Workshop presentation at the Metropolitan New York Library Council's Bibliographic Instruction Special Interest Group on March 21, 2012. Provides tips and instruction techniques for preparing for technology meltdowns in the classroom.

1. Teaching
When Technology
FAILS
Darcy Gervasio
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Purchase College Library
darcy.gervasio@gmail.com
Metro New York Library Council
Bibliographic Instruction SIG
March 21, 2012

2. Any juicy technology
DISASTER stories?

3. Librarian Survival Tips:
1. Don’t panic!
2. Let it go, then move on.
3. Be flexible.
4. Remember, you know this
stuff!

4. Recipes for Recovery
1. The Substitute Resource
SUBSTITUTION:
Teach same principles
using worldcat.org
FAIL:
Library catalog goes
down!
SUBSTITUTION:
Show Google Scholar
and Google Advanced
Searching
FAIL:
EZproxy goes haywire-- No
access to databases!

5. Recipes for Recovery
2. The Analog Switch
FAIL:
A class set of clickers does not
work. Your entire lesson was
planned around an interactive
multiple-choice quiz.
RECOVERY:
Low-tech pedagogy! Have students
raise hands, stand up, move to
corners. Or bring class set of
flashcards with letters for students to
hold up.
The Internet has died!
You and your students can’t get
online at all.
Discuss "meaty" information literacy
concepts (peer review, plagiarism,
paraphrasing). Help students
brainstorm search terms or narrow
research topics in groups. Workshop
research strategies as a class.

6. Recipes for Recovery
FAIL:
Your plans for a live demo of an
online resource are ruined when
you learn at the last minute there
is no Internet access in the
presentation room
RECOVERY:
Bring a USB with PowerPoint
slides, screenshots, or video
screen capture of main points you
wanted to show.
You planned to show a slideshow
about the differences between
scholarly and popular articles, but
the file is corrupted.
Bring hard copies of magazines and
journals to class to pass out and
discuss. A great activity even when
technology does NOT fail.
3. The Back-Up (Advanced Prep Required)

7. Recipes for Recovery
EPIC FAIL:
Just as your students are
starting to find articles in
databases, there is a fire drill in
your library.
4. Double Chocolatey Tech Melt-Down
RECOVERY?
Exit to safety! Outside, show
students how to access library's or
Ebsco's mobile site. Or let them get
coffee. Not every moment is a
teachable one.
EPIC FAIL:
The projector and/or presenter
computer isn't working! No other
classrooms are free.
EPIC RECOVERY:
Turn a lecture into a scavenger hunt.
Have students locate resources/
complete tasks in pairs. Guide from the
side. Emergency handouts or worksheets
can help.

8. Questions? Comments?
Darcy Gervasio
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Purchase College Library
darcy.gervasio@gmail.com
Image Credits:
Franklin, David (2007). "Orange Juice Squeeez." iStockphoto.
Web. 20 March 2012.
Emergency Cookbook by Lois Gilbert. Bebopman.com. Web. 20
March 2012. http://www.bebopman.
com/images/cookbook_cover_215.gif
Five spoons with Chinese Spices. Google Docs Stock Photos.
Web. 20 March 2012.
Scan QR code for slides!