{"id":351,"date":"2016-03-14T13:18:46","date_gmt":"2016-03-14T18:18:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.montclair.edu\/creativeresearch\/?p=343"},"modified":"2018-10-11T10:27:43","modified_gmt":"2018-10-11T14:27:43","slug":"the-lost-conversation-and-a-framework-for-new-ones-a-librarians-perspective-by-catherine-baird","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/creative-research-center\/2016\/03\/14\/the-lost-conversation-and-a-framework-for-new-ones-a-librarians-perspective-by-catherine-baird\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lost Conversation — and a Framework for New Ones: A Librarian\u2019s Perspective – By Catherine Baird"},"content":{"rendered":"

[Catherine Baird<\/strong> is the Online and Outreach Services Librarian at Montclair State University\u2019s Harry A. Sprague Library. She has an M.L.I.S. from the University of Western Ontario as well as an M.A. in German from the University of British Columbia. Before joining MSU, Catherine was a Librarian at Ontario\u2019s Sheridan College and at McMaster University. To her current role here, she brings deep knowledge of learning, teaching, technology, communications, and libraries. Her current projects include seeking a better understanding of the information behavior of students and faculty, as well as creating a coordinated approach to information literacy instruction, including online instruction, at Montclair State. ]<\/strong><\/p>\n

As an academic librarian, I\u2019m experienced at the art of the reference interview. In a nutshell, this means I ask a series of questions to ascertain the information needed (i.e., the research question, the intended information use, what the library user already knows and what gaps still exist, and so on.) It\u2019s not a set list of questions; it\u2019s a conversation<\/em>. Through this conversation, the role I play is one of an intermediary, connecting the student researcher with the needed source, tool or research strategy.<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s information-rich world, since student researchers are able, unassisted, to access a multitude of sources, including websites, online texts, and digital media, this conversation is often bypassed. Even the library\u2019s print and online subscription collections can be navigated via a self-service model from the library website or through Google Scholar. In fact, librarians conduct usability studies and examine the user experience of their websites and search tools to try to improve and perfect this self-service portal. It\u2019s only when the student hits a barrier (overwhelmed by too much information, poor quality information, unable to find information, a paywall, a book or journal not available through the library\u2019s collection or subscriptions) that he or she may seek help from a librarian.<\/p>\n

So, in today\u2019s information-rich, self-guided world, who is asking the questions that the librarian once posed during a reference interview? Who is guiding and helping the student researcher to construct these questions to identify what they already know and what information they need to seek out? Who is asking the student how they plan to use the information and, depending upon this use, what type of information would make the best evidence?<\/p>\n

One of the activities I engage in on a regular basis is the research consultation. This is a one-on-one session, usually with an undergraduate or graduate student, where we work through the student\u2019s assignment or research project. We discuss the questions they have, what they already know, how they know what they already know, where and how we might find (authoritative) information, and of course, search strategies. Time after time, I hear these words from the student as our conversation draws to a close: \u201cI wish I\u2019d known this earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n

What I really <\/em>hear is, \u201cI wish I\u2019d known to ask these questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t know that you can ask questions, or aren\u2019t sure which questions to ask, you\u2019re going to have a tough time conducting good research.<\/p>\n

To some extent, these questions are now being asked in the classroom, under the guidance of the instructor. They are sometimes even driving the progression of the course or course activities (problem-based learning, active learning approaches); and, as a librarian, I too have adopted these strategies and approaches when invited to deliver a guest lecture about research strategies.<\/p>\n

Some faculty members and instructors are surprised when the approach I take is not solely focused upon training the students to use a particular research tool, such as a database or the library catalog. This kind of \u201cpoint-here, click-there\u201d instruction has its place, but only infrequently do I find students making an emotional connection to this lesson.\u00a0\u00a0 As crazy as it sounds, learning how to construct a keyword search in a research database limiting your search to fewer than fifty relevant results that appear in peer-reviewed, academic sources, isn\u2019t what it used to be.<\/p>\n

In 2015, the Association of College and Research Libraries released the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education<\/a><\/em><\/strong>. It defines \u201cInformation Literacy\u201d as \u201cthe set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.\u201d<\/p>\n

I believe that teaching information literacy can offer a solution to many of the problems I hear instructors list when it comes to their students\u2019 research abilities. (i.e., My students don\u2019t know what a journal is. My students don\u2019t know how to do research. My students are citing junk sources. My students are plagiarizing.) Unfortunately, today, information literacy has remained largely a #librarianproblem.<\/p>\n

Together with the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (2000), the Framework is having a big impact on the instructional activities of academic librarians. The Framework also presents an opportunity for librarians and faculty to work collaboratively to help our students become better researchers.<\/p>\n

The six \u201cframes\u201d or \u201ccore ideas\u201d that are expressed in the Framework are:<\/p>\n