A paper given by Norma Menabney, Subject Librarian , Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, The Queen’s University, Belfast to the ALISS xmas 2013 event.

1. Prepped for university:
introducing academic library literacy skills to
secondary school students

2. Induction – back in the day
Students were told:
•How and where to find a book
•How and where to find a journal article
A library tour was incorporated into a 20 minute induction.
IT induction was separate.

3. Then students began asking:
• What is meant by an ‘academic’ book?
• What is meant by scholarly / peer reviewed journals?
• What does my reading list mean?
So we incorporated the answers into induction
• How to read a ready list.
Library and IT induction merged & attendance increased.

4. Sample slide
Author’s first initial
Author’s Surname or name
Date of publication
Article title
Zu, X., Fredendall, L.D. & Douglas, T.J. (2008), ‘The evolving
theory of quality management: The role of Six Sigma’, Journal
of Operations Management, vol. 26, no. 5, Pg. 630-650
Journal title
Volume
Issue
Pages

5. HE expectations
• To be able to:
– Interpret Harvard or other bibliographic standards.
– Find, borrow, read appropriate chapters of texts.
– Find, understand structure and read journal articles.
– Source additional readings to support an argument.
– Evaluate web sites.
– Understand what a bibliography is.

6. Expectations
• Academics’ expectations are not unreasonable.
But
• Induction is short
• Learning needs to be at the point of need.
• Academic library literacy is not part of secondary school
curriculum.
However
• A window has been discovered
– End of school term (level 13)
– After UCAS personal statements are completed (level
14).

7. Research, evidence & interest
•
Secondary School teachers (Grammar and Comprehensive), (outreach)
•
Secondary School career teachers (outreach)
•
Secondary School librarian survey (outreach)
•
Undergraduates
•
Queen’s Learning Development Services
•
Queen’s School of Education academics
•
Queen’s Library colleagues
•
Kvenid, C., Calkins, K., ed (2011) Embedded Librarians: moving beyond one
shot instruction. Chicago : Association of College and Research Libraries
Everyone is interested!

8. Outreach workshop
• Widening Participation Unit requested Library engagement
• Residential for 40 secondary school students
• “Unlock your skills and talent” workshop.

9. Search the internet for one or more of the following.
• A place in Ireland
• A famous composer or author
• Pantridge and the heart defibrillator
• Graphene - look at the BBC link for this
• David Brailsford and the Sky cycling team

10. Now ask yourself:
• Why do I believe these sites are telling me the truth?
• What does the web address (url) tell me about each site?
• Is the information current?
• Who wrote the web page?
• Who published it?
• Is the page well organised and easy to navigate?
• Is there a lot of advertising?
• Does it link to other sites that are reliable?
You are evaluating the website

11. Now, go beyond Google with academic sources.
•
A place in Ireland
Select JSTOR Ireland
•
A famous composer
Select MUSE or JSTOR
•
Pantridge and the heart defibrillator
Select Science Direct
•
Graphene - look at the BBC link for this
Select Science Direct or ABI Inform
•
David Brailsford and the Sky cycling team
Select ????? What is his theory?

12. Now ask yourself:
• What is different about academic literature?

13. Justification / benefits
•
Subject Librarian remit – induction talks.
•
University remit – outreach and marketing.
•
Students discovered something new .
– They read academic literature & encouraged by online resources.
•
Addressed academics’ expectations
– Plagiarism, copyright, why reference & email etiquette also
covered.
•
The workshop overran.
•
Follow up interview with new & established UGs.
•
Pre induction knowledge frees time for other content.
•
Students begin study with an expected understanding & ensure they
are ‘Prepped for university’