Teaching librarians: 10 concepts shaping the role

Abstract:

This chapter explores and discusses 10 key trends and concepts that are currently influencing the shape and future development of the teaching role in academic libraries. The 10 concepts described are: developing a teacher identity; reflective practice; developing a personal teaching philosophy and knowledge base; the virtual learning environment (VLE); teaching a diverse student base; information literacy for graduate students and researchers; instructional training for librarians; action research in practice; reinvigorated strategies for collaboration; and advocacy.

Key words

reflective practice

virtual learning environment

student diversity

action research

advocacy

collaboration

While the unstoppable march of technology is the dominant factor influencing the evolution of the teaching librarian role, librarians should also be aware of other phenomena which are shaping and moulding instruction in libraries. This chapter examines 10 emerging concepts which are determining the direction of teaching and learning in the academic library setting.

Developing a 'teacher identity'

'Once an individual has accepted and internalised expectations for a role as part of his or her identity, that identity becomes a cognitive framework for interpreting new experiences' (Colbeck, 2008: 10).

In Chapter 1, we observed that 'teaching librarian' remains a varied and subjective role that defies a 'one-size-fits-all' description and is heavily influenced by the tremendous changes occurring within the profession and society at large; however, it was also noted that it is important for a professional who is currently filling that role to develop a clear sense of purpose, an understanding of how the role fits with other information work, and feelings of competence and confidence in order to perform effectively. To teach well, librarians benefit from constructing a personal 'teacher identity', which could best be described as an individual framework of beliefs, values and attitudes that offer a context for evaluating and developing your instructional work. Not having such a framework can have a negative effect. As Walter states, 'Lack of a consistent teacher identity among academic librarians may hinder their effectiveness in meeting these expanding instructional responsibilities in a changing organisational environment' (2008: 65). It is also important to try to resolve any conflict between the 'teaching' and 'librarianship' roles, where it exists - Colbeck suggests that 'when two identities with contrasting meanings and expectations are activated at the same time, an individual is likely to experience stress' (2008: 10).

So, is fostering a teacher identity among librarians essential, or does it really make a difference? There are a number of strong arguments in favour of encouraging teaching librarians to think about what their role means:

 Confidence. Librarians who are clear about their sense of purpose, and who experience no conflict or ambiguity about their role, are more likely to feel positive about their job performance and their ability to handle the tasks required of them.

 Motivation. Librarians who have a strong sense of what their role entails, as well as the degree to which their efforts support student learning and serve the needs of society at large, are more driven to develop goals and learning objectives and to deliver programmes which align with the overall educational mission of their institutions and which are satisfying on a personal level.

 Communication with outsiders. Librarians who have the ability to clearly and unambiguously describe what they do and the contribution that they make are better prepared to identify shared goals and common concerns with outside parties, such as academics, and to suggest collaborative arrangements which are of benefit to both sides. They are also more adept at marketing and promoting their services to potential users.

 Professional identity. A stronger image of the instructional role in librarianship contributes to the reshaping and clarification of the overall identity of the profession, which is undergoing significant changes in the light of the technological revolution and users' changing information habits and preferences.

 Identification of training needs. A greater understanding of the day-today experience of being a teaching librarian helps to highlight the challenges of the role and to identify areas in which training is most needed, at both pre-service and in-service level.

The daily experiences of teaching librarians are only partly understood. To date, there has been very little research into librarians' 'teacher identity', and the general conceptualisation of the role is largely shaped through anecdotal evidence or expert analysis and predictions about the 'future of the librarian'. However, two very recent empirical studies offer welcome insights into the perceptions and subjective experiences of teaching librarians in practice. Walter's study (2008) analysed the interview testimony of six academic librarians who were heavily involved in instruction in their institutions, while Julien and Pecoskie's research (2009) engaged a wider sample of 48 librarians, who participated in semi-structured interviews. In both studies, the findings show that the teaching librarian's experience can be rewarding, although equally challenging and frequently stressful.

The first, Walter's study (2008), discovered five key themes which ran through the experiences of the librarians who were interviewed. These themes are likely to be familiar to practising librarians, who undoubtedly experience the same challenges and rewards:

 The centrality of teaching. The librarians explained how their teaching role tended to flow into everything else they did - they saw themselves as 'always teaching' and had accepted their jobs because of the teaching opportunities attached to the posts.

 The importance of collegial and administrative support. The librarians emphasised the importance of supportive colleagues and supervisors who allowed them to pursue their teaching duties unobstructed.

 The stress of multiple demands. All of the librarians experienced personal stress due to competing demands on their time - they worried that they were unable to give 100 per cent to each task and felt conflicted with regard to their various responsibilities.

 Deficiencies in professional education. As we observed in Chapter 1, this is a widespread problem. The librarians in the study felt unprepared for their teaching work, as they had not received sufficient training in pre-service education.

 Stereotypes and misperceptions. The librarians spoke of a feeling that those outside the profession do not understand or appreciate the role and function of libraries, and that the traditional librarian stereotype does not include the teaching aspect. This was personally frustrating for them.

Julien and Pecoskie (2009) found that the librarians in their study were wholly preoccupied by their relationships with the academics in their institutions, rather than the mechanics of teaching or their own information skills: 'the faculty/librarian relationship is so critical that sometimes instructional success was defined . as successful faculty negotiation and relations, rather than in terms of students' learning' (2009: 151). Their research points to three major themes which characterise this relationship:

 The 'gift of time'. The librarians spoke of a sense of dependence on the academics, who had the power to grant or to refuse them the 'gift of time' of a slot in their modules to teach information literacy. Access to the curriculum for the librarians is entirely dependent on the academics' attitudes and 'generosity'.

 Deference to academics. This theme was revealed through the librarians' use of language when describing their relationships with the academics. They seemed hesitant, using terms like 'sort of' and 'kind of' when referring to their involvement with the academic curricula, and appeared overly grateful for any support received.

 Incidences of disrespect. Several incidents recounted by the librarians pointed to difficult and unequal power relationships between the two parties - the librarians testified to feeling exploited and 'used' by the academics in some situations. They felt marginalised, unappreciated and frustrated by the lack of recognition.

While these studies represent the first systematic forays into the subjective world of the teaching librarian, they offer an initial, although limited, framework for exploring and understanding the role. As...