Academic reference librarians continually observe that many students are embarrassed about not knowing how to use the library and are reluctant to approach the reference desk. The theory of library anxiety offers an explanation, proposing that a fear of being in and using libraries serves as a psychological barrier, hindering many university…

A survey of undergraduate students examined how students' beliefs about their problem-solving styles and abilities (including avoidant style, confidence, and personal control in problem-solving) influenced their perception and selection of sources, as reflected in (1) perceived characteristics of sources, (2) source characteristics considered…

Information Literacy (IL) competencies are defined as "the ability to locate, evaluate, and use information effectively" and are considered essential for students in their academic lives and future careers (ALA, 1989). IL plays an important role in developing critical thinking and problem solving skills, and improving academic…

It's winter! While it is frosty outside, one can at least think warm thoughts by starting now to plan ahead for summer information literacy programs. This article is designed to provide some ideas for planning next summer's reading, sleuthing, and research programs. It features a variety of programs organized by academic librarians this past…

To explore how effective CPS (Classroom Performance Systems) are in the classroom, specifically for library instruction, this pilot study considered the question: "Does the use of CPS improve student retention of information presented in class as measured by pre-and posttest scores?" The use of pretest and posttest measurements for the retention…

Perkins, a professor of Education at Harvard University, promoted the use of constructivism in conjunction with information processing technologies to facilitate students' understanding and active use of knowledge and skills. He identified five facets of a learning environment including: information banks, symbol pads, construction kits,…

This paper is a review of literature that explores how community college and junior college students use libraries and seek information. A key issue that is discussed among scholars, researchers, and librarians in general is the implosion of the Internet and how libraries have shifted focus from using print resources to online databases and…

Information-literate students should understand the relationships between primary and secondary sources. This article presents a new model for integrating primary and secondary sources into general library instruction. The model is based on collaboration between a Special Collections librarian and an instruction librarian. It emphasizes the use of…

Gives the text of a simplified guide to the use of periodicals with suggestions for its use with students. (PF)

Reprinted from the PNLA (Pacific Northwest Library Association) Quarterly, v33 n3 p11-15, Spring 1969. (JW)

In this article, the author describes five lessons which focus on skills that students will need in any library. The following lessons should be taught during first semester to first-year middle school students: (1) Locating books at the library; (2) Locating databases at the library; (3) Locating encyclopedias at the library; (4) Locating…

This article discusses how an instruction librarian created an online learning community of adult learners in a hybrid, credit-bearing information literacy course. The Blackboard course management system was utilized for weekly course discussion on ethical issues involving the use of information to promote student engagement in the critical…

The effectiveness of simultaneous and delayed video modeling when used by three middle-school students with moderate intellectual disabilities was examined. Alternating between modeling systems, students were taught to use the public library computer to locate specific book call numbers and use the Dewey Decimal Classification System to locate…

To date, only a small number of articles have been written about the information literacy needs of social work students. This is a topic that needs to be addressed more among librarians because of the emergence of the evidence-based practice paradigm within the social work profession. Now more than ever, social work students need to know…

In this study, students' use of a new educational Web portal was evaluated with particular emphasis on searching and browsing strategies. The effects and implications of a federated search system are also discussed. Fifty-four students, ranging from 5th to 12th grade, were given five tasks to complete using the SchoolRooms interface. The tasks…