Information Literacy and Library Instruction

                
According to the Association of College & Research Libraries (AACRL) information literacy means you are able to:

• Determine the extent of information needed
• Access the needed information effectively and efficiently
• Evaluate information and its sources critically
• Incorporate selected information into one's knowledge base
• Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
• Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and access and use information ethically and legally.

Basically, information literacy education is the act of students learning how to learn. This is the core of library instruction, as librarians must be information literate, and be able to understand how to learn new information literacies as they emerge. 

Relevant readings:

• Adebonojo, L. G. (2010). LibGuides: Customizing Subject Guides for Individual Courses. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 17(4), 398–412.
• Elmborg, James K. “Teaching at the Desk: Toward a Reference Pedagogy.” portal: Libraries and the Academy 2.3 (2002): 455-464.
• Leach, G. J., & Sugarman, T. S. (2005). Play to win! Using games in library instruction to enhance student learning. Research Strategies, 20(3), 191–203.
• Pritchard, P. A. (2010). The Embedded Science Librarian: Partner in Curriculum Design and Delivery. Journal of Library Administration, 50(4), 373–396.
• Walker, B. E. (2006). Using humor in library instruction. Reference Services Review, 34(1), 117–128.

Web-based reference services and products

Below are some sources for web-based reference services and products.

• Buckland, M. K. (2008). Reference library service in the digital environment. Library & Information Science Research, 30(2), 81-85.
• Luo, L. (2008). Reference service in Second Life: an overview.  Reference Services Review, 36(3), 289-300.
• Shachaf, P., Oltmann, S. M., & Horowitz, S. M. (2008). Service equality in virtual reference. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 59(4), 535-550.
• Visit and explore The Internet Public Library
• Mon, L., & Randeree, E. (2009). On the Boundaries of Reference Services: Questioning and Library 2.0. Journal of Education for Library & Information Science, 50(3), 164-175.
• Shachaf, P. (2009). The paradox of expertise: is the Wikipedia Reference Desk as good as your library? Journal of Documentation, 65(6), 977-996.
• Steiner, H. (2009). Reference utility of social networking sites: options and functionality. Library Hi Tech News, 26(5/6), 4-6.

Children, Young Adults, and Special Populations

Below are some resources for Children, Young Adult, and Special Populations information needs:

• Ferrell, S. (2010). Who says there’s a problem? A new way to approach the issue of ‘problem patrons’. Reference & User Services Quarterly,50(2), 141–151.
• Hersberger, J., & De la Peña McCook, K. (2005). The Homeless and Information Needs and Services. Reference & User Services Quarterly,44(3), 199–202.
• Ottmann Press, Nancy and Mary Diggs-Hobson, “Providing Health Information to Community Members Where They Are: Characteristics of the Culturally Competent Librarian,” Library Trends 53 (Winter 2005): 397–410. Available athttps://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/1741/Press398410.pdf?sequence=2
• Pattee, A. S. (2008). What Do You Know? Applying the K-W-L Method to the Reference Transaction with Children. Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 6(1), 30–39.
• Westbrook, Lynn, and Maria E. Gonzalez. “Information Support for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: Public Librarianship’s Role.” Public Library Quarterly 30 (2011): 132-157.

Health, Law, Business, and Ethical Reference Services Sources

In health, law, and business libraries there is sensitive information to be found within their holdings. It is important to be discreet when helping patrons find information in these situations. A patron may need to find sensitive information for themselves, and may be concerned about others finding out. 

Below are some resources for Health, Law, Business, and Ethical Reference information needs:

• Fallis, Don. “Information Ethics for Twenty-First Century Library Professionals.” Library Hi Tech 25 (2007): 23-36. [Electronic Journals]
• ALA. Code of Ethics. Jan. 2008. http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/proethics/codeofethics/codeethics.cfm
• Lenker, M. (2008). Dangerous questions at the reference desk: A virtue ethics approach. Journal of Information Ethics, 17(1), 43-53.
• Neuhaus, P. (2003). Privacy and Confidentiality in Digital Reference. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 43(1), 26–36

Geographic Sources, Biographical Sources, Government Documents

Below are three resources for Government, Geographic, and Biographical Sources

• Kessler, R. R. (1998). Depository libraries and public services. Government Information Quarterly, 15(1), 93-96.
• Mack, Thura and Janette Prescod. “Where Have All the Government Documents Librarians Gone?  Moving beyond collections to information literacy.” Reference Services Review 37.1 (2009): 99-111.
• http://www.archives.gov/research/alic/reference/govt-docs.html

Ready Reference

A ready reference collection is a collection of materials (books, notes, maps, etc.) that is used most often by reference librarians, and kept in a central area for quick access. As a reference librarian there will be certain questions you get asked often. If you find yourself pulling a certain resource many times in a day (or week), this might be something you want to have in your ready reference.

Types of ready reference questions:

• Who - sources: telephone books, directories, almanacs
• What - sources: consumer, citizen, and college guides
• Which - (interchangeable with what) 
• When - sources: calendars, history books
• Where - sources: maps, almanacs, etc.
• How - 2 types
• many: sources: census, statistics,etc. 
• to: sources: how-to sites and books

Relevant readings:

• East, John W.  “The Rolls Royce of the Library Reference Collection: The Subject Encyclopedia in the Age of Wikipedia.”  Reference & User Services Quarterly  50.2  (2010): 162-169.
• Sweeney, M. (2013). Fugitive filing: ready reference technologies as cultural artifacts. Reference Services Review, 41(2), 351–365.
• Giles, J. (2005). Internet encyclopaedias go head to head. Nature, 438(7070), 900–901.
• http://news.cnet.com/Belatedly,-Britannica-lambastes-Wikipedia-findings/2100-1025_3-6053754.html
• http://www.nature.com/nature/britannica/index.html
• http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2008/06/ency/

Search Strategy

The strategy upon which you search makes a difference when working to help patrons find sources that fit their needs. The University of Chicago has a great resource for searchers to find the information they are looking for.

Step 1: Plan your search - think about your topic and ask yourself the following questions:

• What subject(s) do/does your topic fall under?
• What keywords describe your topic?
• Do you need primary or secondary sources?
• Do you need recent resources or resources from a specific span of time?
• What languages do you need material in?

Step 2: Review Database Descriptions - selecting the best database for your needs = success/failure

• What subject areas are covered in the database?
• What years does the database cover?
• What kinds of sources does the database include?

Step 3: Implement Proper Database Search Techniques

• Use advanced search when available
• Use boolean operators
• AND narrows your search 
• e.g. a search for "alcoholism AND schizophrenia" would only return results including both the terms "alcoholism" AND "schizophrenia" together
• OR broadens your search 
• e.g. a search for "Latino OR Hispanic" would return all results including either term, "Latino" or "Hispanic" (the terms would not have to be together in the results, but they may be)
• NOT limits your search 
• e.g. a search for "pets NOT cats" would return results about pets that do not mention cats.
• Use limits to narrow results
• limits can be language, date, type of resource, etc.
• Use truncation and wildcards when applicable
• wom?n finds both woman and women
• philosoph* finds philosopher, philosophers, philosophy, etc.

Relevant readings:

• 10 best search engines   http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/navigatingthenet/tp/top_10_search_engines_for_beginners.htm
• Top 10 search engines (US). http://www.listofsearchengines.info/
• Google Search Shortcuts (Cheat Sheet):  http://websearch.about.com/library/cheatsheet/blgooglecheatsheet.htm
• Yahoo Search Shortcuts (Cheat Sheet):  http://websearch.about.com/library/cheatsheet/nyahoocheatsheet.htm
• The Mobile Web: http://websearch.about.com/od/themobileweb/f/mobile-web.htm

Information Tools and Next Generation Catalogs

The most widely-known information tool within the library is the library catalog. Traditional catalogs include books, CDs, DVDs, newspapers, magazines, microfilms, musical scores, etc. Next generation catalogs offer a social aspect within these catalogs. Patrons can tag, rate, and review materials, and is a wonderful attempt at merging older information tools with new information tools.

                   

Nowadays, if people have questions, they simply "Google" it. How can catalogs compete with the instant nature of Google? If someone has a question, Google can offer many resources within seconds, and traditional catalogs have tended to take time and expertise to use. However, with recent developments to catalogs mentioned above, usability is increasing, and libraries are creating search tools that mimic everyday tools used (tagging, bookmarking, reviewing, quick searches, etc.) It only makes sense for libraries to evolve and include these types of developments, as this is the future of information retrieval and dissemination.

Relevant readings:

• Emanuel, Jenny. “Next Generation Catalogs: What Do They Do and Why Should We Care?”  Reference & User Services Quarterly 49.2 (2009): 117-120.
• Yang, Sharon Q. and Kurt Wagner. “Evaluating and Comparing Discovery Tools: How Close Are We Towards Next Generation Catalog?”  Library Hi Tech 28.4 (2010): 690-709.

Building and Managing a Reference Collection

                

Building a reference collection is a task every library must face. No two reference collections are alike, as the needs of the community will dictate the type of reference needed. For instance, a medical library's reference sections will vary from the reference section for a law library, and public libraries (probably the most varies of all reference collections) will differ from both law and medical library reference collections. They key to building a usable collection is knowing your community.

With knowing your community, you will be unable to crate a reference collection that is relevant to their interests. Also, when you are involved and knowledgeable about your community, you are able to keep up with all changes in interest, and know how to weed your collection to make room for more relevant materials to the current needs of that community.

Relevant readings:

• Farmer, L. S. J. (2009). The Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources.  Reference Librarian, 50(2), 117-136.
• Singer, Carol A. “Weeding Gone Wild: Planning and Implementing a Review of the Reference Collection.”  Reference & User Services Quarterly 47.3 (2008): 256-264.

Reference Services & The Reference Interview

           

The reference librarian is somewhat of a hero. They help patrons find answers and resources for a variety of purposes by asking questions and helping the patron find what he/she really wants. However, it does take some skill to be an effective reference librarian. The state of Iowa has published a list of steps for an effective reference interview:

• Approachability
• Smile, establish eye contact, give a friendly greeting. There's nothing worse than asking a question to someone intimidating!
• Interest
• Maintain eye contact, make attentive comments, give full attention.  Make sure the patron knows you are paying attention and really want to help.
• Listening
• DO NOT INTERRUPT! Give the patron to fully explain what he/she needs. Paraphrase what you think the patron is asking for when they have finished to be sure you are understanding properly. Ask clarifying questions if needed.
• Interviewing
• Ask open ended questions (questions that can't be answered with a "yes" or a "no"). These probing questions give s the patron the freedom to express their needs in their own words.
• Searching
• Keep the patron informed of the progress and offer referrals. This can be a chance to teach information literacy by searching with the patron.
• Answering
• Speak clearly and distinctly, cite the source, and check to make sure the patron understands this information.
• Follow Up
• Ask the patron is they have everything they need, and offer help in the future should they need it. 

If you guys have any further questions or comments, please feel free to review the relevant readings below and leave comments!

Relevant readings:

• Curry, Curry, "If I Ask, Will They Answer?: Evaluating Public Library Reference Service to Gay and Lesbian Youth." Reference & User Services Quarterly 45 (2005): 65-75.
• Harnett, Marquita. “Did You Say Library Anxiety?”
• Part I at http://lsobibliotech.blogspot.com/2005/03/did-you-say-library-anxiety-part-one.html  
• Part II at http://lsobibliotech.blogspot.com/2005/03/did-you-say-library-anxiety-part-two.html
• Ross, Catherine Sheldrick and Patricia Dewdney, “Negative Closure:  Strategies and Counter-Strategies in the Reference Transaction.”  Reference & User Services Quarterly 38.2 (1998): 151-163. 
• RUSA’s Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers and Guidelines for Implementing and Maintaining Virtual Reference Services
•  Review RUSA’s Professional Competencies for Reference and User Services Librarians
  • Bahavar, S., & Truelson, J. A. (2008). Strategic planning for reference in a team environment: The preferred futuring model. 11 Reference & User Services Quarterly, 47(4), 356-363.
  • Bradigan, P. S., & Powell, C. A. (2004). The reference and information services team: An alternative model for managing reference services. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 44(2), 143-148.
  • Lippincott, J. K. (2010). Mobile Reference: What Are the Questions? [Article]. Reference Librarian, 51(1), 1-11.
  • Miller, J. (2008). Quick and Easy Reference Evaluation: Gathering Users' and Providers' Perspectives. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 47(3), 218-222.