Presented by Carli Spina (Fashion Institute of Technology) (Pronouns: she/her) and Maria Rothenberg (Fashion Institute of Technology) (Pronouns: she/her)
For many librarians working in higher education, contact with students is limited to instruction sessions scheduled at the request of individual instructors. This approach can leave some students without any information literacy instruction while their peers in the same department have benefited from information literacy instruction that is integrated into their courses. In the fall of 2021, we had an opportunity to ensure that all students in our Fashion Business Management program had the same background foundation in information literacy topics as they start their academic careers. To achieve this goal, we worked closely with the team coordinating the new First Year Experience within the Fashion Business Management program so that information literacy instruction and support materials are embedded into the curriculum from the students’ first semester regardless of whether they are participating on-campus, via our online program, or from the SUNY Korea campus. Students start with an introduction to the library on their first day in class and a custom research guide supports the work they do throughout the semester. Over the course of four semesters, we have continued to refine this approach and assess its effectiveness. In this presentation, we will discuss our successes and challenges in developing this integrated information literacy experience, preview some of our goals for the future, and offer suggestions for applying this approach at your own institution. Attendees will learn strategies for collaborating with classroom faculty on information literacy instruction and tips for integrating interactivity into live and pre-recorded classes.
