PLO
5. Demonstrate information literacy and technological agility.
5.1 Exercise expert information literacy skills including the ability to identify information needs, search, evaluate, produce, and use information ethically.
To me, this objective means to have the “traditional” librarian skills. These are the skills that come to mind when most people think of a librarian.
The best example of this would be in IST 605 Reference & Information Literacy Services. In the reference scenario project, I needed to go through all these steps: identify an information need, search, evaluate, produce, and use that information ethically. It was a challenging project as we needed to compile fifteen sources in a wide array of formats and still have it be useful for the patron’s information need. This project helped strengthen my information literacy skills as I was forced to use sources from formats that I wouldn’t ordinarily use and learn to evaluate and apply them competently.
Going forward in my professional work, I look forward to continuing to strengthen my information skills to keep them sharp and agile.
5.2 Apply knowledge of user information behavior in various contexts.
This objective means to have a general understanding of the wide array of user information behavior and be able to adapt that knowledge to various scenarios.
To revisit the above-mentioned reference scenario project, my “user” was a first-generation college-educated woman who was looking for business information. Based on this profile, I was able to glean from the research that persons of this background (first-generation college students) tend to be the “go-to” person for information in their families but conversely don’t themselves have a “go-to” person for their information needs. This informed me that I would likely be the only information source for this type of user and would need to be cognizant of that. Furthermore, the user’s education level lets me know that this type of user could handle more advanced texts.
Going forward in my professional career, I will expand on this experience by learning about a variety of users and learning their information behaviors.
5.3 Employ research methods to investigate important questions; collect, analyze, evaluate, and communicate data; and interpret results from studies in library and information science and cognate fields.
To me, this objective means being able to conduct research and literature reviews, synthesize that knowledge, and then integrate it into a new understanding of the library and information science field.
In IST 612 Youth Services in Library Info Centers, the final project required these types of research skills. I created a grant proposal for a Family Literacy project. To strengthen this proposal, there was a “Rationale” section that details research that supports the need for a program such as the one I created. I was able to demonstrate first the need for literacy programs for my target audience and then show how similarly designed programs had made an impact. In IST 613 Library Planning, Marketing, and Assessment, I likewise used research to strengthen my proposal. A diversity audit had never been introduced in my partner library, so I detailed the research that first shows the need for a diverse collection and then, secondly, how a diversity audit will help accomplish that.
In my future library career, I will continue to consult and use research to guide my decision-making process and also strengthen my proposals.
5.4 Engage, evaluate, and deploy various technologies ethically and critically.
This objective means to be technologically aware, agile, and keep abreast of new technologies.
In IST 611 Information Technologies in Educational Organizations, there were many opportunities to enact this objective. Throughout the course, each week, we had to try new technologies ranging from AR, to making a podcast, to coding. For the final project, I collaborated with a librarian to make Libby tutorials for kids ages 10-18. For this project, I used Canva to create a video that was engaging and full of attractive graphics to sustain the attention of the intended audience. In another project, I conducted a webinar to demonstrate ThingLink (an educational technology) to my classmates. While I was familiar with Zoom as a student, I had never used Zoom as an instructor. It was challenging and enlightening to design a webinar that would inform and engage my audience for a prolonged length of time.
Going forward in my professional career, I will be sure to continually learn about new technologies and look for opportunities to incorporate them in my professional practice.