Library Instruction at Gelman and Eckles Libraries

Instruction sessions and other learning opportunities are available through Gelman and Eckles (Mount Vernon Campus) Libraries. Information literacy, the ability to locate, evaluate, and use information effectively, is fundamental to academic excellence and life long learning. This principle serves as a foundation to all library instruction efforts.

Instruction librarians at Gelman and Eckles are available to work with faculty to incorporate information literacy into the curriculum. Library instructions sessions are typically held in a computer classroom located in Gelman Library, allowing students to have an active learning experience. For those classes located on the Mt. Vernon campus, Eckles Library also offers classes in a computer classroom. To discuss other ways in which information literacy can be incorporated into your curriculum, contact Jennifer Nutefall at 202-994-9863 or jnutefal@gwu.edu.

Requesting a Session
To schedule a session, use our Library Instruction Request Form or contact Jennifer Nutefall at 202-994-9863 or jnutefal@gwu.edu.

Requests for instruction should be made at least two weeks in advance of the session. This allows time for the librarian to review relevant course materials, create a class plan, and review the class content and format with you.

Due to the complexity of library research, scheduling freshman library instruction sessions during the first week of a semester is strongly discouraged.

Instruction sessions are usually scheduled during the time in which the class normally meets, although this is not required. It will be necessary for the librarian and faculty member to discuss session objectives to determine if all goals can be covered in the allotted time or if additional time is needed.

Session Content
Faculty are strongly encouraged to link the instruction session to a specific project or assignment, rather than request a general overview of library resources.

Faculty Attendance
Faculty members should plan to attend the complete session with their students. Interaction between faculty, students, and the librarian enriches the learning process, and stresses the importance of library instruction to students.

Librarians may request a copy of the class assignment when scheduling a library instruction session, so they can prepare a relevant, informative, and interesting presentation. A copy of the course syllabus is also helpful and appreciated.

Tips for a Successful Session

Schedule a library instruction session when your students have an assignment that requires them to use the Library. Timing can be very important. Students find library instruction more meaningful when it is relevant and course-integrated.

Make arrangements to meet with or call the librarian who will be teaching the class to collaborate on the assignment and the learning objectives of the library instruction session.

Consider scheduling multiple sessions if the session goals are beyond those that can be covered during the allotted time. The librarian will be able to determine the appropriate level of information that can be covered during a session.

If the class size is over 30 students, consider dividing the students into several groups. The librarians can suggest alternative arrangements, such as holding the session outside of the usual class meeting time and offering extra credit for attendance.

Library instruction sessions are based on the following models:

Assignment -Based
Assignment-based library instruction is tailored to a specific assignment or research project. It is based on the idea that students benefit from library instruction when they are required to directly apply the skills covered through an assignment or research project. The instruction librarian will work with the faculty member to design a session that focuses on the information resources and research techniques to be used for an assignment or research project. Typically, these sessions have focused on helping students use library resources such as the online catalog and databases.

Subject-Specific Approach
As students advance through their major, this type of library instruction focuses on the information resources, research techniques, and channels of scholarly communication unique to a particular discipline. Teaching information literacy within the students' majors will provide greater opportunity to design learning activities that focus on and support their specific research interests. The subject-specific approach is designed for upper level students enrolled in a research methods course or other research-intensive courses.

Multiple Instruction Sessions Integrated into a Course
Referred to as "course integrated" instruction, this format allows the librarian to work more closely with the faculty and students, covering a broader range of research skills. In practice, this approach incorporates two or more instruction sessions with a librarian where skills covered in the first session will be expanded during subsequent sessions. For example, session one may provide an overview of specific information sources, session two may focus on developing and analyzing a research topic, and session three might emphasize web-based information and applying criteria to evaluate it.

Return to Gelman Guide for GW Faculty

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