Information literacy is an essential set of skills that students gain during their time at Canisius. These skills foster critical thinking and are in demand for prospective employers. At Canisius, many of our students’ first experience with information literacy comes in their First Year Seminar (FYS) classes.
This semester library staff worked with all sections of FYS. In a survey after their sessions, students were asked what they learned: 57 percent reported learning about in-depth research skills, 20 percent learned to refine and write better research questions. Students also report feeling better, more informed and more confident using the library after the sessions they attended.
The library continues to look for additional places within the curriculum to teach these critical skills to students within their disciplines. Please contact the library to discuss how you can build information literacy into your courses and assignments, or to schedule a library session for your classes.
Submitted by: Sara Morris, PhD, associate vice president, academic affairs
