Measuring Library Impacts through First Year Course Assessment

Abstract

This study shows the value of library instruction in the building of first-year students’ information literacy skills and it illustrates librarians as partners in leading student learning outcome assessment. Using research papers from a required first-year course, raters from units across the institution evaluated student information literacy (IL) skill development. Students performed at a “Proficient First Year” level for most information literacy skill areas. The authors found there was a significant correlation between IL skill development and participation in one or more library instruction sessions. For this reason, the authors posit that liaison librarians are in a stronger and more stable collaborative position when they can demonstrate that their work has positive correlations with student learning.

Keywords

• information literacy; library instruction; academic libraries; help-seeking; assessment; first-year students