New digital module teaches library skills

Knowing that students rarely arrive on campus with the particular skills required for academic research, faculty often invite librarians into the classroom to explain how a library can be of use.

But not always. Whether because of a jam-packed class syllabus or an instructor’s oversight, a student may end up facing a research assignment without a clear idea of where to begin.

For those instances, instruction and curriculum support librarian Anne Zald has created a digital instruction module that teaches basic library skills virtually. Now, instead of finding class time for a librarian visit, faculty can easily add the module to Canvas, the online course-management system where students access syllabi and manage assignments.

Zald described the module as a convenient, hands-off approach to explaining library research. The need for such a strategy became apparent early in the pandemic, when face-to-face interactions became difficult. But even before that, academically accomplished Northwestern students have sometimes been reluctant to ask for help.

The module consists of three separate units, each focusing on a specific shortfall that Zald has consistently noticed in students who seek guidance: how to develop a research question, how to select sources, and how to search library databases. Each section takes about 20 minutes to complete. These miniature courses allow students to focus on the skills they need, without the scheduling constraint of meeting with a subject-specific librarian.

Zald emphasized that the modules don’t need to be made mandatory. Rather, they provide an extra resource to help students improve themselves and their academic performance.

“I want students to do better. I want them to learn more,” said Zald. “Students will say, ‘Gosh, I wish I had known about this before.’ Well, I do too. And I’m hoping that giving students the opportunity at their own time and their own pace to find out about some of those resources might also pique their interest.”