You Only Get One Shot: Critically Exploring and Reimagining the One-Shot Instruction Model

Abstract

This article explores the one-shot library instruction model by asking critical questions about how it has become ubiquitous in the field. The authors developed these questions with the intent to understand how early-career librarians become acculturated to one-shots, how social identity and positionality shape instructional practices, its impact on burnout, equity, and sustainability, and how the one-shot could be reimagined. This article employs personal critical reflection as a methodology, using interviews with the team of authors and two external participants. Analysis of the interview data showed themes of organizational acculturation with one-shot training, empowerment/disempowerment to employ different instruction models, and the tension between the transactional and relational nature of library instruction. Through these reflections, the article advocates that a relational instruction model helps promote equitable, reflective teaching and learning experiences for librarians and students alike as a way to disrupt the tradition of the one-shot.

Reimagining peer support and engagement

“…It is important to recognize the literature around critical self-reflection as a method for assessing librarianship and, by extension, emerging information workers and educators, including library student employees (Pho et al., 2022). Critical reflection as a practice is seen in various fields, such as education and social work, and, within librarianship, in discussions around library instruction (Nataraj and Siqueiros, 2022; Douglas and Gadsby, 2022).…”

Scaffolded Information Literacy Curriculum

“…However, one concern of smaller libraries in creating a structured information literacy curriculum is the lack of resources to reach all the courses, which can lead to librarian burnout. A relational approach to library instruction protects against the disempowering and transactional nature of the one-shot (Pho et al, 2022). Laying the groundwork for scaffolded sessions in the way described above is inherently relational and empowering for librarians, faculty, and students.…”

“…Setting boundaries for relationships and reflection will show what patrons need. Relational instruction radically changes the paradigm of transactions, thus empowering librarians (Pho et al, 2022).…”