2 - INSTRUCTION IN THE USE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES

Abstract

British university librarians, until well into the twentieth century, were more concerned with improving their collections and buildings than giving students instruction in the use of the library. Before the First World War some librarians, influenced by the seminar libraries in German universities, set up departmental collections where students could be taught how to use books and libraries by the academic staff. In the 1920's American programmes of instruction were reported in Britain, and the first articles urging bibliographical instruction for British students began to appear. The realization of the need for instruction became more widespread, culminating in recommendations made by the Royal Society Scientific Information Conference in 1948. The University and Research Section of the Library Association then set up a Working Party, which defined the objectives of systematic instruction and outlined a three-stage programme. In America, some librarians have been advocating instruction since 1876. Examples of programmes of instruction given in different types of American academic libraries are given, and the three main methods of instruction are described. American librarians differ over who should be responsible for such instruction, library or teaching staff. Most agree that faculty co-operation is essential. Some feel that the library should be used as a teaching instrument, and instruction and library assignments included as an integral part of the normal courses in the curriculum. The experiment at Monteith College, where this was put into practice, is described. An account is given of the use of television to give instruction in four American university libraries, and of the experiment with teaching machines at Southern Illinois University. The developments in Britain in theory and practice since the University and Research Section's proposals in 1949 are described. An account is given of the present methods of introducing first-year students to the library, and some programmes for more advanced instruction for undergraduates are described. Post-graduate bibliographical instruction for scientists has been encouraged by seminars at the National Lending Library for research students, university librarians and academic staff. The programmes in some technical college libraries are described. Finally possible future developments are discussed and the three main problems hampering the spread of more ambitious programmes of instruction.