Every academic department at TU is supported by a team of librarians who are ready to teach students about research and critical thinking within your discipline.
Ways to Partner with a Librarian
- Teach a class session tailored to your course goals
- Hands-on discovery with Special Collections & University Archives
- Co-design a class assignment, project, or activity
- Create a custom online research guide for your course
- Create custom asynchronous learning materials (videos, tutorials, modules, etc.) for your course
Ready to get started? Fill out the request library instruction form today, and you can expect to hear from us within 2 business days.
Helping Students Engage with Information
Information Literacy is the ability to recognize when information is needed, and to locate, evaluate, create, use and communcate information effectively and ethically. Related meta-literacies can include algorithmic literacy,data literacy, and media literacy.
These are complex and foundational skills that students will practice and continue to develop throughout their lives, academically and professionally. We plan our sessions based on six library learning outcomes that are adaptable and applicable across all disciplines.
- Learners will understand that expertise is subjective, and is evaluated differently based on context, culture, and other societal factors.
- Learners will understand that information comes in many packages, and that a source's creation process affects how it may be accepted and used.
- Learners will understand that information has value, and that systemic factors create barriers to access for underserved populations.
- Learners will understand that research is an iterative, creative, and personalized process.
- Learners will understand that information is social, and recognize how they may participate in traditional and emerging processes of knowledge creation.
- Learners will understand that information searching is complex, and requires persistence, flexibility, and strategic thinking.
* Library learning outcomes are informed by the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education.
Credit-Bearing Courses
In addition to supporting classes in other academic colleges, Cook Library offers credit-bearing courses that give students a deeper understanding of information literacy. We currently offer these courses:
- LIBR 300: The Information Experience (3 credits; Core 14)
- LIBR / HIST 474: Addressing Historical Silences: Oral History and TU’s History (3 credits)
Library Instruction Policies
We have a few policies that will help you and your students get the most out of your library session.
- You must be present for your library session. We have found that library sessions are most effective when the faculty member is present and engaged in the class.
- Librarians need a minimum of two weeks to prepare for a session so they can tailor their lesson to meet your students’ needs.
- Library classrooms are available only for library instruction. If you are looking to reserve a computer lab for your class, please contact your department’s administrative assistant and/or check options on 25Live.