Science and Technology Section (STS): Science Information Literacy Chat

February 2018 Discussion leaders: Nashieli Marcano, Eliza Gallagher, and Anne Grant
As academic libraries face new challenges of staying relevant to the graduate research process, we must find ways to enter diverse academic communities, start engaging in scholarly conversations, and facilitate the expansion of their information literacy skills. This session serves three purposes: to examine strategies for librarians to reach out to STEM faculty and graduate students and spark conversations about the Framework, to share ideas for developing a collaborative instructional design that integrates the Framework into STEM graduate-level courses, and to discuss quantitative and qualitative methods for assessing this implementation.

March 2018 Discussion leaders: Susan Wainscott
I have worked with a colleague in the Geoscience Department to develop a
lesson inspired by the threshold concept/frame Information has Value for a
field geology class / field camp. This lesson is one of 25 chapters in
Disciplinary Applications of Information Literacy Threshold Concepts, ACRL
Press. We discuss the information and insights graduating seniors need to
develop a personalized information access plan after they graduate. The lesson
could be adapted for any discipline or could inform a reference consultation.

April 2018 Discussion Leaders: Courtney Mlinar
This session will discuss engaged learning practices, project based learning and collaborative learning activities to increase the impact of library instruction within the sciences. Increased awareness of active teaching techniques will help build a community of practice at librarian institutions.

May 2018 Discussion Leader: Zac Painter
The American Society of Engineering Education estimates that beginning engineers will spend over half of the time on the job after graduation doing research. Despite this, many engineering librarians report that they rarely have an opportunity to speak with undergraduate students in a classroom setting. Design classes, particularly at the senior level, are often the last (and possibly only aside from first-year experiences) chance for librarians to engage engineering undergraduates. Students need both new knowledge and a refresher on important concepts in information literacy as it applies to engineering, but they often struggle with finding the best sources or knowing where or how to look given the constraints of their project, and are often reluctant to ask for assistance.

December 2018 Discussion Leader: Jenny Hart
I've worked with Special Collections in the past few years to host an event for the math and physics clubs. At each we do a showing of rare math/physics texts as well as historic material in our archives related to their discipline. I use this a a chance to introduce myself to them and give them a bit of information about what I do as well as showcase the depths of the library's special collections in their discipline.