I have read with interest the somewhat conflicting opinions re.our "beloved library databases"!

I think Roddy is right : different subject disciplines will require different emphases with the components of Information Literacy. The importance of getting to grips with the way that each discipline is organised and therefore the ways in which that information is transmitted is very important. 

I used to make the mistake that all subjects could basically be taught information skills in a similar way. In practice, as I have learnt, health students will have much greater needs (e.g.evidence-based practice, extensive attention to referencing) than, say  engineers.

I believe that all students need to become Information Literate, and the major part of this is to do with being able to evaluate what they find. To do this effectively they will also need to become familiar with the
 type of sources that they will encounter in their subject discipline, in both print and electronic format.

When we complain about not being able to cover everything in sessions, the usual answer is to go for more time, and to aim to make our intervention fit into the subject curriculum at assignment time. Too often we make do with what we are offered rather than negotiate for what we need!  

As for those "beloved databases" I am pleased to say that more fit into "families" e.g.EBSCO, but too many are, as Roddy says, a law unto themselves. It is a killer to tell a group about lots of different interfaces too soon. We are not trying to make librarians out of them and not too many are really interested in Boolean searching. I agree that the real researchers should be using advanced search modes, but suspect that increasingly they are not. (see RIN report http://www.rin.ac.uk/researchers-use-libraries) 
We should be pushing for simpler interfaces. We will not save our jobs or serve our patrons well by harping on about advanced searching facilities on our databases!

Peter



Peter Godwin
Academic Liaison Librarian
University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
LU1 3JU
01582 743248
 
Information Literacy meets Web 2.0 http://infolitweb.blogspot.com/