The ODU Libraries support student learning at all levels by partnering with faculty to provide assignment-centered library instruction and online learning support. Our librarians are also available to collaborate with faculty to design information literacy assignments and courses. In addition to course-specific support we offer workshops on building research skills, using library resources, and citation management.
Does your class include a research assignment or library-related learning goal? Your librarian will partner with you to customize the session to meet your goals. We can visit your class to provide a face-to-face or online synchronous during your regular class time, or develop asynchronous library instruction for your class. Our classes can take place in our Perry Library classroom, in your classroom, or online.
Research indicates that library instruction is a teaching strategy that faculty can use to help their students succeed (Wittkower, McInnis, & Pope, 2022).
What to Expect
- Your librarian will collaborate with you to best meet the needs of your students
- Most of our sessions include hands-on, active learning techniques
- We will follow-up with you after the session for feedback
Policies
- Instruction requests should be made at least 2 weeks prior to the requested date
- Professors should plan to attend and participate in the session
- Timing of instruction should be at the ideal time to reach students at the point of need
- Students should be familiar with the requirements of their research assignment prior to library instruction
- A subject librarian can be embedded into your course in Canvas to answer student questions on your discussion board
- We can help you to identify library resources and services to integrate into your courses
- Librarians can assist you with research assignment design to help scaffold students’ research process
- We can collaborate with you to create course-specific online guides, videos, and tutorials
To request teaching support, contact Lucinda Wittkower at lrush@c178.net.
We provide interactive tutorials and short videos that can be integrated into courses or completed independently at point-of-need that will help students to develop skills and knowledge in information literacy and research. See our Tutorial Guides for a full listing of our offerings.
About Our Program: Library Instruction Program Objectives
By the end of their first year at ODU, our goals are for students to recognize that:
- The Libraries provide several services to support them in their academic endeavors
- The Libraries provide high-quality information resources to support their course work and research
By the time they graduate, ODU students should be able to:
- Articulate and contextualize an information need
- Search strategically in a variety of systems appropriate to the research topic
- Identify markers of authority recognized by disciplines, professions, and other communities of knowledge and practice
- Evaluate information sources according to the context of the information need
- Make connections among sources to expand existing understanding and to explore a topic
- Demonstrate understanding of the social, ethical, and legal issues and responsibilities associated with the use of information