Faculty members may schedule time to come to the library classroom and have a librarian introduce students to research methods and library resources.
- Library classes typically last 75 minutes.
- Librarians customize their instruction to your course and assignment needs.
- Instruction works best when applied to a specific assignment. Please share your assignment with the librarian!
- Library instruction serves as a foundation for students' future academic research and helps them attain valuable information literacy skills.
- Classes may focus on search strategies, search terms, and evaluation of sources.
- Classes are interactive, engaging, and encourage students to think through research problems in small groups.
- Librarian instruction serves as a collaboration between faculty and librarians.
- Students directly connect to a librarian, giving a "face" to the library.
- Helpful Library Research Guides supplement instruction.
- Schedule a library class early in the semester or contact the library or Learning Center at least two weeks in advance to ensure that you get the day/time you want.
Information Literacy is the heart of the mission of the Northwestern Library. Information Literacy Instruction (ILI) is the practical outcome of this mission. Library staff is dedicated to providing thorough instruction tailored to the needs of classes and individual students.
- Information Literacy Instruction at Northwestern takes place in the Library Lab (LRC 208).
- Instruction is customized to the needs of the class. Tool-based instruction may focus on how to use electronic research databases, the library catalog, and so on. Librarians also help students narrow their interests down to a researchable, thesis-sized topic; or to distinguish between popular and peer-reviewed material. Classes are also interactive, and emphasize hands-on work with the students.
- To ensure that our instruction librarians have adequate time to prepare, please submit your requests for Information Literacy Instruction at least one week in advance.
- A copy of your course syllabus, a description of the research assignments required of your class(es), and/or any other information should be sent to us at least three business days prior to the session.