Library and Information Literacy Instruction

The Library is again offering on-campus instruction weekdays and evenings. (Saturday instruction may be available but does require at least 2 weeks notice.)

Visits typically range from 50-75 minutes (more or less time is also possible) and usually take place in our instructional labs in F Building. 

If you would like to request face-to-face instruction, please fill out our Instructional Request Form.

Our primary online instruction offering is our Embedded Librarian Program. Think of it as a Personal Librarian for your course!

When you request an Embedded Librarian:

• You will add your assigned librarian to your Blackboard course (as a "teaching assistant")
• The librarian will familiarize themselves with your course content and assignments
• They will be conveniently available to students inside your course to provide expertise and personal support

Having an Embedded Librarian in your course is an extremely effective way to deliver information and help to students, and it can have a real impact on students' ability to complete research assignments and stick with their online courses.

Librarians can provide as much or as little support as you need, but some examples of how we have helped past classes include:

• Place to ask the librarian questions in Blackboard
• Virtual librarian office hours
• Short custom instructional videos
• Handouts and text directions
• Research guides specific to the course
• Synchronous sessions via Blackboard Collaborate
• Technology/access assistance for students

Offerings can be combined with the other instructional options on this page, or they can be designed specifically for your course.

If you would like to request an Embedded Librarian, fill out our Instructional Request Form online.

If you would like to discuss whether an Embedded Librarian might meet your needs, email us at lrcrefdk@harpercollege.edu.

For classes that have synchronous online meetings, a Harper librarian can prepare a "live" presentation. Presentations can be analogous to a traditional, in-person library instruction and cover a wide variety of tools and skills, or they can be shorter and more targeted to one or two skills or tools.

We can even stop by briefly to introduce ourselves and invite students to contact us! Sessions can also be recorded to post in your course site.

If you would like a synchronous online session, fill out our Instructional Request Form online.

Library faculty can address a wide variety of topics relating to research and information literacy when working with your class online or on-campus. The following list is a sample; we are always happy to discuss other options if you can tell us more about your course and assignment. Email us to start the conversation!

• Choosing and using specific databases
• Selecting keywords/crafting effective searches
• Differences between primary/secondary/tertiary sources
• Locating primary sources
• Developing research questions
• Creating an annotated bibliography
• What plagiarism is and how to avoid it
• Citing sources (MLA, APA); crafting a bibliography
• Peer review process/compare and contrast scholarly and popular sources
• Researching a career
• Researching like a professional (how to begin to explore research in your discipline)
• Evaluating information
• Information economics (discussion of the economy of information production/consumption)
• Disinformation/misinformation/media literacy and its impact
• How to read a research article
• Finding evidence-based medical information
• And more!