Instructional Services @ Scribner Library

Reference desk / Research Assistance / Library Instruction / Assignment Toolkit / Instruction Guides / LI 100 / LI371/372 / Instruction Room

 

Instructional Services Mission Statement:

Scribner Library seeks to provide useful, informative, and quality library/research instruction in order to develop life long learners that are able to identify, locate, evaluate, and use information resources in all formats and in an ethical and legal manner.
Scribner Librarians are an essential part of the Skidmore learning community. In an information rich world, librarians work with faculty and students to provide guidance on navigating electronic and print resources.

Scribner Librarians are available to provide library instruction and research assistance in a number of ways, including the following. For visual clarification on the various formats and progressive stratification of our instruction program, see the Skidmore Students and Library Instruction graphic.
  • Reference Desk:
    A Scribner Librarian is accessible at the reference desk most hours that the library is open. The reference desk is staffed the following times during the regular fall and spring academic semesters:
    Sunday
    Monday - Thursday
    Friday
    Saturday
    2:00 - 5:00 PM
    6:30 - 10:00 PM
    10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
    6:30 - 10:00 PM
    10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
    2:00 - 5:00 PM
    Second half of the
    semester only

    To see which librarian is scheduled for a particular shift consult the semester reference desk schedule.

  • Research Assistance:
    Subject librarians are available to meet students and faculty on a one-on-one basis for more in depth research instruction. To determine which librarian is the appropriate person to contact consult the Subject Specialists by Department/Program list.
  • Library Instruction:
    Scribner Librarians offer a variety of library instruction sessions at the request of teaching faculty. These sessions may be general library orientations or discipline specific research classes. These sessions are typically held in the Library's Bibliographic Instruction Room 128, an electronic classroom located just to the right of the main entrance as you enter the library. Faculty may request a session using the instruction session request form.

    Instruction at Scribner Library

    Scribner Librarians work with Skidmore faculty to integrate classes on the use of the library and information resources into the curriculum. We help students become information literate and lifelong learners.

    An information literate person is one who:

    • Recognizes the need for information
    • Identifies potential sources of information
    • Develops successful search strategies
    • Accesses sources of information including print, computer-based and other technologies
    • Evaluates information
    • Organizes information for practical application
    • Integrates new information into an existing body of knowledge
    • Uses information in critical thinking and problem solving

  • Assignment ToolKit
    Scribner Librarians are available to assist faculty in designing research assignments. Faculty may find the Assignment Toolkit for Faculty a useful resource.
  • Information Literacy courses:
    Information literacy is generally defined as the the set of skills necessary to locate, access, use, and evaluate information to be a life long learner.

    Scribner Librarians offer two one credit information literacy courses, LI 100 Electronic Information Resources and LI 371/372 Independent Study. Library courses are listed in the Interdisciplinary section of the College Catalog and LI 100 Electronic Information resources course appears in the Master Course Schedule under Library.

    LI 100: Electronic Information Resources is a team taught, one-credit information literacy course. The course examines online search skills in a variety of electronic databases and addresses the structure of disciplinary information systems, the selection of proper information resources, and the evaluation of search results, as well as the social, political and economical issues of the information age.

    LI 371/372 Independent Study provides preparation for a senior thesis, capstone, or honors project that requires a serious research component. Students will work one-on-one with a Subject Specialist in the Library to prepare the groundwork for an intensive academic project within their major. Students will be instructed in the organization of information and in sophisticated search strategies for finding, evaluating, and using information. A critical annotated bibliography is required, as well as a strategy for acquiring materials needed for the final project. Students must obtain approval from their academic advisor. Permission of the instructor required. Library Faculty (For more information see the LI 371/372 Course Outline)

    To register for LI 371/372 students must complete the Independent Study form (available from the Registrar's page) and have the following people sign the form:

    Instructor (appropriate subject librarian)

    Chairperson (Ruth Copans, College Librarian)

    Student's faculty advisor

       
  • Schaffer Bibliographic Instruction Room
    The bibliographic instruction (BI) room features 15 Windows computers and one instructor's station with a data projector for computer, video, or overhead projection. The work surfaces contain compartments so that the monitors are recessed below the desktop, enabling students to have unobstructed views of the front of the room. The room may be reserved by faculty for a class period, but not the entire semester, by calling the Library Office (X5506) the week the room is needed.
     

Instructional Services contact: Barbara Norelli
Page maintained by: Elizabeth Putnam  -:-  Last updated September 24, 2007