As a faculty member or graduate teaching assistant, you are instrumental in making your students’ experience in the library successful. Here are some ideas that will be helpful as you prepare your class for a Library Instruction Session:

Create an assignment that requires your students to use the library.
 

• Work with a librarian to develop a meaningful assignment that will achieve your course goals.
• An assignment gives the instruction session a specific purpose and reinforces the students’ participation.
• Have the students select/discuss their topics well in advance of the instruction session.

Send a copy of the assignment to the librarian who will be teaching the session when you schedule the session (at least one week in advance).
 

• The librarian can gear the session towards the specific assignment.
• Library staff can be prepared to help the students as they work through the assignment.

Be specific about what you want your students to learn. Feel free to request that the session cover specific titles and resources.

Attend the instruction session with your class.
 

• Participate in the session, comment and ask questions.
• Your attendance emphasizes the importance of learning library research skills.