Library Instruction
Our goal is to inspire students, motivate them to see libraries and information with new eyes, and give them solid grounding to be lifelong learners. We partner with faculty to provide holistic, engaging information literacy instruction for students at all stages of their research. SSU graduates will not only be competent at researching and using information, they will be empowered by the confidence that comes from an evidence-based intellectual position. See the Library's Curriculum Philosophy, for defined goals, strategies, and successes of our curriculum.
We offer self-paced online instruction on a variety of topics, as well as digital guides to research across disciplines. Customized lessons and consultations are available upon request.
Bring Library Instruction Into Your Course
We offer course content and instructional activities as well as video tutorials to build information literacy skills and support your teaching outside of a face-to-face classroom environment.
Our Library Instruction Toolbox provides course content and activities to support students' information literacy development. In a series of short lessons and activities, students learn how to find, evaluate, and use information from library resources and the open web.
You are welcome to import, embed, or adapt content for your online courses. You can import a full module from Canvas Commons. For assistance in importing or adapting content into your course, contact Kaitlin Springmier.
Current information literacy modules available in Canvas include:
- Orientation to the Library
- Foundations of Research
- Evaluating Sources
- Advanced Searching Techniques
- Citing Sources
Our video tutorials provide guidance on searching and finding information. By watching videos, students learn techniques to more accurately find scholarly information relevant to their topics.
You are welcome to share and embed videos directly in your Canvas course. For assistance in sharing or adapting content, contact Kaitlin Springmier.
Video tutorials available include:
Our digital research guides highlight research strategies as well as the best sources for particular disciplines.
If you would like a guide created especially for your class, contact Kaitlin Springmier.
Librarians can consult with you on building information literacy concepts into your curriculum, assist with the design of research assignments, and recommend additional instructional materials.
Please contact Kaitlin Springmier for more information.
One of the best ways to incorporate information literacy into your course is to partner with a librarian to offer a research workshop in the library. We work with face-to-face and online classes and are happy to collaborate to design a workshop that will provide the most benefit to your students.
Some different scenarios of what information literacy instruction could look like for your class include:
- A workshop in the library to guide students through finding and using sources for a research project
- A video tailored to your course with follow-up quiz questions
- Readings, handouts, and online activities in Canvas
- A librarian-designed assignment
- A librarian-hosted discussion forum in Canvas or Zoom
To discuss how library instruction can work in your course, contact Kaitlin Springmier.
Online instructional materials and in-person class sessions take time to plan and create. Please schedule your library instruction at least two weeks in advance so that we can accommodate your request.
Additional Resources for Faculty
- See our program learning outcomes to learn about our information literacy goals for students.
- Learn how to link to library resources in Canvas.
- Contact Kaitlin Springmier to discuss ideas, schedule a class, and collaborate.