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Early College High School/Dual Credit-High School Librarians and the ACC Library: Library Instruction

This is a guide to ACC library resources for High School librarians who serve students also taking classes at Austin Community College.

Information Literacy Sessions at High Schools

Several ACC core classes have required course-integrated Library assignments. ACC librarians are available to teach Information Literacy sessions for ACC dual credit and ECHS classes at your high school! This page includes information that may be helpful to have access to when you are speaking with ACC instructors at your school about what the ACC library can do to help their classes.

Also, we know high school librarians are very busy, but we would love to work together with you on information literacy in our dual credit classes on your campus! This could take the form of you attending one of our IL sessions to observe and/or contribute, sharing of IL teaching resources or plans, or a joint planning and presenting of an IL session for a dual credit class.

Why Work With a Librarian?

Librarians can:

  • Provide direct in-person instruction
  • Create online, web-based tools targeted to your particular course and assignment
  • Collaborate with instructors to design research assignments that make the best use of ACC Library resources and ensure student success
  • Provide train-the-trainer sessions for peer mentors or others who may be working on the course
  • Work with you and an ACC Instructional Designer to provide content for a flipped classroom model of instruction

 

What Types of Instruction are Available from ACC Librarians?

Library instruction can take a variety of forms, depending on a class's learning needs. 

  • Single class sessions: 
    Usually range from 50-75 minutes and focus on a specific task or topic
  • Series of sessions: 
    Usually range from 20-45 minutes- each class session builds upon earlier ones. Building upon skills as assignments require students to complete certain steps helps to ensure that learning is deep and meaningful
  • Short sessions on focused topics: 
    Sometimes students benefit from a brief explanation of a concept or task (e.g., plagiarism, citation, using interlibrary loan). In such cases a librarian can offer a short presentation or discussion on the given topic (10+ minutes)
  • Blackboard integration: 
    Embed instruction, resources or library tutorials within your course content

Which Learning Outcomes are met?

Which learning outcomes would you like us to cover?  2 - 3 can be well covered in a 50 minute class.
 
Here is a list of learning outcomes from which you may select when you submit your Library Instruction Request Form (See links on the right of this page). Don't see the learning outcome you need in our list? The request form also allows for "other" outcomes to be requested.
  • Search for books and videos in the library catalog.
  • Utilize library databases in order to find relevant articles and sources.
  • Design a successful search strategy using Boolean and other methods.
  • Choose a research topic that is appropriate in scope to the assignment requirements.
  • Explain the concept of intellectual property and why it is important to credit creators for their work.
  • Apply MLA/APA/CSE Citation style in order to correctly cite sources.
  • Evaluate sources of information for quality using specific criteria.
  • Recognize false or misleading information online.

Why invite a librarian to guest-lecture in your class?

For most students academic research is unfamiliar and often overwhelming. Interactive library sessions offer guidance and hands-on experience to students as they move through the various stages of their research. While as their instructor you may be able to teach research information yourself, bringing in an expert librarian demonstrates the importance of the topic to the students. Schedule one or multiple sessions for a class.

Librarians can help teach your students how to:

  • Find credible information
  • Learn how to research
  • Evaluate websites
  • Cite resources

How to Schedule Library Instruction

To request a library instruction presentation by a faculty librarian, instructors teaching ACC classes should fill out the form linked below that matches your classroom location. A librarian will contact you to finalize details and arrangements. 

Please submit the form at least 2 weeks before the planned class date. 

What should I tell my students?

Students have difficulty evaluating the information they find and many have never used college library resources.

Most students new to college do not know that the largest part of their college library collection is available online 24/7.

Best practices for your syllabus:

  • Provide a link to ACC Library http://library.austincc.edu/
  • Suggest students ask for help at the Reference Desk for research projects
  • Require completion of the quizzes at the end of the Tutorials to aid with assignment success
  • Include a Library Instruction Session to help students get started on research assignments

Help from a Librarian

Librarians are Ready to Help! 24/7 chat with a librarian. Zoom a librarian. Email livechatacc@chat.libraryh3lp.com

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