job: integrating workplace information literacy into the curriculum. LOEX Quarterly, 41(4), 9–15. Retrieved from Lloyd, A. (2013). Building information resilient workers: The critical ground of workplace information literacy. What have we learnt? In S. Kurbanog˘lu, E. Grassian, D. Mizrachi, R. Catts, & S. Špiranec (Eds.), Worldwide commonalities and challenges in information literacy research and practice (Vol. 397, pp. 219–228). Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: / _28 Kaleva, D., & Borden, C. (June 1, 2013). Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC): The Rapid Evolution and Challenges of a Centralized Library Service. “Libraries & Heritage: New Research in Library History” Library History Network of the Canadian Library Association National Conference & Trade Show. Winnipeg, Manitoba. Learning Outcomes. Retrieved from outcomes NSCC 2016 Graduate Survey [PDF]. (2016). Halifax: Nova Scotia Community College. Retireved from Seemiller, C., & Grace, M. (2016). Generation Z Goes to College. John Wiley & Sons.