Information literacy is not a one-man show

Abstract

This article will discuss the issues at stake when cooperation between library and faculty on information literacy (IL) is initiated and explored by using an action research approach. Research on and experiences from cooperation between faculty libraries and faculties indicate that several teaching programmes have not integrated IL into the curriculum nor have they established a formalised cooperation between library and faculty on IL. Participants in the project were three librarians, six lecturers, one library manager, two directors of programme and two project managers from VIA University College, Denmark. The data for this study originates from focus group interviews, process protocols, records of reflective sessions and support meetings as well as from mail correspondences. Results indicate that formal cooperation between librarians and educators is necessary and provides the needed access to the other’s understanding of IL, the curriculum, pedagogical professionalism and mutual roles. A joint conceptual understanding of IL is important for making this teamwork work. Librarians need access to programme documents and knowledge on students’ level of learning and on course work. Co-teaching supports the librarian in developing pedagogical skills. Educators have diverging experiences with IL which can be a problem when challenging students on IL for their assignments. IL is everyone’s business and local dissemination of an agreed curriculum intervention throughout a programme is important. Leadership and re-sources are also significant if the integration of IL is to be possible.