The primary mission of the Muntz Library User Instruction Program is to provide a variety of opportunities, emphasizing contemporary information technologies, to assist our students in developing information literacy skills for independent lifelong learning. By helping students construct a framework for learning, information literacy provides the foundation for continued growth throughout their careers, as well as in their roles as informed citizens.
Information literacy includes the abilities to recognize when information is needed and to locate, evaluate and effectively use and communicate information in its various formats. The information literate individual is aware of the economic, legal and social issues surrounding the use of information and can access and use information ethically and legally.
The Library's role in basic information literacy instruction focuses on how information is organized, retrieved and evaluated. Given the complexity and wide range of resources available to Muntz Library users and the current reliance upon computerized retrieval of information, the library has strengthened its instructional program. It is our belief that the best practice is a structured information literacy curriculum, where basic knowledge and skills are followed by more complex knowledge and skills. Our research shows that learning is enhanced when this instruction is fully integrated into the curriculum. Upper level courses can focus on discipline-specific resources and knowledge. Faculty are encouraged to schedule classes and to consult with their librarian liaisons to implement an instruction strategy.
You may have noticed a "Library Resources" tab in your Canvas classes. This tab holds a research guide curated by your liaison librarian to assist with finding the best resources to complete papers, assignments, and literature searches (you're actually looking at one now). By default these guides are set to a general subject guide based on the subject of the class, but you can talk to your liaison about ways to tailor a guide specific to the topic of your class, or for resources related to a particular assignment.
Ready to take this relationship to the next level? Embed a librarian in Canvas. At the minimum your students will be able to reach their librarian easily when they have questions about research, but we can also participate in discussion board conversations or get even more involved in providing formative feedback to students for midway assignments like literature searches and annotated bibliographies - we can help steer them towards the right sources before they're submitting their final papers.