A librarian-guided classroom instruction session can introduce or reinforce program goals such as including:
To make sessions with a librarian productive for students, faculty, and librarians, consider the following recommendations. Contact your librarian to discuss further details and best practices.
Schedule with librarians as you arrange for other speakers for your course. Secure a time that supports a logical flow of content for the course and student workload. 'Point-of-need' instruction targeted to a specific assignment is usually more effective than a general library overview too early.
Please plan to meet with a librarian for new sessions or after changes to the curriculum.* Discussing assignments and research requirements with the course director helps the librarians construct distinctive lesson plans, instructional material, and applied activities to support the needs of your students.
*Meetings may not be needed for repeat sessions or minor course alterations.
Background research is an iterative process, not step-by-step completed at one time. Librarians are often asked to teach lengthy, comprehensive classes from 50 to 150 minutes long. Breaking up library sessions aligns with the non-linear process of research and allows material to be taught at ‘point-of-need.’ Librarian support outside of class may be needed to reinforce or reintroduce concepts, strategies, or resources.
Examining relevant course material in Canvas such as the syllabus, assignment, and capstone curriculum helps the librarian provide the most current and relevant library resources and tools for student success.
Librarian-faculty exchanges during class helps to reinforce concepts and provide connections to other course content and curriculum. Faculty are available to answer specific assignment questions.
Are you less than pleased with student performance on an assignment? Librarians can provide assignment feedback to enhance student success using library resources. In addition, librarians can collaborate to design new, meaningful research projects.
Alert the librarian to any accommodations or assistive technologies a student might require.
Downers Grove Campus Library
(630) 515-6200
Littlejohn Hall
555 31st St. Downers Grove, IL 60515
Map and Driving Directions - IL
Glendale Campus Library
(623) 572-3308
Sahuaro Hall
19555 N. 59th Ave. Glendale, AZ 85308
Map and Driving Directions - AZ