Sharon A. Weiner

Who Teaches Information Literacy Competencies? Report of a Study of Faculty

Information literacy is recognized as an essential competency for educational success. It relates to all disciplines but is not a separate discipline, so it is not clear who takes responsibility for teaching this competency to undergraduates. This is a report of a survey conducted to better understand the extent to which teaching information literacy concepts by faculty occurred in a research university. The results indicated that faculty in the disciplines generally teach information literacy competencies to undergraduate students without collaborating with others on their campus. Many faculty also had the expectation that students know how to avoid plagiarism, find articles and books, and define topics for their projects before students take their courses. There were disciplinary differences in providing instruction in critical evaluation and avoiding plagiarism. Tenured faculty tended to provide instruction in defining a topic; finding articles and books; and synthesizing information. Non-tenured faculty tended to teach students to avoid plagiarism.

Tale of Two Databases: The History of Federally Funded Information Systems for Education and Medicine.

Abstract Access to scholarly information in the disciplines of education and medicine occurred primarily through the simultaneous development of two bibliographic databases. The Education Resource Information Center (ERIC) originated as a resource designed to be comprehensive in its inclusion of peer-reviewed and unpublished literature for the entire education community. MEDLINE began as a resource of selective materials for physicians and researchers. Today, ERIC includes selected peer-reviewed literature directed primarily to researchers and practitioners, although others use the database, while MEDLINE is a vast information system serving all health professionals and consumers. This literature analysis of their policy history shows important differences in their evolution. Application of the Multiple Streams Framework can help in formulating possible explanations for the different developmental paths. These paths include: the degree of centralization or decentralization of the information systems organizational structure; the stability of the organizational mission; and the success of assessment strategies, federal budgetary support, and bias toward science in federal policy-making. These two government-supported databases served as models for a plethora of other databases. However, one was successful in acquiring funding from the outset, while the other continually suffered deficiencies in support. The importance of each to public welfare should have been obvious, but was not.

The National Forum on Information Literacy, Inc. http://infolit.org

The purpose of this column is to highlight information literacy activities that are occurring in organizations and institutions outside of libraries. Academic libraries have done much to advance information literacy in postsecondary institutions. Yet, much activity is also occurring outside of academic libraries in relation to information literacy. This column will feature some of those organizations and activities so that academic librarians may share information with them and develop new partnerships that will further advance the goals of information literacy.

The Learning Commons as a Locus for Information Literacy

Many institutions of higher education are designing spaces to facilitate learning. Libraries have created information or learning commons to support this activity. This article draws from the literature and best practices to explore this new direction. Academic libraries have focused on student learning and the teaching of skills and strategies that develop information literacy competency. Although there is an assumption that learning commons facilitate student learning, there is a need to more closely connect this new environment with information literacy and pedagogy and to demonstrate its merits in enhancing learning. A basic premise is that each learning commons that is planned well will be unique. This is because a key component of the planning process is to understand the campus perspective, student learning styles and preferences, and the role of the campus library. The combination of those factors will result in a learning commons that supports its own institutional priorities and profile in a specialized manner. This article is in the form of a panel discussion that explores possible relationships between the learning commons and student learning, pedagogy, and information literacy. The “panel members” are the authors who represent three different perspectives that should be interrelated when planning learning commons. These perspectives are (1) the scholarly perspective that provides an empirical foundation for decision-making, (2) the perspective of a library administrator who builds the relationships needed for successful external collaboration, and (3) the perspective of a librarian who implements the vision for a learning commons. The panelists discuss a number of topics including (1) the scholarly basis for a learning commons as a focal point for enhancing student learning, pedagogy, and information literacy, (2) how a library administrator can create and communicate a vision that focuses on information literacy and student learning, (3) how a practicing librarian can promote information literacy, pedagogy, and student learning through a learning commons, and (4) engaging all stakeholders to promote consideration of pedagogical approaches through the learning commons. Finally, there are recommendations for research and practice about the learning commons and information literacy.

Understanding the Higher-Education Context: The Peabody Academic Library Leadership Institute

ABSTRACT This article describes the genesis of Vanderbilt Universitys Peabody Academic Library Leadership Institute as an outcome of a particular philosophy. That philosophy is based on the concept that to fulfill their potential contributions, academic libraries need to direct their planning, resources, and services to support the priorities of their parent institutions. This article addresses the need for campus-focused leadership training; higher education leadership training for academic librarians; and the higher education context for libraries. It describes why Vanderbilts Peabody College of Education and Human Development initiated a professional development institute for librarians. It describes the institutes history, curriculum, and assessment and explores future directions.

Strategizing for Public Policy: The Information Literacy State Proclamation Project.

This article describes a project designed to raise the awareness of policymakers about the importance of information literacy to achieve societal goals. Issues benefit from the governmental support, prioritization, mandates, and funding that can result when there is policy behind them. Studies indicate that many people lack the ability to draw on quality sources of information for a variety of purposes. Attention by policymakers would accelerate the inclusion of information literacy in settings such as education, workforce training, citizenship preparation, and lifelong learning. One way to raise awareness of policymakers is by recommending a proclamation to government executives.

Positioning libraries to support the goals of higher education institutions: The Peabody Academic Library Leadership Institute

This paper describes the genesis of Vanderbilt University’s Peabody Academic Library Leadership Institute as an outcome of a particular philosophy. That philosophy is based on the concept that to fulfill their potential contributions, academic libraries need to direct their planning, resources, and services to support the priorities of their parent institutions. This article addresses the need for campus-focused-leadership training; higher education leadership training for academic librarians; and the higher education context for libraries. It describes why Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development initiated a professional development institute for librarians. It describes the Institute’s history, curriculum, and assessment and explores future directions. INTRODUCTION AND PHILOSOPHY This paper describes the genesis of Vanderbilt Universitys Peabody Academic Library Leadership (ALL) Institute. The Institute is one of a roster of Peabody Professional Institutes (PPI) that originated in 2006. These institutes have a commitment to grounding the curricula in education research and theory. The philosophy of ALL is that effective library administrators internalize the higher education context in which academic libraries exist so they can best position their libraries in support of campus priorities. Becoming more visible in achieving campus priorities, in turn, better positions

The Rescinding of the ACRL 2000 Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education…Really??

ABSTRACT This is an opinion piece about the decision by the ACRL Board of Directors to rescind its “Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education” in June 2016.

Archival Literacy Competencies for Undergraduate History Majors

Abstract Undergraduate history majors need to know how to conduct archival research. This article describes the second phase of a project to identify “archival literacy” competencies. Faculty, archivists, and librarians from baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral/research institutions commented on a draft list. This resulted in competencies in six major categories: accurately conceive of primary sources; locate primary sources; use a research question, evidence, and argumentation to advance a thesis; obtain guidance from archivists; demonstrate acculturation to archives; and follow publication protocols. Archivists, faculty, and librarians can collaborate to integrate the competencies throughout undergraduate history curricula in their institutions.

Sexual Minority Health: A Bibliography and Preliminary Study of the Book Literature

ABSTRACT The literature on health in people who identify as sexual minorities is scattered in many types of resources and disciplines. To help address the need for relevant, well-organized information for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and health care providers, this study first identified books published in a ten-year period and then examined the topics, the number of books published per year, most prolific authors, and primary publishers. A wide range of publishers published a relatively small number of books (521). Most were about mental health or relationships and 24% were personal accounts. There were many subject deficiencies in the published book corpus.