Chronicle article on classes in the library

I really want to respond to this Chronicle article on scheduling class meetings in the library classrooms to be led by research librarians. Specifically, the author, Todd Gilman, expresses concern that professors are "rebuffing" librarians' offers to lead classes in library research skills. He gives the following five reasons:

I sense that one or more of the following factors might be at work, depending on the faculty member. First, some college instructors have only a vague idea of academic librarians' expertise -- despite the fact that many of us hold two master's degrees or a Ph.D. or both -- and an even vaguer idea of how librarians might help them help their students. In essence, such instructors do not respect librarians as colleagues.

Second, some professors may be less than enthusiastic about sharing control. They don't want librarians in their classrooms -- physically or virtually -- because it means they themselves are no longer the sole authorities present.

Third, as I began to suggest above, other professors -- particularly at elite institutions -- may be unaware of, or unwilling to face, the full extent of their students' ignorance (and -- gasp -- their own) about negotiating the library's research tools.

Fourth, some professors may feel unfairly burdened by the thought of having to devote class time to a primer on how to use a research library. They may feel that way even when the librarian would cheerfully schedule the session in a state-of-the-art electronic classroom at the library, do most of the talking, and answer any follow-up questions throughout the semester. Their thought process goes something like this: "Why didn't someone else cover that so that I don't have to use up my precious class time on it? Isn't it bad enough my students can't write -- forcing me to provide high-school-level instruction in English -- without throwing the complexities of college-level research into the mix? Besides, research education is only tangential to my course content."

Finally, some professors may object to the call for "information literacy" -- a phrase that has become the mantra of some academic librarians in their efforts to teach research skills. And the term can rankle. It risks sounding elementary, or condescending, or alarmist, or perhaps seems like an affectation by which librarians seek to mystify and aggrandize what they do via jargon.

I respectfully disagree with some of these based on my experience. It has never been my impression that professors look down upon librarians or perceive any lack of expertise there. If any professors do hold that opinion, I'd be utterly disgusted. Librarians cannot be extolled enough. As for the second reason, that professors don't want to share authority in the class, that may be the case with some people (but again, no one I've ever met), but such egomaniacs shouldn't be taken seriously. I can understand how it would be annoying, though.

I disagree with the third reason as well. Teachers, especially writing teachers, are painfully aware of students' library skills, or lack thereof. I agree, however, with the last two reasons. Library skills could be an entire semester-long course, and I'd love to see it required, at least for some majors. And I know people personally who find the term "information literacy" tiresome (I myself do not), so I can't argue with that one. But I can tell you the two reasons I don't do more in the library. They have almost nothing to do with the librarians themselves.

First, all of the library classrooms I've encountered at universities where I've taught have looked like this:

and not like this:

If I don't schedule a class in that room, it's primarily because I don't want that day to be a wash: 50 minutes spent by the students mostly on Facebook, shopping, emailing, etc. The configuration of those classrooms pretty much torpedoes any hope of actual engagement with library research.

Second, there are times that I think librarians try to pack too much into one or two class periods, and students get overwhelmed. A full class period could be spent on nothing else but learning the differences between a popular magazine and a scholarly journal.

I agree wholeheartedly with Gilman's conclusions -- that faculty and librarians need to collaborate more on lesson plans and come up with graded ways to assess learning:

Better yet, why not work with that librarian to develop one or more assignments for a grade that will enable your students to apply what they have learned while the library is still fresh in their minds? That way they are sure to take the library seriously, reap the maximum benefit from their interaction with the librarian, and get practice using the library for something more than study space.

Agreed. I'm interested in hearing more of what librarians have to say about this article.

Oh, and watch this video (via).