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Library Instruction & Information Literacy

Library Instruction Program Mission

Standish Library's Instruction Program expands information literacy skills required to navigate our complex information environment, empowering students to engage critically as both consumers and creators of information. In collaboration with teaching faculty across campus, librarians develop hands-on classes and asynchronous learning objects to promote Siena's culture of lifelong learners who will build a more just, peaceful and humane world. 

To schedule library instruction sessions for your courses, please fill out the Instruction Request form.

Please contact Freya at fgibbon@siena.edu to discuss alternative information literacy learning materials to support your classes.

What is Information Literacy?

Information literacy refers to the ability to find information for personal and scholarly work, evaluate information for authority and bias, and integrate information ethically using citation standards of a discipline.

Or, as the Association of College Research Libraries puts it, 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" (ACRL 2017). 

Siena's instruction program is mapped to the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, which identifies six core concepts for information literacy and addresses the Information Literacy goals outlined in Siena's 2022-2027 strategic plan.

How to Collaborate with a Librarian

Reach out at any time during your planning process. Librarians can assist with creating assignments and assessments or share digital resources to embed on your Canvas page. Librarians can also design and lead pop-in workshops to help your students accomplish parts of a research project.

 

Topics we may cover Types of learning support we provide 
  • Distinguishing between popular and scholarly sources
     
  • Applying established evaluation criteria to identify authority and accuracy in traditional and AI sources
     
  • Selecting an appropriate source for a given research need
     
  • Developing an effective search strategy across Saint Search, Google, and Library Databases
     
  • Using specialized AI research tools for a comprehensive literature review
     
  • And more!
  • Live class sessions and workshops for students and faculty
     
  • Instructional content (screencasts, interactive modules, downloadable guides)
     
  • Embedded librarianship with selected courses
     
  • Passive outreach (Library Guides, flyers, posters, signs)
     
  • Customized course content 
     
  • Individual and small-group consultations