Thomas F. Holgate Library Bennett College

HBCU Library Alliance –Mentorship ProgramBennett College Site Visit

December 12, 2005Joan Williams, Director

Mentor: Elsie Weatherington, Dean, Virginia State University

“From Good to Greater”

Information Literacy Moving Bennett College Students

to Greatness

Information Literacy @ Bennett College

Bennett College seeks to integrate information literacy into the development of a community of learners that is centered on the student and sustained by a creative, energetic library program.

We plan to work collaboratively with faculty and library staff to provide intellectual access to information through learning activities that are integrated into the curriculum.

This goal will be

accomplished through a Andrew Mellon Grant received by our institution.

Andrew Mellon GrantImplementation Objectives

Hire 1 librarian to handle this particular job

Faculty fellowships to develop interdisciplinary experiential syllabi

Workshops -faculty and staff to enhance understanding of information literacy

Provide intercampus and conference travel

Provide resources for collection enhancement

Workshop Outline

Objectives of the Project

Participants

Planning

Timeline

Challenges

Action Plan

Summary

Workshop Objectives

Demonstrate how to integrate library resources into curriculum.

Involve library staff members in planning

Demonstrate how to find the library website from the College homepage

Demonstrate how to navigate through the library website

Demonstrate how to use the online catalog

Demonstrate how to search online databases

Advisory Committee

Library Committee faculty/library staff Academic Dean

Workshop Participants

Faculty 3 Divisions/12 Department/ 48

Faculty Librarians 2 Librarians/2 Paraprofessional Others Academic Support Services Staff

Time Line

Develop advisory committee immediately with faculty involvement by (January 31, 2006)

Develop job description and advertisement for “instructional services librarian” by (February 2006)

Conduct two workshops, March 30- April 1

Hire Information Literacy Librarian by May 2006

Challenges

Political : Climate -library has inadequate resources to support teaching and learning

Competition: faculty workloads

-downsizing -faculty enrichment

Customer: Millennial student - Instant gratification

-Technology answers all

Accomplishments

Instructional Service Librarian position posted Bennett College website

Faculty participation in collection development

New equipment purchases to enhance library training

Information literacy expert

Dr Patricia Brevik conducted 2 mini workshops with administration and faculty

Library director attended 2006 Computers in Libraries Conference

Conclusion

Information Literacy at Bennett College is a work in progress. It has opened up conversation each day to make changes in attitudes toward the library.

Giving us an opportunity to provide the millennial student with skills that will stimulate their desire to become life long learners and support the pedagogy of the academic curriculum.

HBCU Leadership Mentor

Dr. Elsie StephensWeatherington, Dean University Library,Virginia State

University

Thomas F. Holgate Library Bennett College

Information Literacy @ the Library