This ACRL webpage caught my attention at the same time as an article by Mark Hepworth and Marian Smith entitled “Workplace information literacy for administrative staff in HE” published in the Australian Library Journal 2008 57(3) 212-236. I haven’t had time to read Mark and Marion’s article yet, but I note that it is making comparisons with the JISC i-skills model. IL for admin, technical and secretarial staff in HE is an area which I am currently thinking about, as I am in the process of setting up some workshops for the admin staff in the Faculty with which I liaise, probably starting with something very practical, like an EndNote workshop, but hopefully also covering some broader IL skills and concepts. I’d be interested to know if any other libraries are developing anything similar or have experienced an increased demand for this type of help.
Coypu in the Carmargue, France
A decade ago at Loughborough we did quite a bit of Internet training for various admin and support units around campus – while it wasn’t info lit as we know it now, it was welcomed as we were offering training an area where such staff felt they needed to catch up. (We also ran Internet training for senior academic staff – so HoDs didn’t feel embarrassed at their lack of knowledge alongside more youthful / techie colleagues). It was helpful as it raised the Library’s profile (we worked with Computing Services on this) and gave us penetration into a number of areas. It also proved a useful base when we wanted to discuss online resources of joint interest (ie health & safety / BSI information as Estates had a sub).
The comparison with today is that so many people – particularly the digital natives – don’t feel they need any IL training.
C&RL News – September 2008 features a couple of articles that may be of interest for the blog:
Library orientation for professors- Caitlin Tillman
Taking 2.0 to the faculty – Sarah Faye Cohen
Not forgetting the Stubbings / Marsh collaboration: Making the most of your library – a guide for ICS lecturers
Alison
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Alison McNab
LIS Co-ordinator
Higher Education Academy – Information and Computer Sciences