Diversity within unity: jazzing up sustainable information literacy teams

Pages326-339
Published date08 August 2016
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/LM-05-2016-0039
Date08 August 2016
AuthorVictoria F. Caplan,Eunice S.P. Wong
Subject MatterLibrary & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries,Library strategy,Library promotion
Diversity within unity: jazzing
up sustainable information
literacy teams
Victoria F. Caplan and Eunice S.P. Wong
Library, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology,
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show how one medium-sized research library sustainably
delivers large scale integrated library instruction via team efforts that allow for (and encourage)
librarians diverse teaching approaches within a unified team.
Design/methodology/approach This paper examines an individual case within the context of
library and management research literature.
Findings A self-managed library instruction team, using agreed upon learning outcomes and
supported by good infrastructure, communication skills and tools, and within administration
supportive of professional development and experimentation can sustainably delivery high volume,
high-quality library instruction.
Practical implications This paper may help other libraries learn how to develop their own
self-managed teams to deliver sustainable high volume, high-quality library instruction.
Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature on self-managed teams in librarianship
and especially self-managed teams to deliver sustainable high volume information literacy. It also
contributes to the small pool of literature using the jazz metaphor in library instruction.
Keywords Information literacy, Sustainability, Academic libraries, Library instruction,
Jazz metaphor, Self-managed teams
Paper type Case study
1. Introduction and context
The question of how institutions can sustainably deliver high volume and
high-quality information literacy instruction and assessment is often answered
via collaboration and teamwork.Yet, staff members differ in their approach,
knowledge, as well as their styles of teaching, learning, and assessment. This paper
will illustrate how one institution allows a diversity of delivery within unified basic
principles over the past five years in implementing large-scale collaborative
team-based teaching.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is a 25-year old
medium-sized research university in Hong Kong. A PhD granting institution, it has
~9,000 undergraduates (UGs) and ~4,600 postgraduates (PGs) (masters and
PhD students). For more than 20 years, our Library offered the usual menu of
information literacy instructions: orientation programs, course-related classes,
database workshops, web-based tutorials, and for a number of years, even a
credit-bearing information literacy course. In the case of the mass orientation
sessions and the credit-bearing information literacy course, instruction librarians
worked as a team.
Under the impetus of new curriculum change that saw all universities in
Hong Kong switch from a three-year UG education to a four-year and introduction of
aProfessional Development Course(PDC) for MPhil and PhD students at
Library Management
Vol. 37 No. 6/7, 2016
pp. 326-339
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-05-2016-0039
Received 4 May 2016
Revised 17 June 2016
Accepted 6 July 2016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
326
LM
37,6/7

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT