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DSU’s Quinn  attends ACRL/IIL Immersion Program

            Dakota State University reference librarian, Todd Quinn will be attending the Association of College & Research Libraries annual ACRL/Institute for Information Literacy (IIL) Immersion Program from August 3-8, 2001 at Plattsburgh State University of New York.

            The program offers four-and-one-half days of intensive training and education for instruction librarians. It is designed to help librarians and institutions develop and implement information literacy programs on their campus. The Program provides two tracks: “Librarian as Teacher,” focusing on individual development for new librarians or instruction librarians who are interested in enhancing, refreshing, or extending their individual instruction skill, and “Librarian as Educator”, focusing on developing, integrating, and managing institutional and programmatic information literacy programs on campus. Quinn is one of 92 individuals selected from a competitive application process. The participants and Immersion faculty have been using WebCT throughout the summer to share pre-Immersion reading assignments, case studies, discussion threads, and action plans.

Quinn will be doing the “Librarian as Teacher” track. “I strongly supported Todd’s application to participate in Track I of ACRL’s Immersion ’01,” said Ethelle Bean, Director of the Mundt Library. “DSU's mission emphasizes the use and integration of computer technology in all aspects of its curriculum and this mission has been warmly embraced by the library.”

             Quinn was eager to attend the program because it helps the library develop its information literacy program and it grew from his own strong commitment to professional growth and development.

              “Part of the reason he was selected was the strong support and focus that DSU and the Library have given to information literacy – part of our General Education goals and Rise’s attendance last year in Track II,” Bean added.

               Last year, DSU Public Services Librarian Rise Smith, attended the “Librarian as Educator” track in Seattle WA

“In order for Todd and I to work together with faculty to create the program, we need to have a common understanding of information literacy goals,” said Smith. “That is one important reason for Todd to also have the opportunity to attend Immersion.”

“Also, Todd and I both bring different knowledge sets to contribute to the program.  Track II offered me the opportunity to learn more about developing an information literacy program.  In Track I, Todd will learn about learning theory and teaching,” added Smith.

             Dakota State University is the only university in the state that will have had librarians participate in both Track I and Track II of the ACRL/Institute for Information Literacy (IIL) Immersion Program.

             “At DSU, our goal is to support the students and teach them the skills that will make them information literate so they will not only succeed here at DSU, but also in their private and professional lives,” said Bean. “Recent surveys have indicated that employers are looking to hire individuals with strong information skills.”

“Libraries have long provided research instruction to classes and individuals,” said Smith. “What distinguishes information literacy from earlier approaches to library instruction is the focus on developing a “program” in cooperation with faculty to integrate information literacy throughout the curriculum.”