Collaborating with Academic Librarians

A survey conducted in 2006 of incoming college freshman found that only 13 percent of the students were information literate (http://www.ictliteracy.info/ICT-Assessment.htm). In an effort to increase this percentage, college libraries are reaching out to school librarians to bridge this gap. In the article, “Climbing out of the ’Ivory Tower’: Conversations between academic and school librarians and teachers,” authors Fuson and Rushing describe one such attempt in Nashville.

The authors found that school librarians overwhelmingly wanted a regular chance to discuss these issues with both the academic librarians and amongst themselves. The meetings started with the academic librarians detailing what skills they really needed incoming freshman to know. Topics moved on from there to include student led research, critical evaluation of sources, and plagiarism.

Many of the school librarians had previously been unable to get administrators and teachers on board for an information literacy plan. In some cases, the stamp of approval from the University community gave the librarians more power to get those accepted. I found this to be one of the most interesting achievements of the program. In the state of Colorado, all schools need to have an Education Technology and Information Literacy plan in place (http://www.cde.state.co.us/edtech/plng-etil.htm). I would encourage any school librarian who does not currently work in a school with a plan such as these to begin pooling resources and look into this as a priority for your library program.

If you are struggling with communicating the value for information literacy to your administrators or fellow teachers, perhaps a visit to the local college would forge ties such as those that Fuson and Rushing are advocating for. While administrators may struggle to understand the importance of information literacy; many, particularly those at the high school level, feel the importance of developing a student body ready for college.

Full citation:
Fuson, C. & Rusing, J. (2009). Climbing out of the "Ivory Tower": Conversations between academic and school librarians and teachers. College & Research Libraries News, 70(10), 566-9.