Information literacy developments at TUT library

Gerda KoidlaDeputy Director, TUT Library

The teaching library mission must be to ensure that

all graduates of the university are thoroughly familiar with the information resources and tools in their respective fields of study, trained in their effective use, and beyond that, prepared to conduct a search for information resources in any field of inquiry.

The main task of the development of user training is to make user training systematic and regular activity and develop an integrated user training service.

In a university information literacy should be approached in a integrated way, institution-wide,

cross-faculty collaborated, user-centred,

library-coordinated.

• Information literacy (IL) education has long-term traditions at TUT Library. We have managed to

deliver continuous library user training for over

50 years.

• Training information skills is a major part of the

work of our library subject specialists in

information department.

Library user education

Library user education is delivered in various ways:• via e-courses• blended courses• traditional face-to-face coursesUse of e-tools in library education will increaseevery year.Library offers IL courses for different user groups:• new students• international students• undergraduates and postgraduates• academic staff

Information Literacy courses

Blended course

“Generic information skills” for all incoming first-year

students embedded into academic curriculum programme

UTT0010 “Organization of Studies” as part of the

obligatory course.

Gives 1,0 credits.

1400-1500 first-year students pass the course

every year

Information Literacy courses

e-learning course

“Specalized information retrieval: Chemistry and

Materials Technology SR05051,

for bachelor and master-degree students using

Moodle e-learning platform.

Web-based 10 hours time-length courses included

into curricula, give both 4,0 credits.

( Moodle platform is used from 2010. Before WebCT

and working environment designed by TUT Library

were used)

Information Literacy courses

Traditional face-to-face courses:

• “Specialized information retrieval”

for doctoral degree students in Economics, Mechanics

and Humanities• “Information sources and Information retrieval”

for bachelor and master degree students in

co-operation with successful faculties• “Generic information sources: database searching”

for academic staff – individual councelling and guidance

on request

• Some of traditional IL courses are included into

academic curricula as part of some other subject.

• Sources of funds for educational activities conducted

by library are coming from budget of the library,

parent university and external sources (grants).

• 2010 in user education – 850 hours of user training

sessions with 2280 participants.

IL developments for the nearest future

• Increasing need for English language courses in searching scientific information in TUT.

Rapid growth of number of foreign students –

% from total number of students – 4,7• More collaborative activities of faculty librarians

and administrators integrating IL across the

university curricula.

The exponential growth of use of social networks

and online communities offers the potential to

develop individualized learning using blending

formal and informal learning through an

electronic medium.

Thank you!