Library School Outreach Task Force

ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries, in the USA) had a task force which aimed "To develop ideas and examples for a toolkit of print and online resources to assist graduate students in library and information science programs in advocating for library instruction and information literacy courses and to inform them about professional development opportunities offered by ACRL." It also aimed to develop the idea of a volunteer outreach librarian. I was slightly puzzled at first, as from the title I had thought this was about school librarians (K12, they would say in the USA) reaching out into the community. However, the outreach part is actually experienced librarians teaching and mentoring students and new graduates. The material was mainly produced in 2007-8, updated this month for URLs etc.
Esther Grassian (the Task Force chair) has kindly put this material up online, in pdf format and also as Google Docs, so that they can be amended and expanded. The main documents are:
- "Draft Library School Outreach Toolkit: Ideas and Examples" The sections in this extensive document are: 1. What and Why: Benefits to You (Library School/Information Studies Department Students); 2. Why: Benefits to Users; 3. How and When: “Recipe for Success”; 4. Who: Resources; 5. Selected Bibliography: Why We Teach; Keeping Current and Searching Tips. This material is obviously focused on the situation in the USA, but as well as some of it being useful in itself, it can prompt ideas about what the situation/arguments are in your own country.
- "Library School Outreach Volunteers: Roles and Qualifications" the outreach volunteers are "experienced librarians willing to serve as a resource for library school/information studies students on topics relating to information literacy".
https://sites.google.com/site/libraryschooloutreach/home
Photo by Sheila webber: Fluffy cat, May 2011

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