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 Black Studies 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 Black 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
• require students to apply the information to all aspects of the research process and class curriculum.

This approach is even more effective when all Department courses reinforce these skills.

Additionally, faculty can also develop a partnership with librarians to effectively teach the latest resources and strategies to students each semester. Models can include having the discipline librarian train the faculty or having the librarian train the students in a traditional classroom setting. The most effective pedagogical model for freshmen and sophomores requires two class sessions. The first class would include a traditional lecture on Black 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 Black Studies 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.