Library Hi Tech

Purpose – This paper seeks to provide a solution for teaching comprehensive information literacy instruction when time is limited during one-shot library instruction sessions. It aims to focus on one technique to solve this dilemma – the creation of a multi-media tutorial: Library 101: Introduction to Research. The paper aims to educate librarians of the many technological tools, which could be employed to enrich library instruction.

Design/methodology/approach – Using the Oakleaf Information Literacy Instruction Assessment Cycle (ILIAC), librarians gathered assessment data and determined student research skill deficits in Fall 2009. To address knowledge gaps, the authors systematically designed a multi-media tutorial with ten tools.

Findings – The paper finds that the tutorial identified students' areas of weakness prior to library instruction. As a result, librarians could focus on identified topics during the session and increase student learning. Annual re-evaluation of the tools and data are needed in order to update the program and ensure student learning occurs.

Research limitations/implications – The limitations of the creation process include incomplete software evaluation early in the process, learning how to collaborate with different project management styles, developing a realistic timeline, and the need for a robust assessment management system to collect data. The effectiveness of this tutorial needs more empirical evaluation.

Practical implications – The paper may help inform those planning to create a tutorial by suggesting useful, low-cost tools for its creation and determining how to incorporate student learning outcomes and assessment into asynchronous instruction.

Originality/value – This paper fulfills an identified need to determine students' knowledge gaps through learning outcome assessment and respond to these gaps with asynchronous instruction methods.