Chapter One: Problem Statement

The history of bibliographic instruction in academic libraries is certainly a vast one. Is it possible that Louis Shores could have ever imagined the far-reaching implications that his concept of bibliographic instruction would have possessed in today's world of academe? It is rather doubtful. In an attempt to familiarize the college student with the academic library and its resources, as well as better prepare him for his studies, Shores made an impact on academic libraries throughout the world. Bibliographic instruction has grown and evolved into a major issue within the discipline of Library and Information Studies during the past two decades. Nowhere is this issue more volatile than within the academic library. Questions such as time, personnel, subject matter, requirements, credit hours, and the needs of the students and faculty members are only a few that arise when contemplating bibliographic instruction in the academic library. It is important to recognize that bibliographic instruction is, in essence, the foundation of a solid education.

The foundation metaphor creates a perfect parallel of the education system and the role which bibliographic instruction should possess. Bibliographic instruction is an instructional tool which should track a student's progress through the levels of academe. It cannot be an element which is used only during the fall semester of a student's freshman year. In this application all effectiveness is lost and perhaps even wasted. In order to teach a student to employ and fully exhaust his resources, librarians and teachers/professors/faculty members should cooperate and work together. The focus of this common goal crosses all levels of education. Bibliographic instruction implemented into the core curriculum of a student's educational process by librarians and teachers on the primary and secondary level produces a college student that is eager, prepared, and excited about future academic prospects. This scenario, unfortunately, opposes the all too often frightened, apprehensive college freshman who is too timid to ask for help.

Bibliographic instruction should be and is becoming a collaborative effort between librarians and teachers in order to lift a student to the peak of his academic pinnacle. Within library literature, this effort is most recognized on three levels: the importance of exposing the secondary student to the academic library, the implementation and execution of bibliographic instruction on the college level, and the role which the faculty must assume in order to underscore the significance of library work regarding a well-rounded, beneficial, as well as productive education. In order to provide the student with the most positive learning experience, the development of a bibliographic instruction program based upon a collaborative effort between librarians and teachers that spans the hierarchy of academic progression is essential.

How do secondary students find themselves performing research in an academic library? Unfortunately, the bottom line, as always, is money, or lack thereof. School libraries, within the public education system are only allocated a very small budget with which they can purchase research materials and equipment. The school library maintains the same operating hours as the school. When the school day is over the library closes. The aspiring high school student has two options: the public library and the nearest academic library.

While it is not the position of the public library to support the county's curriculum, the staff often tries to purchase materials in order to assist local teachers and students with assignments. Osborne explains that "public librarians and school librarians have carried on a love/hate relationship for years, often feuding over whose responsibility it should be to provide what services to students (and who has failed to do so), but being united in their commitment to giving young people the means to use libraries effectively" (11). Again, money is an issue. Public libraries cannot afford to completely supplement a county's primary or secondary curriculum. Therefore, the nearest academic library becomes the prime option for the secondary student. Craver's article reveals that "these students are (1) college-bound, (2) grade-conscious, and (3) highly motivated" (59).

These students are not rowdy and disruptive. They are hard-working, concerned about their grades, and want an education. High school students are attempting to take advantage of the plethora of resource materials, print and electronic, that now exists in the research community. Collaboration between secondary schools and academic institutions can only create positive effects for all involved.

Unfortunately the concept is a love-hate relationship for most librarians. It evokes either dreams or nightmares. Issues such as time, content, and staffing only scrape the surface when a discussion regarding bibliographic instruction arises.

The proposal which offers bibliographic instruction to secondary students surrounding the area of a local college or university is quite a refreshing and unique twist for a traditional, sound, and true practice. Several academic libraries have studied, evaluated, and reported their findings regarding the positive and negative aspects of providing bibliographic instruction to high school students. These studies will be examined in Chapter Two: The Literature Review. Providing this service creates many benefits to the academic library, the college or university, and the community. The benefits of the library and the institution are complementary. The library becomes a recruiting tool for the institution. In turn, more local students are persuaded to attend a near by institution based upon library relations, academic achievement, and positive experiences related to the campus. Academic libraries want and need high school students to employ their resources. It eventually makes their task of bibliographic instruction to incoming college or university freshmen much easier. Librarians and faculty members benefit because the members of the incoming student body are more familiar with and more confident in using the collection of an academic library. Therefore, the student also benefits. This pro-active outreach on the institution’s behalf develops a positive relationship with the surrounding community. There are so many mutual benefits when academic libraries unite with local high schools to provide bibliographic instruction. Academic institutions can use this opportunity in order to create a warm image. Canelas and Westbrook elaborate:

Often in university towns tension exists between the university and the city. Local people view the university community as elitist. This type of outreach increases the visibility of the library and university in  the community and helps demonstrate the   university's commitment to the community. Such a program also shows the administration of the university that the library is a team player working toward the good of the university (217).

Creating a positive relationship with its surrounding community is a huge advantage for any academic institution. It illustrates good politics, good business, and good public relations. Consequently, the library, in its attempts to improve the academic standing of local high school students, becomes an excellent vehicle for campus recruiting. The library always seems to be a focal point of the campus tour if only for its awe-inspiring response based upon sheer size. Through the implementation of bibliographic instruction programs for high school students the library has the opportunity to forge a real impression of substance. "Such programs can also act as a form of recruitment. In an age of declining enrollment, universities are in fierce competition for the best students; positive interaction with representatives of a university can favorably dispose students toward an institution" (Canelas & Westbrook 217).

Ironically, the most notable benefit to the academic institution is also the most desirable effect for the high school student: "it [bi] helps prepare them for the college-level work they will soon be expected to produce" (Canelas & Westbrook 218). The transition from high school to college is a difficult one. A strong academic foundation supported by research and library skills can ease that difficult period in a student's academic career. Nofsinger stresses this point by quoting Dickinson:

Most instructors simply assume that college students know how to use a library...That this assumption is contrary to fact is well known to every academic librarian who has ever worked at a public service point...Most students enter higher education virtually without any inkling of how to use a library...The only effective way to insure that students will gain a working knowledge of libraries adequate to their needs is to start early in the educational process (37).

A cooperative effort between secondary and academic institutions can create a balance for students just beginning their research careers. High school librarians have the ability to nurture their students while academic librarians have the resources and equipment which can foster the skills required to survive the rigors of higher education. Canelas & Westbrook explain:

High school librarians know what library experience and skills high school students have. Academic librarians know what skills students will need in college to deal with

various computers, multiple indexes, and the increased size of the library. Together they can better prepare students with the skills they will need in college (217).

Therefore, it is to the librarian's benefit to participate in acclimating the high school student into the academic library early in their research career. All libraries are not the same. A student cannot be taught a particular system in one library and be expected to totally fluent and comfortable in another system the very next day. However, students can be taught research strategies, concepts, ideas, and tools. Research, in any library, is a thought process which follows a pattern. This concept can be and is being taught to young scholars all over the country.

"Improved community relations, and enhanced public image, and the opportunity to recruit future students" are several of the benefits of outreach programs for academic libraries (Ury 48). However, the most important benefit is that students learn.

Examination of this concept lends to longitudinal study of the students within the community who chose to attend their local academic institution. However, it is essential to realize that the bibliographic instruction only begins on the secondary level. Library use must increase and advance one the student becomes a member of the campus, rather than a visitor. Therefore, a positive, constructive, and goal-oriented relationship must exist between the librarians and the faculty. One of the most important aspects of bibliographic instruction is that it spans the academic hierarchy. This assent cannot be successfully achieved without cooperation between librarians, teachers, and students. Therefore, the idea that academic librarians must assume a proactive role in offering bibliographic instruction to students within the secondary level of education as well as college and university students is essential.

Bibliographic instruction has the ability to create a common thread between the members of the academic community: librarians, students and teachers. It is a cooperative and collaborative effort between these parts that builds an effective and productive whole: academia.

To achieve the goals of this project, examinations of colleges and universities currently conducting bibliographic instruction to area high school students will be conducted in order to evaluate the validity and importance of the process. A special longitudinal study regarding the local high school students in Union County, North Carolina and the effects of bibliographic instruction provided by the Reference Department of the Ethel K. Smith Library of Wingate University, Wingate, North Carolina will also be proposed.

Works Cited

Canelas, Cathryn & Lynn Westbrook. "BI in the Local High School." College & Research Libraries News 3 (March 1990): 217-220.

Osborne, Larry N. "Teaching in American Libraries." International Library Review 21 (January 1989): 9-27.

Ury, Connie J. "Prepping for College." School Library Journal 42 (January 1996): 48.

Chapter One: Terms, Definitions, and Limitations

High School Students or Secondary Students:

Juniors and Seniors (eleventh and twelfth graders) from local county and city schools (public), preferably students from Advanced Placement or College Prep classes.

College or University:

For the purposes of this study...Private Institutions, specifically Wingate University, Wingate, North Carolina

Bibliographic Instruction:

1. Instruction that acclimates a patron to a specific type of library, its resources, and holdings. Bibliographic Instruction should not only provide an overview of all the available resources in a library and how to make use of them. This aspect of the instruction should also include research strategies and concepts as well.
   
2. Bibliographic Instruction as provided by the Ethel K. Smith Library of Wingate University: Currently, the entire staff of the EKS Library makes a concentrated, pro-active effort to provide general library and specific reference services to all community members. However, a special effort is made to assist teachers and students, especially on the secondary level, in the surrounding area. Meetings are held with all the Media Co-ordinators of the five surrounding high schools. The purpose of these meetings is to make the Co-ordinators aware of the library resources that are available to both the students and teachers of their schools. The main request of the Reference Department is that teachers, when arranging a bibliographic instruction session for their classes, schedule an appointment. This allows the Reference Department to make allowances for necessary equipment, LCD presentations, and handouts that are a part of the bibliographic instruction session.