Library and Information Literacy Education @ Hope College

Library and Information Literacy Education @ Hope College

Librarians at Hope strive to teach something called “information literacy,” a difficult compound of two complicated concepts. In a sense, it can be said that some kind of information literacy is a necessary component of education in any discipline; classes at Hope, for example, are designed not just to provide students with new information, but also to provoke intellectual growth by critically engaging with important ideas. Similarly, as teaching librarians, we try to see information literacy as a trans-disciplinary phenomenon, and orient our instruction toward promoting critical awareness of different information landscapes.  

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) defines “information literacy” as a flexible skill set:

“Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.” (Framework for IL in Higher Education)

We at Hope consider information literacy to be a reflective, creative practice, and seek to foster an attitude of mindfulness in our students by developing their abilities to solve information problems in a variety of contexts, from the basics of library-centered academic research to the less structured information environments they move through in their daily lives.  A holistic approach to information literacy education, then, works to stimulate intellectual growth during the college years, while nurturing the critical thinking skills requisite for lifelong learning in a world abound with information.

What we currently offer

Hope's Research and Instruction Librarians currently teach a variety of sessions ranging from traditional library—"bibliographic"—instruction, to ones addressing broader themes and issues pertaining to information.  In all cases, our goal is to empower students to thrive as fluent, discerning, and savvy information users and consumers.  Because of the nature of our teaching contributions (i.e., course-embedded), it is critical that classroom faculty and librarians collaborate to maximize the impact of these sessions by integrating what is being taught into broader course learning objectives and assignments.

First Year Seminar (click for info)

• general intro session for all sections
  • additional sessions available to address more specific course needs

English 113 (click for info)

• usually 2-3 sessions, or approx. 3 hours of instruction
  • foundational library research skills with an emphasis on information literacy

  In the Disciplines (click for info)

• custom-tailored sessions to align with information literacy goals and needs of specific classes/disciplines

What we would like to offer

TBD —  more structured curricular integration of information literacy at both the general education and disciplinary level.

Possibilities include:

• Required information literacy "labs" or "workshops" (multi-session sequence/series), taught by librarians, as part of the gen ed program

• Create an information literacy "flag" to be attached to eligible courses

• Departments each develop an information literacy plan, outlining where and how these skills will be taught and assessed