Technical services librarians from Copley Library presented on how they have become involved in information literacy efforts at their university. They discussed the evolving role of technical services librarians and how information literacy is affecting higher education. They demonstrated active learning techniques used in information literacy instruction, such as the ABCD method and the Cephalonian method. The presentation provided ideas for how technical services librarians can stay informed on trends in information literacy and find ways to contribute their expertise to teaching students vital research skills.

1. Venturing from the “Back Room”:
Do Technical Services Librarians have
a Role in Information Literacy?
Presented by: Laura Turner and
Alejandra Nann

2. Who we are . . .
 From Copley Library Technical Services Department
 Our library:




Collection is roughly 500K volumes
Materials budget is $2.2 million
14 Librarians (3 in Technical Services)
14 support staff (4 in Technical Services)
 At University of San Diego
 A mid-size private university, strong in liberal arts
 7,500 FTE (graduate & undergraduate)
 Involved in our library’s information literacy efforts and other public
services initiatives

3. Today’s Learning Outcomes
for Participants
 Understand how technical services librarians can
contribute to information literacy (IL)
 Recognize vocabulary and concepts of IL
 List ways to follow trends in IL
 Identify two kinds of IL learning activities
 Define ways to assess your impact in IL teaching

4. . . . a pre-test!!!
http://www.apassionforafrica.com/quiz-night-2/

5. When was the term “back room” first
applied to Technical Services??
Way,
Way
Back?
Not too
recently?
Way
Back?
Um, a
few years
ago?

6. Was it . . .
http://www.virtualsecrets.com/egyptian.html
. . . in the scrolls of Ancient Egypt?

7. Or Perhaps . . .
http://lislinks.com/photo/dr-s-r-ranganathan-with-five?xg_source=
activity#!/photo/dr-s-r-ranganathan-with-five?context=user
http://www.clker.com/clipart-six-1.html
. . . as Ranganathan’s lesser-known sixth
Law of Librarianship?

8. Maybe it was . . .
http://www.123rf.com/clipart-vector/rule_book.html
http://blog.sironaconsulting.com/sironasays/2012/02/is
-your-social-media-output-just-blah-blah-blah-.html
. . . embedded in LCRI 22.1B?

9. Or are you thinking it’s . . .
http://www.furby.nl/en_US/toy-index
. . . one of those FRBR manifestation
thingies?

10. NO!
But as you will see, information
literacy is all about helping the
student “get it”, and active IL
activities ARE a big part of that.

11. Is there still a “back room”
mentality in Technical Services?
 Within our own department?
 Beyond the department?
 What drives the mentality?

12. . . . but does it
have to?
http://02varvara.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/oca-org-pumps-up-bootless-ecumenical-love-feast
-in-cyprus-it-got-no-mention-on-patriarchia-ru-or-any-major-russian-media-source/01-bass-drum

13. Some reasons for entering
the conversation . . .
 IL is affecting the curricular course at the institutional-
level through accreditation
 We’re already doing more / we have the expertise
 We are in the heart of the providers’ conversations this
week!

14. So…what is IL?
An information literate student recognizes when
information is needed and has the ability to locate,
evaluate, and use it in an ethical manner.
-Information Literacy Committee (2012)

15. Why should we care?
 Our work reflects what we know and what we don’t
know
 Must understand our patrons and their needs
 Help discover trends for collection development

16. Why should we be part of it?
 ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for
High Education approved January 18,2000—UNDER
CONSTRUCTION
http://acrl.ala.org/ilstandards/?page_id=21
 USD is revising Core Curriculum
 WASC Accreditation-Western Association of Schools
and Colleges

17. Active Learning Technique
 Cephalonian Method
 Developed by librarians and Cardiff University in 2002
for a library orientation
 Based on the tourist trade in Cephalonia, Greece
 Engages users on a different level

18. Let’s Begin!
I really enjoy singing the ABC’s, but there is something
about ABCD that rings a bell. Is there such thing as the
ABCD Method in Information Literacy?

19. ABCD Method
 Audience (Learner)
 Behavior (task)
 Conditions (situation)
 Degree (standard or criteria)

20. Next question…
Does G, O, ELO’s stand for Go Electric Light Orchestra
or is it another wacky acronym librarians came up with?

21. G, O, and ELO’s
 Goals
 Objectives
 Expected Learning Outcome
 The use of the ABCD method helps remind you of the 4
parts of the ELO
 Example: After a one-shot, all students will be able to
cite 2 resources with 100% accuracy.

22. Next question…
Are there any programs I can use to prepare my
instruction or workshop?

23. 6 Step Program Planning Cycle
 ID/Recognize need
 Describe and analyze
 Develop G, O, ELO’s
 Select and describe appropriate instructional
methods/materials
 Implement Instruction
 Evaluate and revise

24. Relating our professional role to IL
• Find the right item
at the right price
with the right
turnaround time.
• The record has to
match our item or
it’s just NOT the
same!
Acquisitions
Electronic
Resources
•“What exactly are
you trying to do
that you can’t seem
to do?”
Cataloging
Authority
Control
• Which Stephen
King are we talking
about?

25. Getting our Public Services
peers to include us in IL
 Be involved in the training
 Review ACRL’s latest discussion
http://acrl.ala.org/ilstandards/
 Demonstrate your interest and expertise at your library
in the outcomes for the user

26. Finding time…but how?
• Poll Everywhere
• Create a question and students can answer through
laptop, smart phone, or tablet
• Answers can be open-ended or multiple choice

29. How do I stay informed?
 Listservs
 Workshops
 Webinars
 Forums
 Find a reference librarian to guide you

30. Anything else I should know about my
new role in information literacy?
Don’t forget to assess your efforts!!!
http://sciencegal-sciencegal.blogspot.com/2011/09/
assessmentsdo-you-assess-science.html

31. How to assess?
 Start with measurable goals
 Find out what tools are used in your library
 Look into other possible tools – statistics, pre- and
post-tests, 1-minute post-session papers, project
rubrics, e-portfolios

32. “What is your main unanswered
question” about this presentation?
-from Esther Grassian, IL Consultant and Lecturer

33. Bibliography
Assessment primer: goals, objectives and outcomes. (2012). Retrieved from
http://assessment.uconn.edu/primer/goals1.html
Banush, D. (2008). Stepping out: The expanding role of catalogers in academic
libraries and academic institutions. Cataloging & Classification
Quarterly, 45(3), 81-90.
Bechtel, J. M. (1986). Conversation, a new paradigm for librarianship?. College
and Research Libraries, 47(3), 219-24.
Cimbala, D. J. (1988). Technical services in the mission of the library: The “Back
Room" performers. Journal of Library Administration, 9(1), 7-12.
Folsom, S. L. (2000). Out of the nest: the cataloger in a public services role.
Library Collections, Acquisitions, and Technical Services, 24(1), 65-71.

34. Bibliography Cont.
Intner, S. B. (1993). The re-professionalization of cataloging. Technicalities,
13, 6-8.
Oxnevad, S. (2011). The Blooming Orange. Cool tools for the 21st century
learner. Retrieved from
http://d97cooltools.blogspot.com/2011/07/bloomingorange.html#.UnpLsPmTySp
Pausch, L. M., & Koch, J. (1981). "Technical Services librarians in library
instruction." Libri, 31(1), 198-204.
Wells, V. (2013). Revising the cephalonian method. ACRLog. Retrieved from
http://acrlog.org/2013/02/20/revising-the-cephalonian-method/

35. Laura Turner
lauraturner@sandiego.edu
Alejandra Nann
ajsnann@sandiego.edu