Information Literacy at the Evans Library & Learning Commons Overview

The Evans Library offers a wide-range of Information Literacy services to support your course syllabi. As defined by ACRL (Association of College & Research Libraries), Information Literacy seeks to develop students who are able to: Determine the extent of information needed Access the needed information effectively and efficiently Evaluate information and its sources critically Incorporate selected information into ones knowledge base Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally Information Literacy standards are also widely recognized by SUNY and accreditation agencies such as Middle States. Developing a usable set of information literacy skills allows students to accurately navigate their world; a world that demands the accessing, evaluating and using of information from an ever-increasing number of places.

Information Literacy Sessions

Library and Learning Commons Orientation/Tour: Designed for first-semester College students who may be experiencing and using an academic library for the first time. This includes a general overview of the Evans Library and Learning Commons physical space, a highlighting of services available, as well as a quick walk through of the Library and Learning Commons web site. An ideal session for EN040, ER105, (Freshman Year Experience) or any other introductory course in the Social Sciences, Technology or Health Professions division.

General Information Literacy Session: These active learning sessions introduce students to the concept of searching for information and stress how their everyday activities relate to finding and using information in an academic setting. Grounded in an introduction to all the resources available to students through the Evans Library, students will learn (and use) the Evans Library catalog, set-up an Inter-Library account to request books from other Libraries, and guide a search using an online database. Capping this is a focus on the how of evaluating of sources whether they are print or electronic. These sessions are generally offered for all EN103 classes but are available to, and encouraged for, all other disciplines. Subject Specific Working Research Session: No matter what the discipline or assignment, Librarians will work with you to develop a comprehensive Information Literacy based approach your students can use to more successfully complete their work. Possible skills that can be incorporated are: Developing keywords Using scholarly journals Search strategies and online databases Website Evaluation Using an active learning approach, students will engage the Librarys physical and online resources to become more comfortable conducting college-level research. ER110 (Introduction to College Research): The Librarys 1-credit Information Literacy class is generally offered at least once a semester. Taught by a Librarian, this course is designed to provide the student with the basic information literacy skills needed to successfully research a college-level paper. This course is offered in both the traditional and web-based formats. Please see the FMCC College Catalog for a more complete course description.

Scheduling
All of the sessions are held in L-207, the Librarys Information Literacy classroom. To schedule a session or to learn more about incorporating information literacy standards into your curriculum contact: Mike Daly, Instruction/Public Services Librarian at: michael.daly@fmcc.edu. Or, call campus extension 5602.
Part of the Evans Librarys missions is to assist in the development of information literate (information fluent) students. The Evans Library understands the need for students to leave FM "information literate, in order to successfully access and evaluate information for their research, it is vital that librarians and instructional faculty work in tandem to re-enforce key concepts and skills. Therefore, Instructional Faculty must attend and participate in the library sessions. This reinforces the message to students that information skills are important and valued.