Library Instruction & Visitation Options
Faculty: we invite you to review the full spectrum of instruction and visitation options available to you and to consider the comparative benefit of each of these options for you and your students ... There are numerous ways, formal and informal, for you to help your students learn to appreciate the "mood, scene and character of our library."
Classroom to library classroom
The traditional approach to "library instruction."
- +/- A classroom is a classroom is a classroom [familiarity].
- +/- Logistics are easy, but you do need to schedule/coordinate with library. [To do that, please call Frank Doble at x 2337, or email doblef@sunyocc.edu.]
- +/- "Leave it to the librarians". There are times when we'd prefer to leave things to the "experts" but on the other hand we have found that classes greatly benefit from the active participation and involvement of classroom instructor.
- - Owing to the large numbers of classes that come to the library, many students attend multiple library classes. Boredom and redundancy!
Class to library
Increasing numbers of faculty are bringing their students to work in the library. No or minimal instruction. Librarians and faculty work directly with individual students. One time or repeated visits.
- + Hands on activity for the students
- + No problem with redundancy of class visits
- + Students have room to 'spread out'
- - Classroom instructor might feel there is not enough control?
- - Faculty must remember to call ahead [x 2337] to let us know so we can reserve work stations ...
Individuals to library classroom
Each Friday at 11:00 am the library offers walk-in instruction for all comers. The individual attention we give to students during these Friday morning workshops is similar to what we provide through traditional reference assistance.
- + Informal
- +/- Student initiated; but students might not want to exercise their initiative ...
- +/- Student centered; but students might not see the point ... {"Why bother?"]
Individuals to library
Under this option we include all students who come to the library on their own to find answers to their own questions, to browse, dream, and/or relax, etc.
- +/- Self directed learning; students might lack maturity or confident curiosity ...
- +/- Requires faculty to ask themselves, "What we can do to inspire students to want to come to the library?"
