Information literacy collaborations that work

Abstract

Information Literacy Collaborations that Work Edited by Trudi E. Jacobson and Thomas P. Mackey. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2007. 264 p. (Information Literacy Sourcebooks). $85.00 USD. ISBN 1-55570-579-0∞ Information Literacy Collaborations that Work should certainly be of interest to academic and community college librarians engaged in the noble task of information literacy (IL) instruction. The volume is a very pragmatic addition to the Information Literacy Sourcebooks series. Librarian and faculty collaboration is showcased as an effective approach to reaching students at their point of need for information. The fourteen case studies included in the work provide tangible means and practical examples for improving the quality of student research. According to the work's foreword, the volume should be related to the 2000 publication of The Collaborative Imperative: Librarians and Faculty Working Together in the Information Universe by Richard Raspa and Dane Ward as it continues and updates the discussion of this specialized topic. For those readers interested in a broader perspective on issues surrounding IL instruction in academic contexts, the 2004 publication Integrating Information Literacy into the Higher Education Curriculum edited by Ilene F. Rockman may be of use. It includes discussion of librarian and faculty partnerships but details many other aspects of this integration process. Finally, this volume is likely to gain relevance to the larger body of IL related literature because its content implies some commentary on the effects of the introduction of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education on librarian and faculty approaches to IL instruction. The example collaborations discussed are grouped into three sections: each section emphasizes a perspective or a factor that impacts on the nature of the instructional collaboration and approach to IL instruction. The first section examines how librarian and faculty collaboration can occur in the context of different kinds of academic programs, as it considers campus-wide program implementation. The second part emphasizes the importance of taking into account the IL needs of students studying a specific discipline. The third section is concerned with the challenges of incorporating technology into IL instruction. Each section is introduced with a short essay, which highlights key strategies for fostering instructional collaboration relevant to the chapters within a particular section. These introductions are useful for quickly determining the relevance of a section for a reader's interests. Appendixes of marking rubrics, sample assignments or worksheets follow the essay to which they relate, and they are one of the most valuable aspects of the book. They provide a focused reader with models and templates to be adapted for their own instructional needs and academic context. Each chapter is a thorough exploration of an instructional collaboration. Typically, the discussion begins with a review of the intellectual framework and background important to the particular collaboration. This varies from a miniature literature review to a citation of inspirations for the work to be described. …