Teaching with Technology: An Academic Librarian's Guide

Citation

Neville, K. (2009), "Teaching with Technology: An Academic Librarian's Guide", Library Review, Vol. 58 No. 2, pp. 157-158. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530910937078

Teaching with Technology: An Academic Librarian's Guide is one volume of a series of specially commissioned guides aimed at the practising information professional, containing useful information in an easy‐to‐read, compact format. The purpose of this particular title is to examine methods to combine library instruction with new technologies including hardware such as laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cell‐phones and software including really simple syndication (RSS), wikis and weblogs.

This book is a practical guide, packed with useful information over seven chapters, each authored by different information professionals aimed at introducing various aspects of technology to librarians to allow them to incorporate them in their everyday work. Topics covered include video‐conferencing, wireless computing and online video tutorials. Chapter 2 describes using technologies such as wikis (RSS for web feed formats), podcasts, vidcasts and weblogs in library instruction. While most librarians have some knowledge of these concepts, they have not explored them in a library setting in any depth, so this handbook provides a very useful introduction to the processes.

Chapter 3 explores the concept of electronic ready‐reference services and describes strategies useful to virtual reference librarians. Virtual reference is the use on on‐line reference to engage library users to communicate with reference librarians using text. This book includes some excellent strategies to promote active learning to focus on teaching information seeking skills for the library patron by allowing the user to “drive” the reference inquiry (p. 77) and includes tips for positive reinforcement.

Joe M. Williams in Chapter 4 explains mobile computing, including the use of wireless networking (PDAs or hand‐held computers), cell phones, laptops and tablet PCs that are becoming increasingly common in libraries and demonstrates how these technologies can be utilized in library education programs. Course management systems (CMS) that are used to administer educational courses are often employed in distance education and they utilize a suite of products including chatrooms and bulletin boards. Chapter 6 describes how libraries can develop strategies to incorporate a useful place within the CMS to allow patrons to access library services such as assignment assistance, by providing value‐added library aids for creating bibliographies and database searching, rather than simple library links.

The editor, Joe Williams, is associate vice president of instructional technology at Monmouth University and has experience with online library instruction and utilizing new technologies. Co‐editor Susan P Goodwin is a associate professor and coordinator of instructional service at Texas A and M University Library. Both are well qualified in the area of teaching with new technologies. There are many case studies included in this book to illustrate the various technologies and how they can be incorporated into libraries, to improve library instruction programs and to personalize instruction to the needs of the individual patron, with librarians acting as “information advisors” (p. 129) This is a current and practical handbook that is useful for a range of librarians and academics, although it is particularly helpful for university and colleges of advanced education librarians that conduct reader education programs.