The Role of Information Literacy in Service Learning Courses:

A Case Study and Best Practices

Chris Sweet

Illinois Wesleyan University

LOEX Annual Conference

Columbus, OH 5/4/2012

Takeaway message: “Service-Learning, combined with information literacy, adds value to each and transforms both.”

Emerging best practices for incorporating information literacy into service learning courses

  • Be able to situate both service-learning and information literacy within pedagogical theory and higher education reform movements
  • When appropriate be able to tie service-learning to institutional and library mission statements and/or strategic plans
  • Identify existing information literacy elements in service-learning courses and explain how they could be strengthened through collaboration with the library
  • Focus on information literacy’s ability to strengthen the contextualizing and reflection portions of service-learning courses
  • Know your campus organizations and faculty that are involved in service-learning
  • Know your local social service organizations and their needs
  • Monitor listservs that focus on service-learning such as those maintained by Campus Compact and the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
  • Collaborative, embedded librarian models are one of the best ways to support service-learning, but one-shot research instruction sessions can also be of benefit to service-learning courses
  • Librarian-led courses –particularly information literacy courses- can also benefit when structured around a service-learning model

Service-Learning Resources

Books

Bryant, A. J., Schönemann, N., & Karpa, D. (2011). Integrating service-learning into the university classroom / J. Alison Bryant, Nicole Schönemann, Doug Karpa. Sudbury, Mass. : Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Cipolle, S. B. (2010). Service-learning and social justice: Engaging students in social change Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

Eyler, J., & Giles, D. E., Jr. (1999). Where's the learning in service-learning? jossey-bass higher and adult education series

Jacoby, B. (1996). Service-learning in higher education : Concepts and practices (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Kaye, C. (2010). The Complete Guide to Service Learning: Proven, Practical Ways to Engage Students in Civic Responsibility, Academic Curriculum, & Social Action. Revised & Updated Second Edition. Free Spirit Publishing.

Kronick, R. F., Cunningham, R., & Gourley, M. (2011). Experiencing service-learning / Robert F. Kronick, Robert B. Cunningham, and Michele Gourley. Knoxville : University of Tennessee Press.

Kuh, G. D., & Schneider, C. G. (2008). High-impact educational practices : What they are, who has access to them, and why they matter Washington, DC : Association of American Colleges and Universities, c2008.

Articles

Allen, B. F. H. (2005). Service learning: A guide to selected resources. Collection Building, 24(4), 127-132.

Barry, M. (2011). Research for the greater good: Incorporating service learning in an information literacy course at wright state university. College & Research Libraries News, 72(6), 345-348.
Burns, L. T. (1998). Make sure it's service learning, not just community service. Education Digest, 64(2), 38.
Farmer, L. (2005). Student civic engagement: A bibliography. CSLA Journal, 29(1), 31-32.
Heffernan, K. (2001). Campus compact: Developing partnerships for community service. Community & Junior College Libraries, 10(2), 55-59.
Heiselt, A. K., & Wolverton, R. E. (2009). Libraries: Partners in linking college students and their communities through service learning. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 49(1), 83-90.

Hernandez, M., & Knight, L. (2010). Reinventing the box: Faculty-librarian collaborative efforts to foster service learning for political engagement. Journal for Civic Commitment, XVI(1), 1.

Herther, N. K. (2008). Service learning and engagement in the academic library: Operating out of the box. College & Research Libraries News, 69(7), 386-389.

Honnet, E., & Poulsen, S. (1996). Principles of good practice for combining service and learning. ().Johnson Foundation, Inc. Retrieved from

Meyer, N. J., & Miller, I. R. (2008). The library as service-learning partner: A win-win collaboration with students and faculty. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 15(4), 399-413.

Nutefall, J. E. (2011). Why service learning is important to librarians. OLA Quarterly, 17(3), 16-21.

Riddle, J. S. (2003). Where’s the library in service learning?: Models for engaged library instruction. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 29(2), 71-81. doi:10.1016/S0099-1333(02)00424-X

Wallace, L. M. (2005). A librarian's guide to service-learning. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 4(3), 385-390.

Organizations

Campus Compact
Learn and Serve America

National Service-Learning Clearinghouse

National Youth Leadership Council