Consulting for Results

The goal, they say, is to provide one-on-one support to individuals in both groups so the mechanics of finding information don’t get in the way of learning.

“We know that this is not about the library,” Okada says. “It’s about learning,  it’s about awareness, it’s about thinking constructively. So it’s not all that important to teach call numbers or database searching.  It’s often simply a matter of pointing the way.”

“Lou and I both realize that if you’re taking a poly sci class, or you’re taking a service-learning class through the English Department, it’s important to find the information, it’s important to understand where the information comes from, and how to get to it.” says Okada, “ But the purpose of the class is not learning about the library per se. The purpose of the class is about poly sci or service learning. What we try to do is say to the instructor: this is how the library fits into the syllabus.”

For librarians, having an understanding of the goals of the course can help them point students to the best resources. And for instructors, having a better understanding of the issues students face when conducting research may help them craft a better assignment. Sometimes it’s just a matter of terminology.

“When we see students, they can be really anxious,” says Okada. “ They want to do well, but if they get tipped over to the point of being frustrated and upset, they’ll question a professor’s motives. If instructors meet with us ahead of time, at the very minimum we may be able to point out from our experience of working with students what’s likely to confuse them. We may tell the professor: ‘They won’t understand peer review. They won’t understand bibliographic citation. You have to give concrete examples. We know, because that’s what they’re asking at the reference desk.’”

Malcomb agrees that understanding what a professor wants to accomplish with an assignment can lead to cultivating better learning skills.

“One of the things I’ll ask students when I’m at the reference desk is if they know what the purpose of the exercise is, or if they’ve talked with their instructor about the goals or the objectives of this assignment,” Malcomb says. “ Is the research paper supposed to be focusing on one particular aspect? If the student understands that the professor is not just wanting an 8-page paper, but wants the student to see a continuum of resources or how to interpret a primary document, then it’s easier for the student.” And, Malcomb says, it leads to better quality assignments and better learning.

Malcomb also wants professors to know they can give her e-mail to students. She’s considers herself a back-up.“It’s a support for the student and professor,” Malcomb says. “I think students might be a little hesitant to go to the professor and admit they don’t know about something. But they can e-mail me, and I can e-mail them quickly explaining what he’s referring to, and the type of resources he’s referring to. It builds the confidence of the student, but it also gives the faculty member added support.”

Malcomb is quick to point out she can assist not only the weaker student, but also the strong student who wants to dig deeper than a professor may be able to go with the whole class. “The instructor can say, ‘Go see Lou and she’ll show you what we have.’”

But supporting students and instructors isn’t just about library resources. “It becomes much more about the topic of the class, the information itself, and how the instructor wants the students to use that information,” Okada says, “and less about the mechanics of getting to the information.”