Information Literacy Plan: Promoting Faculty Information Literacy

Given the importance of the UNH Law Faculty in the information literacy process, it is critical the Faculty are information literate themselves or their students will not be. Librarians and Faculty will seek to create and support collaborative partnerships to integrate information literacy concepts into the curriculum with a sustained focus throughout the students’ educational experience at UNH Law.

Promoting Faculty Information Literacy

1.    Librarian Liaison Program

Under the library's Liaison Program, each Faculty member is assigned a librarian who can help with requests for research or materials to support teaching and scholarship. This one on one assistance can range from performing database searching and tracking down esoteric materials to handling in-depth research projects and working with Faculty research assistants. Librarians also offer customized sessions on use of the Internet and other electronic sources as well as in-class research presentations.

2.    Presentations to Introduce Library Services and Resources

Periodically the Teaching Librarian(s) will make a brief presentation to the Faculty to increase awareness of relevant library services and resources.

3.    Librarians Collaborating with Related Faculty Committees

Library Liaisons will engage with the Curriculum, Scholarship, Teaching Effectiveness and other applicable Committees to engage Faculty in ways to promote information literacy classroom opportunities.

Faculty Participation in Information Literacy

1.    Increase Faculty Integration of Research Presentations Throughout the Curriculum and Clinics

Faculty members are encouraged to invite the teaching librarians to participate in their courses and clinics to ensure students are exposed to specialized research tools and databases and prepare them for practice. The goal is to progressively increase research presentations and engagements available throughout the curriculum. Training information literate practice ready professionals begins in the first semester. Courses and clinics with research events further build upon this foundation throughout the law school experience. This is an iterative process where the skills spill over into clinics, externships, employment and volunteer work as well as subsequent courses.  

2.    Increase Faculty Incorporation of Information Literacy Goals and Assessment Throughout the Curriculum

Faculty are encouraged to target specific AALL Standards in their courses, identify them in their course syllabi and build-in assignments where they assess student mastery of the specific information literacy goals. The Teaching Librarians will consult with Faculty on the design of built-in research-based assignments and exercises and are willing to provide information on library resources. The goal is to increase the number of built-in research assignments throughout the curriculum.