SCOPA Grant Proposal (Revision) Todd Gilman

2001-2002

Library Instruction in London

With Associate University Librarian Danuta Nitecki’s help I have located an interesting self-assessment questionnaire on information literacy developed by Fabienne Michaud, Learning Support Assistant and Subject Support Librarian for Mental Health and Community Departments, The Whitechapel Library, City University, School of Nursing of Midwifery in London: http://www.city.ac.uk/library/sonm/electronic/Informationliteracy.htm. This questionnaire is apparently based on the seven "headline skills" from an intriguing 1999 SCONUL (Society of College, National and University Libraries) "vision paper" developed by a Task Force convened by SCONUL's Executive Board: http://www.sconul.ac.uk/publications/99104Rev1.doc. This paper makes a crucial distinction between "information technology skills" and "information skills," noting that to be computer literate is nothing like the same thing as being information literate, although discussions of "skills" in higher education often assume that one type of literacy equals the other.

In order for a student to become information literate he or she must master seven so-called headline skills, from a basic competence in finding his/her way around a library to sophisticated searching strategies for specific materials. The skills are broken down as follows: (1) The ability to recognize a need for information; (2) The ability to distinguish ways in which the information "gap" may be addressed; (3) The ability to construct strategies for locating information; (4) The ability to locate and access information; (5) The ability to compare and evaluate information obtained from different sources; (6) The ability to organize, apply and communicate information to others in ways appropriate to the situation; and (7) The ability to synthesize and build upon existing information, contributing to the creation of new knowledge.

These seem to me to be the right kinds of skills to be imparting to undergraduate and graduate students alike. I am interested in learning how the people at City University, London, have managed to translate these literacy goals into a plan of action for their students; how successful they have been; and what they believe future improvements might entail. Yale librarians could learn much from the work our counterparts in London have already accomplished. To give but one example, developing an information literacy questionnaire to deliver to Yale students both before and after their bibliographic instruction sessions would be a highly effective way both to indicate to students and faculty what we believe students should know to be considered information literate and to indicate to us how effective our instruction has been.

I have contacted Ms. Michaud and asked her and her colleagues involved in assessing information literacy at City University to meet with me for an afternoon while I am in London. They have eagerly agreed. We shall meet on Monday 20 May to discuss (1) how they came to develop their questionnaire and how they use it (for example, what do they do when the results indicate that the client/patron has substandard information literacy skills?); and (2) how they assess and teach information literacy in general at City University, London.