Library Instruction Services

The Limestone University Library at Limestone University is committed to supporting students, faculty, and staff through Library Instruction services. These services include instruction sessions, reference hours, research consultations, embedded services, webinars, tutorials, and more conducted online and in-person. Regardless of the method, our instruction services aim to help students become effective at seeking and evaluating sources, using information effectively and ethically, and developing critical thinking skills.   

• Identify research and information literacy skills that need to be developed in our students
• Provide appropriate instruction for the skill level & needs of student researchers
• Identify appropriate tools and resources to aid students in research
• Evaluate instruction methods to better services and student learning

The Library Instruction Program aims to improve student learning and provide students with the skills necessary to succeed in their coursework and beyond the classroom.The Instruction Program primarily works to serve students at two levels of learning: Basic Research & Advanced Research. Our learning outcomes for the Instruction Program were developed based on the needs of our students and faculty and reflects concepts from the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. 

After receiving library instruction, students at the Basic Library Research level (Year 1 & 2) should be able to:

• Identify appropriate tools/resources to look for information (ACRL Frame: Research as Inquiry; Searching as Strategic Exploration)
• Find appropriate and quality sources of information for research needs (ACRL Frame: Information Creation as a Process; Searching as Strategic Exploration)
• Evaluate sources of information to determine quality and usefulness to their research (ACRL Frame: Authority is Constructed & Contextual; Scholarship as Conversation)
• Use information ethically (ACRL Frame: Information has Value; Scholarship as Conversation)
• Use research strategies effectively and deliberately (ACRL Frame: Research as Inquiry; Searching as Strategic Exploration)

After receiving Library Instruction, students at the Advanced Library Research level (Year 3 & 4) should be able to:

• Apply advanced research strategies effectively and efficiently in both the databases and on the web (Research as Inquiry; Searching as Strategic Exploration)
• Demonstrate good judgment and critical thinking when doing research (Authority is Constructed & Contextual; Searching as Strategic Exploration)
• Effectively use both library sources and outside sources for research (Searching as Strategic Exploration)
• Consider research questions and research in an interdisciplinary way (Research as Inquiry; Scholarship as Conversation)
• Understands major ethical issues in scholarship (Information has Value; Scholarship as Conversation)