Diversity audits are frequently used as an assessment method to measure the diversity of a library collection. Yet, there is not frequent research on the aftermath of diversity audits, especially in the context of comparing data from several audits to assess the difference in the makeup of a library collection. In this article, the author…

As students are increasingly required to consume visual information, so too are they expected to create such information. In a Midwestern research university, students in an engineering technology portfolio class assembled a visual career board and visual résumé. The instruction and research team collaborated to provide an active learning module…

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to highlight the need for academic librarians to incorporate effective methodologies in their delivery of information literacy instruction. Design/methodology/approach: The researchers conducted a qualitative research using a case study approach. A nonprobability or purposive sampling method was employed in…

While educators and librarians have long been concerned with developing undergraduates' ability to find credible sources, the abundance of unreliable information online has exponentially complicated the situation. In developing a new curriculum for English Composition 1001 classes, a first-year writing class at the University of Cincinnati, we…

The library literature evaluating the efficacy of online tutorial methods and delivery tools is a valuable resource for librarians looking for information to inform their choices for developing asynchronous online instruction. This literature, however, examines a wide variety of delivery tools, methods, and student populations. As a result, it is…

Evidence-based practice (EBP), like information literacy, is concerned with an individual's knowledge, skills, and attitudes relating to using information. EBP is now a professional competency in fields as diverse as social work, nursing and allied health fields, and public policy. A comparison of the Association of College and Research Libraries'…

The purpose of this article is to chronicle and discuss a unique research opportunity at LaGuardia Community College when Hurricane Sandy caused a week of class cancelations, including library instruction sessions for ENG101 students. Librarians took advantage of the natural sample, paired with randomly selected classes that had previously…

This article discusses best practices for evaluating open source software for use in library projects, based on the authors' experience evaluating electronic publishing solutions. First, it presents a brief review of the literature, emphasizing the need to evaluate open source solutions carefully in order to minimize Total Cost of Ownership. Next,…

Increasing demand for biotechnology and biomedical resources prompted the Engineering Library at the University of Colorado at Boulder (UCB) to complete a collection assessment of the journals, books, and other resources provided by the University Libraries. This paper presents a variety of methods for evaluating library collections and describes…

This paper describes two studies, one a pilot and the second, an enhanced study, that compare problem-based learning and lecture-based learning in library instruction for first-year engineering students. Two distinct assessment strategies were used to provide empirical evidence that supports the use of problem-based learning as an effective…

Explains procedures and statistical results of a study comparing the effectiveness of programed instruction and the lecture method in teaching bibliographic search skills to undergraduates. Results indicate the programed approach is a viable method, which can be used as a satisfactory alternative to routine introductory lectures. (CWM)

College freshmen enrolled in English composition classes were polled to determine their attitudes toward two different methods of bibliographic instruction: the lecture-discussion practicum and the workbook. Analysis indicated that most students perceived the lecture-discussion to be the more successful instructional technique for both general and…

The objectives of this study were to develop comparative research data on two library instruction methods in order to improve student skills in collecting information, evaluating material critically, and communicating effectively through writing, as well as to evaluate a methodology for the assessment of library instruction. The traditional…

Describes a 1987 survey of bibliographic instruction in U.S. academic libraries that was sponsored by the Library Orientation-Instruction Exchange (LOEX), and compares results with data gathered in 1979. Highlights include instructional methods, print and nonprint materials, evaluation methods, publicity methods, and suggestions for future…

Discusses the results of the Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation Program (WOREP) that was used by the reference department at the Brandeis University (Massachusetts) library. Results are compared with an onsite evaluation to determine factors that influence the provision of high-quality reference service. (LRW)