Librarians as ‘information coaches’
Do you ever…
- Feel overwhelmed by the amount of information that you have to sort through when you search the web?
- Think ‘there just has to be a better way’ of locating that resource that someone told you about?
- Wonder what you’d do if someone used your idea or resource and published it as part of another resource without acknowledgement?
- Wish that you knew who to contact about your latest project topic?
Well, if you have, you might need the assistance of an ‘information coach’ – aka a librarian!
What exactly is meant by the concept of ‘information coach’?
When I use the term ‘information coach’, I refer to someone who assists you to deal with the world of information, whether that means directing you to the most appropriate information for a specific inquiry; training you in the skills to find, evaluate and present information; providing you with guidance in tagging your information so that others can retrieve it when they search; or putting you in touch with other people who are working on or know about similar topics.
I first came across the term ‘information coaching’ as part of some research that I was doing on the role of library staff in flexible learning. In Waikato University, New Zealand librarians were working directly with academic staff in the delivery of online courses. The librarian played a role of partner in the teaching and learning process, working with the academic staff in course preparation and delivery and particularly with the students to whom they were introduced as ‘information coaches’.
This role was that of information literacy expert with the students forwarding their assignment strategies directly to the information coach (librarian) for evaluation and guidance regarding the use of information skills as part of the overall learning process. (Follow the link to Yve Gower Perrone if you are interested in reading what one of the librarians, had to say about the process.)
When I thought about that notion in our context, it occurred to me that it was not only applicable for students studying online and that we could extend it to coaching for staff to develop information literacy skills; that there are a variety of roles that librarians can undertake as part of information coaching, including:
- Information manager
- Classification specialist
- Metadata specialist
- Information navigator
- Technical expert
- IP/digital rights adviser
- e-services provider
- Information literacy expert
- Knowledge manager
These roles are all related to the expertise of the information professional. However, they are not all mutually exclusive. For example, as an information manager, the librarian may need to draw on skills as a classification and metadata specialist.
Information coaches in action at the ICVET Conference 2005: Simon Gray
(Sydney Institute), Judy Hanlen (Illawarra Institute), Lucy Hill (TAFE
Library Services), Ian Hayden (Hunter Institute)
It is important to note that whilst all these roles are ideally performed by all our librarians, some are not easily achievable in locations with limited resources eg e-services provider or knowledge manager. Also the objective of this article is to raise awareness of the broad-based skill set of the information professional as related to the notion of information coaching, rather than to prescribe a duties statement for librarians.
With that said, let’s explore some situations where an information coach could and does help.
Why do I need an Information Coach?
There are many reasons, including:
To help you find the information that is not on the internet, or not readily searchable through the usual search engines like Google. Google only searches about 0.2% of the total web-based resources available online. The remaining 98.8% is called the Invisible Web. The Internet is just one of many tools in our information-resource toolbox and librarians are trained in information navigation as well as how to train others in these skills. See the end of this article for a little Google stumping quiz to show what you don’t find there (the solutions are there too, in case you need them!).
To save you time searching for information
It is time consuming to find good information. Librarians can point you in the right direction (coach you) to achieve more effective search results. They can also prepare ready made web resources to help with frequently asked questions or recommended sites for study - have you seen the TAFE Studylinks site? This site is developed as a co-operative effort of library staff across the state and is soon to be searchable through the TaLE website search engine.
For content management, information architecture and the development of metadata standards
In developing flexible learning resources, librarians’ classification skills are vital. Centre for Learning Innovation (CLI) metadata librarians have now developed metadata guidelines for the whole of Department of Education and Training (DET).
Note to TAFE Staff
The metadata
guidelines are only available on the CLI intranet under the section Guidelines
for describing learning resources for easy discovery and TAFE college
librarians will be trained to assist your team to implement the guidelines
for tagging your resources.
To show you how to use a wide range of equipment like digital cameras, scanners, CD/DVD burners and laptops
Librarians are often called on to coach others in these technical skills for the equipment that is used in and lent from the library. The New England Library Service has developed a self-help page on their website to promote effective use of their equipment.
To train you in information literacy skills
‘While the ‘information superhighway’ offers new opportunities for independent research and study, the amount of information available requires those using it to have a high level of information literacy skills.’ (Kate Elder and Jane Miller AARL 29:1)
This requires a restructuring of the learning process to ensure students:
- know when they need information
- identify what information will address a particular problem
- find the needed information
- evaluate the information
- organize the information
- use the information effectively in addressing the problem
But it’s not just students; we all need these skills to operate in the knowledge society.
Why not check out the availability of a group or individual ‘hidden web’ session at a library near you or try your hand at the online information skills sessions from a library’s website eg Illawarra Institute, South Western Sydney
...all educational institutions have a responsibility to help their students become information literate and lifelong learners. In an environment of rapid change it will be more important for people to know how to find the information they require than to have been taught the answer itself.
Candy, Crebert and O’Leary 1994
For help with Digital Rights Management
You can ask your librarian to provide advice on copyright, citations and licences for resources. Some libraries have guides on their websites to help eg Western Sydney or you can also help yourself to a recipe right here at the Copyright Kitchen. This site was developed for the Australian Flexible Learning Framework by Vanessa Tuckfield, a librarian from the Canberra Institute of Technology.
To provide you with e-services
Institute Library staff have developed some great online resources to support staff and students on and off the campus, eg North Coast, Hunter and Riverina. Your librarians can offer eskills programs - online resources to support study and research needs or eReference services eg Western to give customers flexibility of when and where they seek help.
To manage knowledge
Librarians put people in touch with sources of information, including ‘experts’ or like-minded people as well as published resources. In this way, they encourage information sharing and the creation of new knowledge, eg the Education and Training Information Service (ETIS) has developed Communities of Practice as part of their knowledge management initiative; Sydney Institute has organised workshops and showcases related to knowledge management and the Northern Sydney Institute Manager Knowledge and Information Services has set up the College Knowledge Exchange Team to encourage collaboration between librarians and teachers across the Institute in sharing information and identifying expertise.
So the next time you ever…
- Think ‘there just has to be a better way’ of locating that resource that someone told you about
- Feel overwhelmed by the amount of information that you have to sort through when you search the web
- Wonder what you’d do if someone used your idea or resource and published it as part of another resource without acknowledgement or
- Wish that you knew who to contact about your latest project topic
All you have to do is find an ‘information coach’ aka a librarian!
Now here’s that quiz:
THE CHALLENGE: Google stumping questions
Try to find these using Google…
- Your entry in the DET Staff Directory
- Who runs a Victorian business called Duffa Inc.?
- What’s BHP’s share price right now?
- What are the criteria for salary progression for NSW TAFE Head Teachers?
- A past TAFE exam paper
- A photo of lathes in the old Eveleigh railway workshop
- An article on learning objects from the Autumn 2004 issue of Teaching Science
The answers [don’t cheat!]…
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- Use the TAFE intranet
- http://abr.business.gov.au (for ABN details)
- Only public quotes are 20 mins old, so you must use fee-based services
- Use the TAFE intranet
- Use the TAFE exam papers CD-ROM
- NSW State Library
- Search the Australia/NZ Reference Centre