Information literacy
developments at TUT library
Gerda Koidla
Deputy Director, TUT Library
The teaching library mission must be to ensure that
all graduates of the university are thoroughly familiar with
the information resources and tools in their respective
fields of study, trained in their effective use, and beyond
that, prepared to conduct a search for information
resources in any field of inquiry.
The main task of the development of user training is to
make user training systematic and regular activity and
develop an integrated user training service.
In a university information literacy should be
approached in a integrated way, institution-wide,
cross-faculty collaborated, user-centred,
library-coordinated.
•
Information literacy (IL) education has long-term
traditions at TUT Library. We have managed to
deliver continuous library user training for over
50 years.
•
Training information skills is a major part of the
work of our library subject specialists in
information department.
Library user education
Library user education is delivered in various ways:
• via e-courses
• blended courses
• traditional face-to-face courses
Use of e-tools in library education will increase
every year.
Library offers IL courses for different user groups:
• new students
• international students
• undergraduates and postgraduates
• academic staff
Information Literacy courses
Blended course
“Generic information skills” for all incoming first-year
students embedded into academic curriculum programme
UTT0010 “Organization of Studies” as part of the
obligatory course.
Gives 1,0 credits.
1400-1500 first-year students pass the course
every year
Information Literacy courses
e-learning course
“Specalized information retrieval: Chemistry and
Materials Technology SR05051,
for bachelor and master-degree students using
Moodle e-learning platform.
Web-based 10 hours time-length courses included
into curricula, give both 4,0 credits.
( Moodle platform is used from 2010. Before WebCT
and working environment designed by TUT Library
were used)
Information Literacy courses
Traditional face-to-face courses:
• “Specialized information retrieval”
for doctoral degree students in Economics, Mechanics
and Humanities
• “Information sources and Information retrieval”
for bachelor and master degree students in
co-operation with successful faculties
• “Generic information sources: database searching”
for academic staff – individual councelling and guidance
on request
• Some of traditional IL courses are included into
academic curricula as part of some other subject.
• Sources of funds for educational activities conducted
by library are coming from budget of the library,
parent university and external sources (grants).
• 2010 in user education – 850 hours of user training
sessions with 2280 participants.
IL developments for the nearest future
• Increasing need for English language courses in
searching scientific information in TUT.
Rapid growth of number of foreign students –
% from total number of students – 4,7
• More collaborative activities of faculty librarians
and administrators integrating IL across the
university curricula.
The exponential growth of use of social networks
and online communities offers the potential to
develop individualized learning using blending
formal and informal learning through an
electronic medium.
Thank you!