Advanced information literacy at Rhodes University Library

1. Rhodes University Library
Advanced Information Literacy at
Rhodes University Library

2. Faculty User Services Model
• Principal Faculty Librarians are responsible for
Postgraduate information services
• The Faculty Librarian assists with this when
required
• Up to 6 subjects within the faculty

3. Faculty User Services Model: Current
Postgraduate Support
• Library Orientation (start of the year)
• Postgraduate Programme
• Workshops
• One-on-one instruction
• Department staff meetings – meet some
Postgraduate students there.

4. PostGraduate Commons
• Honours, Masters and PhD students
• Accessed-controlled
• High end computers, scanner and printers
• Varying study spaces : group study rooms, table
seating with access
to plugs, and comfortable
chairs for more relaxed
work
• Staffed by library student
assistants

5. Research Commons
• Masters and PhD students and Researchers
• Accessed-controlled
• High end computers, laptops, scanner and
printers
• Varying study spaces :
Seminar Room, table
seating with access to plugs
and comfortable chairs
• Kitchenette

6. Research Commons
• Staffed by Librarians and Student Assistants on a
rotational basis
• Accommodates 26 people
• Occupancy stats and Statigo
• Results of the statistics reflect technical requests
• Observation is that these researchers are unaware of
all the library's resources and services
• Currently it is a glorified and comfortable writing space
• 2013 Proposal to introduce information literacy

7. The Way Forward: …
• Research Commons: Develop and implement
a pilot project to support RC users
• A Framework
• Passive Approach

8. The way forward: Research Commons
1. Library Tour and New Staff
2. Use of Library Resources
• New Students and Staff LibGuide
• Library Webpage
• OPAC instruction
• OffCampus Access
• Subject LibGuide

9. The way forward: Research Commons
cont..
• 3. Searching Strategies
• Google Scholar
• Database searching using their keywords
• Citation and/or keyword alerts
• Citation index/ Altmetrics/Google Citation
• Social media for research eg SWAYY

10. The way forward: Research Commons
cont..
4. Reference Management Tools
• RefWorks
• Zotero
• Mendeley
5. Other
• Plagiarism / Referencing/Ethics
• Wiki’s, Google Drive, Alfresco
• Repository

11. The way forward: A framework
• Develop a “Çollaborative Framework”
• Between the Principal Faculty Librarian and
the academic supervisor
• Discuss goals and objectives for the student/s
• Introduce library literacy into the
postgraduate course – mandatory?

12. The way forward: A framework cont…
• Use the student’s own research
• Follow the same steps as outlined for the
Research Commons

13. The way forward: Passive approach
• For the walk-in postgraduate student
• Offer the student the same RC information
literacy