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Library Instruction

Library Instruction Sessions

Bowman Library's Instructional Services Program provides Menlo students with the Information Literacy skills they need to succeed in their chosen school disciplines, professional careers, and lifelong learning goals.  Bowman Library's Information Literacy program is based on the ACRL's Framework for Information Literacy, the professional standard in academic libraries.  Information Literacy learning is scaffolded over the students' years of study at Menlo College. 

Information Literacy sessions in courses are also tied directly to the instructor's assignments and course curriculum.  The librarians work closely with faculty to design unique instructional sessions and instructional resources tailored for each class. This active collaboration helps deepen the learning experience for students and reinforces the instructional material.

Information Literacy is considered an integral part of the learning experience of students at Menlo College. The Library plays a significant role  in helping students develop the skills they will need for finding, evaluating, and using information effectively and ethically in their courses and future careers.  We encourage all instructors to use library instruction and resources for their students.

Request Library Instruction

Bowman librarians offer information literacy instruction sessions in support of Menlo's faculty teaching and students’ research assignments & projects. Faculty may request course-specific library instruction in support of any kind of research assignment. 

Please submit a library instruction request form (linked below) to schedule a session.

We look forward to working with you and your students.

Library Instruction Request Form

For your reference, recordings of library instruction sessions are available here: Library Instruction Course Recordings

Information Literacy

According to the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), Information Literacy is 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. The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education consists of six frames:

  1. Authority is constructed and contextual
  2. Information creation as a process
  3. Information has value
  4. Research as inquiry
  5. Scholarship as conversation
  6. Searching as strategic exploration

Other Library Information Literacy Resources

In addition to the Library Information Literacy Instruction Sessions, there are several other Library resources for you and your students.

  • Research Consultations - Research consultations are half-hour 1-on-1 sessions for students with a librarian, and are highly effective, high-impact learning experiences.  During the session the student can get help creating a research plan, learn more advanced research tools, get advice on keywords for their topic, or just ask questions about where they feel stuck or need more help in research.  Instructors can assign research consultations as part of instruction, give students extra credit for them, or just encourage students to use them as a resource when needed.   If you want to assign research consultations as a requirement or for extra credit, please contact the librarians.   Your students can always book an appointment for a single research session on their own initiative. 
  • LibGuides - Librarians will automatically create a tailored website research guide with resources for each course they provide an instructional session for.  We will also happily provide a LibGuide for any other class upon request, regardless of whether we provide an instructional session or not.  This guide will highlight suggested databases and other library resources, provide research tools and advice, and any specific information for your course material (such as information on bibliographies, specific citation style information, or outside links).  We ask that you send us some details or your syllabus so that we can select and highlight as many relevant resources as we can for your students.  We hope to work collaboratively with you to make these guides as valuable as possible and we welcome your suggestions or requests.  It is our hope that these guides become a "first step" for your students in researching, so that you can always tell them to start their research with the LibGuide for the course.
  • Asynchronous Learning Materials - The Bowman Library currently has a detailed Library Research Tutorial, and several other written FAQs and guides.  We will be expanding these and adding a library of video tutorials and guides.  We are currently in the building stage and welcome your suggestions for videos or resources you would like your students to have access to.
  • Workshops - We will also be expanding to offer in-person/zoom Information Literacy workshops.