Librarians have long been involved in teaching the effective use of information resources under various labels including library instruction, bibliographic instruction, and library skills. The information literacy movement has been lead and championed by academic librarians across the country.

CSULB, library faculty member Susan Luévano has provided instructional sessions for some CHLS classes. Additionally, student consultations with library faculty occur everyday. Librarians teach the methodology, resources, and strategies of this complex process.

Yet, the library faculty has little impact on the overall development of information literacy skills without the assistance and support of faculty. It is often said that it takes a whole village to raise a child. This saying applies to the development of an information literate student. Both librarians and faculty must be involved. The most effective information literacy programs are those that are integrated into the student’s major area of study.

The role of Chicano & Latino Studies faculty in the development of information literacy can take many forms. The most obvious would include the creation of course assignments that require students to:

• find and use a variety of sources
• analyze those sources
• use sources in an ethical manner
• require students to apply the information to all aspects of the research process and class curriculum.

This approach is most effective when all Department courses reinforce these skills. However, the more specific goal of this grant is to incorporate these components into four core CHLS courses (CHLS 101, 150, 300, 310) this semester. Consequently, these learning outcomes will be integral to instruction regardless of who is teaching the class.

Additionally, faculty can also develop a partnership with librarians to effectively teach the latest resources and strategies to students each semester. Faculty using Blackboard may consider the incorporation of ready-made library modules into course sites, allow the library faculty to link to course specific library resources on the course sites, or post librarian and faculty created assignments on course sites.

Also, more traditional models can include having the discipline librarian train the faculty or having the librarian train the students in a traditional classroom setting. One effective pedagogical model for freshmen and sophomores requires two class sessions. The first class would include a traditional lecture on Chicano & Latino Studies research methods conducted by the discipline librarian. The second class would offer a guided hands-on-session in a library computer lab where students would conduct research on a specific assignment using the latest research databases and other library resources.

What Faculty Need to Know

Faculty must:

1. Be cognizant of the latest CHLS research materials (reference tools) and databases.
2. Know how to use the latest information technologies. (This should start with what is available at the CSULB Library.)
3. Know how to create meaningful, effective research assignments that integrate information literacy skills into the course subject.
4. Know how to assess the information literacy skills of students.
5. Be familiar with the CSULB Information Literacy Minimum Standards.