Instruction at KML

KML librarians are available to give sessions on using the library resources. We can come to your classroom or hold sessions in the library. We can customize the session to your particular subject area and assignments. Please use our instruction request form to let us know when you would like to schedule a session and what content you would like us to cover.

Our Recommendations for Instruction

Faculty

Suggest or assign the online tutorials to your students as part of their first research assignment. The tutorials are accessible from the KML website (http://kml.uindy.edu/tutorials/). Students can print out personalized Certificates of Completion for each section of Module 2, to be turned in to you. If you prefer, KML can provide a written test to be taken in class.

Once your students have covered the basics in the online tutorials, you may wish to schedule one or more classroom sessions tailored to your particular subject area or research assignment. To request a classroom session, simply fill out the online Instruction Request Form, or call Tedra Richter at 788-2100.

Please encourage students to contact our Reference Librarian any time they would like individualized help or follow-up. Students have a number of options:
- Stop by the library or give us a call weekdays from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. and ask to speak to a Reference Librarian.
- Send us questions via our e-mail service, Ask-a-Librarian.
- Schedule an appointment: contact Tedra Richter (trichter@uindy.edu / 788-2100).

Students

Go through all of the online tutorials. They are structured so that you can go through them at your own pace and at your own convenience.

If you would like individualized help, there are several options. The staff at KML is here to support you!
- Stop by the library or give us a call weekdays from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. and ask to speak to a Reference Librarian.
- Send us questions via our e-mail service, Ask-a-Librarian.
- Schedule an appointment: contact Tedra Richter (trichter@uindy.edu / 788-2100).

Watch for advertised Brown Bag sessions on your MyUIndy personalized announcements.

Summary of the Online Tutorials

The tutorials are divided into four self-paced modules:

Module 1: Overview of the Research Process
This tutorial gives the student a quick roadmap of what to expect when embarking on a research project.

Module 2: InfoHound
This tutorial introduces the student to the many-faceted information “landscape” and discusses how to choose intelligently among the many possible sources, such as scholarly and popular journals, databases, and the Internet. InfoHound also introduces the student to database search skills. InfoHound includes interactive quizzes. Students can print out a personalized Certificate of Completion for each section of this module.

Module 3: Finding Books and Media
Note: This module is temporarily unavailable while being updated to reflect our new Catalog interface.
The module is an online demonstration of using the library catalog to find books and media. It also demonstrates WorldCat, a worldwide catalog that allows students to find books and media that can be ordered through our interlibrary loan service.

Module 4: Finding Articles
This module is an online demonstration of database searching and finding full text online.

The staff at KML is committed to fostering information literacy, a set of skills and knowledge that allows the individual

to recognize when information is needed

to locate and obtain the needed information

to evaluate the information obtained

to use the information effectively ¹

Information Literacy

Information literacy is a key component of critical thinking and of scholarship, and contributes significantly to our students’ academic success, lifelong learning, and responsible citizenship.

Since our students have grown up with computers and the Internet, it may be surprising to learn that standardized tests are showing that most graduating high school seniors do not yet possess a high degree of information literacy.² Although they may be familiar with sources such as Google and Wikipedia, they may not have much experience with scholarly sources and with more advanced search techniques. To bridge the gap, KML offers a variety of instructional resources:

Self-paced online tutorials (summarized above).

Classroom sessions tailored to academic subject areas or specific research assignments.

One-on-one consultation with a librarian: in person, by phone, and by e-mail (“Ask a Librarian”)

Brown-bag sessions on various topics

Footnotes

The definition above of information literacy is derived from the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) standards for information literacy. More information is available at ACRL’s information literacy website.

Katz, Irvin R. (2007). ETS research finds college students fall short in demonstrating ICT literacy: National Policy Council to create national standards. College and Research Library News, 68(1). Retrieved July 24, 2007, from http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/crlnews/backissues2007/january07/ets.htm