The Library Scavenger Hunt: Teaching Library Skills in Introductory Sociology Courses

Abstract

Most educators agree that successful undergraduate education requires students to develop a working understanding of how to use the academic library. Yet many express shock and disappointment on discovering that juniors and seniors may not have this skill. Despite our agreement about the importance of library skills, few of us take the responsibility to teach them as part of our substantive course work. In this paper we challenge the assumption that library skills are not a legitimate aspect of sociology courses. Rather we argue that these skills can be incorporated appropriately into an introductory sociology course. Students enrolled in such courses tend to be in their first or second year. The earlier in the undergraduate education we teach library skills, the more likely it is that students will succeed in college. Furthermore, teaching library skills need not be maligned as remedial work that is irrelevant to our substantive material. We can teach these skills as an