Using ‘Informs’ at Newcastle University LibraryMoira BentJenny Campbell

March 2004

Background – what is Informs?

Informs Project – JISC funded, part of Inhale project

Partner institutions: Huddersfield (lead), Loughborough, Oxford

“…aimed at developing information seeking skills of students…”

http://informs.hud.ac.uk/ Web based tutorials

How did Newcastle get involved?

Project widened out – MB involved Ncl Ncl investigating new methods of delivering info

skills Current model of delivering info skills

unsustainable – increasing student numbers, class sizes

Training at Newcastle – summer 2003 Launched Informs tutorials – start of 2003/4

academic year

Benefits of using Informs

Web based Uses Frames – instructions in left frame, live resource in

right frame Uses ‘tags’ – can adapt WP docs easily Collaboration / Sharing resources Easy to use / instant amending Can be integrated into VLEs or existing websites Can be used in workshops or as self-directed study No more paper! (Although can be printed)

The Newcastle Experience

Created by each Faculty Librarian to support their teaching

Some general tutorials (e.g. Library catalogue, ATHENS, etc)

Many specific tutorials (e.g. CSA for Marine Science, ScienceDirect for Engineers)

Used in workshop environment Self-directed study Referred to at Information Desk for new users Built into some Blackboard modules Linked to from Library web pages (to be improved!)

Future direction. What next?

What is exit strategy of project? Tutorials are valuable tool to Newcastle Keen to be part of longer-term strategy.

Demo of Informs – the Newcastle experience

http://informs.hud.ac.uk/79/ Informs learning materials – University of

Newcastle – Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering