Library Research Session

I conducted my second Library Research Session of the semester last night. I implemented this idea last fall. My goal was to take one hour, one evening each month and conduct a session for students (completely voluntary and optional) about an aspect of library resouces--resources for a particular subject, search techniques in a particular database, etc.

The first session, a week-ago yesterday, was a follow-up to the Research & Writing classes of the week before--re-enforcing how to find library resources and some basic search tips in our primary databases. I understood that both of the Research & Writing professors recommended that their students (basically all 100 new students) attend the session--4 showed up. I was rather disappointed.

Yesterday's session was about some advanced LexisNexis search techniques. The session was required by one of the professors for her DRW (Directed Research & Writing) students. 10-12 students showed up, about what I expected.

I asked students to give me some written feedback at the end of the session last night. More than one student wrote that the session should've been required for all juniors.

I get frustrated at times. The library does have all these great resources and when students ask (or are forced to listen), I can teach them some very useful things about searching. But they don't ask and I'm not convinced that forcing something on a grand scale is worth the effort required and negative feelings that would be generated.