Skip to Main Content

For Faculty

Library Instruction at FLC

The library provides a variety of instructional services: from individual research assistance, to general orientations and customized sessions for specific classes. Our goal is to provide every student the skills and confidence to efficiently engage with information sources.

When a student is information literate, they have learned how to learn. They understand how knowledge is organized, have found the best ways to locate appropriate information, and have practiced how to use information ethically. They are prepared for lifelong learning because they can always find the best information for any task or decision at hand.

In addition to offering in-class instruction the library also creates customized online course guides available to students 24/7. 

Instruction Session Topics

The following table gives examples of the possible topics available for library instruction session, along with the approximate time needed to cover them. The actual content of each topic will be tailored to the specific class and its goals. The level values are just suggestions; each topic can be modified to apply to any course level.

Table of topics for library instruction
Topic Duration Level
Discovery Introduction 10 minutes Basic
Discovery Advanced Search 15 minutes Advanced
Choosing an Information Source 20 minutes Basic
Databases Searching Basics 20 minutes Basic
Database Searching Advanced 25 minutes Advanced
Developing Keywords 30 minutes Advanced
Evaluating Sources 30 minutes Basic
Google Scholar 20 minutes Basic
Identifying Bias 20 minutes Advanced
The Information Cycle 30 minutes Basic
Library introduction (building and website) 30 minutes Basic
Locating Full Text 20 minutes Basic
Narrowing Your Topic 15 minutes Advanced
Peer-Reviewed Journals 25 minutes Basic
Reading Scholarly Articles 30 minutes Advanced
Research Process and Strategies 40 minutes Basic
Searching Using Subject Headings 20 minutes Advanced
Scholarly V. Popular Sources 30 minutes Basic
Troubleshooting a Search 25 minutes Advanced
Using Cited References 25 minutes Advanced
Reading/Creating a Citation 25 minutes Basic

Research Guides

Another service that we provide is the creation of research guides. If there's a particular topic or course guide you would like us to create for your class, please let us know. We are more than happy to put these together. 

Some examples of recent request guides include:

Some recent course guides include:

Please reach out to the Learning Services Librarian if you would like a guide created. These guides can be embedded directly into your Canvas Course shell.

Canvas Modules

Another asynchronous option for library instruction is the creation of a Canvas course module or page. This can be related to any information literacy topic and help walk students through the research process. 

To request a Canvas course module or page, email research@bridgewater.edu.