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The purpose of this paper is to discuss three recent changes in higher education – the addition of technology to every aspect of the curriculum, the increase in the availability of electronic resources, and the introduction of constructivist pedagogy. In light of these changes, the authors aim to explore what university libraries and librarians should reinforce in terms of their concepts and competency and adjust the ways that they serve students.

The authors analyze the related literature and identified technology, electronic resources, and constructivist pedagogy that interact with the new curriculum of universities in a broader way than in the past.

The three dimensions, separately and in combination, require considerable adjustments by librarians, teachers, students, and the school/university community in general. Collaboration among all members of staff, particularly between librarians and teachers, is essential. The emerging paradigm, still firmly based in constructivist principles, recognizes that there is a need for staff guidance of students though they are expected to become increasingly independent as they progress through the system. Meanwhile, two new core competencies have emerged for university librarians: information literacy and problem‐based learning (PBL).

The emergence of the two competencies has reminded librarians to learn, change and grow constantly to serve PBL students effectively.

This article presents an annotated bibliography of literature recently on library instruction and information literacy in academic, school, public, special, and all types of libraries. Interest in the topic remains strong, with a growing number of pieces also including the importance of assessment. Other themes discussed in the articles include research, collaboration, the use of tutorials, tours, distance learning, active learning, problem‐based learning, and the role of accreditation bodies.

The aim of this paper is to determine the essential features of information literacy; what role it should play in university library user education; and how programs can be best implemented.

The researchers systemically surveyed and reviewed publications related to information literacy and library user education.

It was found that a well‐designed information literacy program benefits the library and its staff, faculty, and students; librarians should play a leading role in the design and operation of programs, but collaboration with faculty, IT professionals and students is essential; programs should be embedded in the curriculum, be largely cooperative, and be problem‐based; evaluation and assessment are essential components; emphasis should be placed on first‐year students; and, ideally, the librarians will turn into educators and the library will become a learning center combining learning, research and technology.

This paper reflects the opinions of the researchers and the authors of the reviewed literature who have insights into the issues related to information literacy and library user education. These opinions present useful guidelines for both librarian and teacher practitioners.

This paper provides a point of view on the relationship between information literacy and library user education in the six themes described above.

This is a review of information literacy interventions which focused on fostering information literacy skills for agriculturalists and health practitioners in Tanzania. The purpose of the intervention was to impart information literacy skills to agriculturalists and health professionals based on problem-solving and collaborative approaches through pedagogical theories of Kolb and Vygotsky which emphasize experiential and reflective learning as well as mediated communication. The interventions were based on an integration of knowledge from information behaviour research and educational theory and current Information and library science perspectives of information literacy. This was preceded by a survey which collected data on information literacy needs of agriculturalists and health practitioners in order to determine what should be taught in information literacy courses for both categories of professionals. The interventions were evaluated through exercises, reflective discussions and observations of activities. Diagnostic tests were also carried out before and after the interventions to provide an indication of knowledge changes. It was generally discovered that both categories of practitioners lacked information literacy skills and had a dire need for the same to effectively perform their work. Work experiences of participants as well as problems associated with lack of information to perform assigned tasks in their occupations were motivational factors for their active participation in the courses. Judging from participants’ feedback, the courses were effective. Participants were able to demonstrate their abilities to solve a particular information-related problem through collaborative learning and work experience. It is recommended that information literacy courses in work places should focus on work-related information problems and active participation.

This mixed-methods study assesses a pilot library curriculum in a general education English composition course. Case-based learning (CBL), a form of problem-based learning (PBL), was used to scaffold information literacy skills and concepts across sessions. This article explores the approach's impact on student learning and engagement.

Participants were enrolled in four sections of an undergraduate composition course. Two sections were taught with the CBL library curriculum, and two with the standard library curriculum as a control. Pretest/posttest surveys included quantitative and qualitative measures to assess students in several areas of information literacy. Weekly reflections from a subsample of students were analyzed, and the research team conducted structured classroom observations and teaching reflections.

Quantitative survey results did not support the hypotheses that the CBL curriculum would increase students' confidence and skill levels compared to their control section peers. Although there was no significant difference between sections in measured information literacy outcomes, students generally agreed that the case studies used in the CBL curriculum taught skills applicable to their research. Teaching observation data revealed the cohesion of the curriculum across library sessions and increased student engagement in classroom activities. However, some of the case studies could be improved, and some limitations in study design point to the need for further research.

This study addresses a gap in the literature through a mixed-methods assessment of CBL pedagogy using a control group, contributing to an understanding of the role of PBL pedagogies in information literacy curricula.

Problem‐based learning (PBL) is a teaching strategy that is currently being introduced in undergraduate curricula in colleges and universities across the country, particularly in applied areas such as engineering and the biological sciences. Faculty are increasingly interested in using PBL as an instructional tool because students more readily transfer the knowledge they acquire using PBL to real‐world situations. Librarians at a June 2002 LOEX‐of‐West pre‐conference workshop on PBL questioned how it could be used in the 50‐minute library instruction period, since PBL relies on cooperative learning techniques for successful implementation. The librarians determined that PBL could be applied in the 50‐minute library instruction period using specific Association of College and Research Libraries Information Literacy Competency Standards, but it could be more effectively implemented in two 75‐minute periods where collaboration among students may more easily be facilitated.

The purpose of this paper is to present perceptions and valuations of research skills that members of one student consulting group reported based on their coursework and participation in experiential consulting projects.

In interviews conducted in Fall 2009, students were asked to describe the research skills they acquired through their participation in experiential consulting projects and, for comparison, the research skills they acquired through their course assignments. The students' responses were placed into categories based on the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) information literacy competency standards for higher education, where applicable. Other categories were created to address responses that did not correspond to the ACRL standards. Categories with the highest overall number of occurrences, representing recurring themes in the responses, were analyzed.

The students identified research skills that they believed would be important in their future professions and everyday lives. However, these were generally not the same skills that the students mentioned developing through their experiential consulting projects and their courses, presenting a disconnect that requires further examination. Some of the research skills mentioned correspond to ACRL Standards, while others represent the students' own interpretations of what research skills are, revealing opportunities to instruct students in more effectively articulating transferable research skills.

This is the first study to focus on student consultants' perceptions of research and the value they place on the research skills they develop. Insights gained have influenced instruction efforts to the group under study, as well as provided starting points for future investigations.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of Greek librarians regarding information literacy programs and their preparedness for such programs.

The study was targeted at all professional and paraprofessional staff of the academic libraries in Greece and Cyprus. The instrument was a specially designed structured questionnaire which included 20 questions, in sum 67 variables.

Most libraries do not deliver information literacy programs, but some kind of library instruction. Many respondents consider that more money, more librarians and an appropriately equipped space are the best ways to improve information literacy programs. Concerning the information literacy trainers, there are those who emphasize teaching abilities and/or pedagogical experience, and those who emphasize infrastructure and funding.

The paper contributes to the existing knowledge of information literacy skills by revealing certain issues regarding the academic libraries in Greece and Cyprus.

The purpose of this column is to examine the importance of libraries continuing to provide and enhance information literacy instruction to students in a challenging teaching and learning environment.

The approach takes the format of a literature review and commentary on this topic that has been addressed by colleague institutions.

The need for the continued development and implementation of information literacy instruction in the library must continue to evolve as a collaborative effort between librarians and faculty to ensure higher levels of student success in library use and research acuity.

The value in addressing this issue is to examine the necessity of the professional librarians collaborating with faculty in delivering relevant information literacy instruction in an academic library.

This paper reports on part of a dissertation project on the relationships between learning methods and students’ information behavior in Finland. In this qualitative study, information behavior is studied in the contexts of a problem-based learning curriculum and a traditional curriculum. In 1998, 16 theme interviews were conducted at the Tampere University Medical School, which applied the problem-based learning curriculum and 15 interviews at the Turku University Medical School, in which the traditional curriculum with an early patient contact program was implemented. The focus of this paper is on the concept of information literacy as a part of the students’ information behavior and its relationships with students’ conceptions of learning. The findings indicate that students’ information literacy is developed, on the one hand, through active use of information and sources in connection with real information needs, and, on the other hand, through an educational context which offers opportunities to get different viewpoints on issues. Following the same tendency, the more developed conceptions of learning were mostly held by the students belonging to the problem-based group with simple or developed skills in information literacy, although there were exceptions from this pattern.