Collaboration for point‐of‐need library instruction

Beginning in the spring of 2001, a librarian and a member of the teaching faculty collaborated on an advanced information literacy instructional experience through the teaching faculty's “Issues in Science and Technology” classes. They collected data from the students both before and after the advanced information literacy instructional sessions that included the students' own attitudes about, and perceived level of, information literacy. Additionally, the instructor assigned point values to assignments directly related to the information literacy instruction her students received, thereby encouraging participation. The collaborators found that increasing the point values of the related assignments also increased student participation and performance. They also found strong indications that offering advanced library instruction to upper‐division students at their point of need, as they are facing more challenging research assignments in their regular coursework, also increases student interest and participation in the program.