How may I make Library Instruction a successful experience for my students?

Before you schedule the instruction

• Time the instruction appropriately.
  Schedule the instruction to coincide with a relevant research project or assignment that your students will be working on.
  
  
• Link the instruction to an assignment.
  Instruction answers an immediate informational need when students have a research assignment, and therefore students are more apt to be interested, and to retain what is covered in the session. If students are working on the assignment as part of the session, they can get immediate feedback and advice from the librarians.
  

Requesting instruction.

• Schedule the instruction in advance.
  Give the librarians enough time - - preferably a week - - so we can prepare for your class. If you wait until the last minute to schedule your instruction, we may not be able to accommodate you on the time and date you have requested.
  
  
• Send us a copy of the assignment and / or syllabus in advance
  We'd like to know a little about your class before we plan the instruction. A syllabus or copy of an assignment helps us to be prepared, and gives us an idea of what to expect from your class
  

Before the instruction.

• Prepare your students before attending the instruction.
  Let your students know that they will be going to the library. Identify the specific goals you have for this session, and how these goals fit into the larger objectives of the course. Let them know what, specifically, they will be doing at the library, and how to best use this time
  

The following suggestions are things you or your students can do in advance to make the instruction session more successful:

• Have your students develop ideas or topics.
  
  
• Visit the library web page in class.
  
  
• Tell your students to think of questions for the librarian.
  
  
• Let your students know that library instruction is a good opportunity for them to get help with a research assignment.
  

During the instruction.

• Attend the instruction with the students.
  You are an integral part of library instruction. We welcome your thoughts, comments and ideas before, during and after the instruction.
  
  When you attend an instruction session with your students, you send them the message that this instruction is important, and you take it seriously. Students will take the session more seriously as well.
  

After instruction.

• Give the librarian feedback.
  Let us know what you did and did not like about the session. What worked? To what did your students respond the best?