Information Literacy Program
To Schedule Library Instruction
- Contact either Paul Bond, Library Instruction Coordinator (607-778-5239), or
- Contact the Librarian whom you are used to working with, or
- Complete our Library Instruction Request Form
Please let us know at least two weeks before the preferred class time for scheduling and preparation.
Objectives
SUNY Broome librarians are guided by the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education established by the Association of College and Research Libraries. The Framework defines information literacy as:
… 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.
This encompasses the full range of learning competencies as they relate to students' abilities to find, evaluate, manage, and use information for problem solving and personal growth. The overall goal is to support the college curriculum and to encourage lifelong learning in our students. Our students should have the confidence that they can:
- take charge of their own learning
- use the information environment to adapt to new situations
- expand their skills and knowledge
- be good citizens
Information literacy skills will help students succeed at SUNY Broome, and wherever their journeys take them afterwards.
Modes of Instruction
The Library offers multiple modes of instruction to suit the needs of your courses and our students.
Course-related Instruction and Library Tours
Library instruction is structured to meet class assignments and learning outcomes, with the exception of general library tours. While classes are usually taught in the library’s instruction lab in order to provide hands-on learning, library instruction sessions are flexible and can be tailored to meet the needs of the instructor.
Online Instruction
SUNY Broome's librarians can join your classes online in Brightspace. We will discuss the objectives with you, and develop a plan which we will review with you. Then we can schedule a week in which we will join your class and work with your students. We can build resource pages to support courses and course assignments. We can also monitor and participate in relevant discussion forums to respond to student questions at the point of need. Contact Paul Bond or the librarian assigned to your area to discuss how we can best support your classes.
Subject and Course Guides
Librarians create library guides in their specialized subject area, as well as tutorials on basic library skills. We can build resource guides for your course or for course assignments. Some examples can be seen here: sunybroome.libguides.com/. Others can be found on the library homepage under "Guides". We will consult with you on guide structure and content. You can link to guides in Brightspace, so that library resources and librarian contact information can be available to your students at a point of need.
Class Assignments
It can be helpful to consult with a librarian when designing library-related projects. We can recommend appropriate resources and make certain that the library has adequate materials to support the assignment.
Ideas for Leveraging the Library
It is important to connect students with the library and help them develop the digital and information literacy skills needed to learn from information resources. Here are examples of some ways faculty on campus have been incorporating library materials in their courses and assignments.
- A History assignment to find two books on a selected topic, published at least twenty years apart. This is a great way of showing how our knowledge and understanding changes over time. It’s also a great opportunity to connect students with the library’s ebook collections, and with online book databases like HathiTrust and the Internet Archive.
- A Criminology assignment where students find research articles on criminological theories, and then use those to analyze historical or contemporary crimes. This can connect students with subject databases and news databases, and help them draw connections between their course, research and real-world events.
- A Biology assignment to find an article on science research in popular media (secondary source), and then to locate the research article (primary source) that the article discusses. Not only does this show how research is represented in popular media, but it also develops valuable information literacy skills in tracing information back to its source. Students could also compare the writing in the articles for style, content and bias.