[Publib] Information Literacy

[Mimi Morris]

I think that the differences in how academic and public libraries
approach information literacy is tied to the differences in our
missions.  It is part of the academic library's mission to teach
university level students to do research.  In a public library, the
typical mission is to "meet the informational, cultural and recreational
learning needs of our community".  Within that mission, we do as much or
as little BI as our patrons need and want.  Some people are fascinated
by the process and want to learn how to do it themselves.  For those
patrons, my library offers one-on-one appointments for training in using
our search capabilities, classes in basic searching and "advanced"
classes in areas like genealogy and grants information research.  We
also have brochures and handouts promoting print and online resources in
specific areas like business, medicine, or whatever.  Many patrons,
however, have a specific information need at the time and what they want
from us is that information.  We should be the information interpreter,
or as I tell staff in our orientation, the information concierge.
That's why we have professional training, and that's why we are here.
It is not a failing of the public library to "teach" bibliographic
instruction, it is the librarian's professional training to determine
each patron's level of need and respond to it.  As always, our mission
guides our actions!

All opinions are my own...

Mimi Morris
Assistant Director for Branch and Extension Services
Dayton Metro Library
215 E. Third Street
Dayton, Ohio  45402
937-227-9536
mmorris at daytonmetrolibrary.org