Embedded Librarians in an Ag Econ Class: Transcending the Traditional

Abstract

When a class in agribusiness marketing at Purdue University was presented with the opportunity to apply principles and strategies to a real-world project, three business librarians and one agriculture librarian joined the class to strengthen the research skills of the students. This proactive embedded librarian approach combined conventional classroom instruction with semester-long monitoring and research assistance on a point-of-need basis. The interdisciplinary embedded librarian team differs from our traditional role; some aspects were highly effective, but we also learned what to do differently in the future.

How to Be an E3Librarian

“…This participation can take numerous forms such as providing more intensive IL instruction via multiple sessions (Hall, 2008), attending all classes along with the students (Cmor & Marshall, 2006), being a member of a class-based project team (Dugan, 2008), participating in class field work (Smith & Sutton, 2008), taking on instruction and grading responsibilities (Hearn, 2007), collaborating in course design (Winterman, 2009), and various combinations of these activities (Manus, 2009). Anyone familiar with the literature of academic libraries will recognize that these activities are an extension of decades of work to integrate IL instruction into course curricula at increasing levels of sophistication.…”

Who Teaches Information Literacy Competencies? Report of a Study of Faculty

“…There are many reports of collaborations on teaching information literacy competencies between faculty in the disciplines and others on campus, particularly librarians (Bury 2011;Johnson, Whitfield, and Grohe 2011;Allner 2010;Dobozy and Gorss 2010;Kobzina 2010;Barratt 2009;Dugan 2008;Caravello 2008;Madray 2008;Floyd, Colvin, and Bodur 2008;Elrod and Somerville 2007). Because of the extensive work done to operationalize and promote information literacy by organizations such as the Association of College and Research Libraries, academic librarians teach information literacy competencies through credit-bearing courses, guest-lectures in courses or co-curricular learning activities, participating as "embedded" librarians on problem-based learning or course project teams, and consulting with students and faculty individually.…”

The Liaison's Role in Serving Agriculture & Life Sciences Information Users: A Review of the Literature

“…Dugan (2008) provides an example of successful embedding into an undergraduate agricultural marketing course at Purdue University, yet her case study highlights that embedding, in and of itself, may not provide an information literacy panacea. Students might achieve more significant information literacy skill increases during a course with an embedded librarian, however, if the liaison (a) meets with the professor both at the start of and during the middle of the semester to gauge progress and help students stay on track; (b) is proactive about offering advice to students (i.e., attends all classes, is engaged in communicating with students frequently); and (c) is involved in the evaluation of student output (Dugan, 2008). A second example of embedded librarianship within the ALS discipline is provided by Kobzina (2010).…”

“…Dugan (2008), however, vividly explains the challenges associated with building information literacy skills solely through a one-shot session:…”