Adventures of an instructional librarian
Okay, so maybe ALL front-page news isn’t disheartening… but let me give you some context. As the Communication and Journalism Librarian, I am preparing for a first-year workshop. In first-year journalism courses, I typically cover the following: Basic library instruction This workshop will cover the basics of library instruction (webpage, … Read more
When someone I know stumbles upon my blog I’m really embarrassed. I don’t claim to be a good writer, in fact, I don’t think I am. One of my research interests lies in metacognition, which Seth Godin (2009) describes as “thinking about what you are going to say”. I’ve written … Read more
A few months ago I talked about oddly configured classrooms and the challenges we face when teaching in those spaces. Fast forward a few months and on my first day of library instruction I was asked to speak in the most difficult classroom I’ve taught in since my time as … Read more
As the new fall term starts, it might be a bit early to start on the work we do. However, I think it’s the perfect time to do so. The other day a colleague of mine saw me wearing our institution’s Ask Me pin, part of an initiative to make the campus … Read more
Today, I’d like to share a fascinating discovery I made this week, without taking up much of your time. I have a profound interest in the concept of failure, not because of any sadistic tendencies, but because I believe it is at the core of our successes. In the past … Read more
Teaching is a challenging skill that demands adaptability and resourcefulness. I’m always interested in developing my teaching and one of the most memorable and impactful was reflecting on my physical teaching spaces. As educators and library instructors, we often find ourselves in situations where we have to teach in oddly … Read more
I’ve just returned from the remarkable Workshop for Instruction in Library Use 2023 (WILU). These types of workshops never fail to ignite my enthusiasm and inspire my work in libraries. This year’s WILU was no exception. One session, in particular, stood out as the crowd favourite: “Imagining Instructional Practices in … Read more
In this post you will see a preamble for the 2023 Enriched Mini-Courses Program (EMCP). It is something I had designed for the orientation day on April 30, 2023. I felt that it was important to create a road map for students and their parents with learning outcomes and to place … Read more
Back in 2015, I stumbled upon a research paper that would significantly change the trajectory of my career. Little did I know that this seemingly ordinary moment would have such a lasting impact on my approach to instruction. The paper, titled “Everyday Life Information Seeking: Approaching Information Seeking in the … Read more
In this video, we wrap up the Everyday Life Information Seeking series and provide some time for final reflection on the topic. This is the eighth and final video in the Everyday Life Information Seeking Series. Link to the transcript of the video. Discussion Please use the comment section to reflect … Read more