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Rencana-Rencana I Articles Library User Education Programme 1993194 Devindar Kaur Chair Abstrak: Sempena Minggu Haluansiswa yang diadakan 'olen Bahagian Hal Ehwal Pelajar, Universiti Malaya untuk pelajar-pelajar baru, Perpustakaan telah mengadakan Program Pendidikan Pengguna khusus untuk membolehkan pelajar-pelajar baru memperolehi kemahiran-kemahiran asas dalam penggunaan perpustakaan. Kemahiran-kemahiran eses dalam pencarian dan penggunaan maklumat amatlah penting untuk mengajar dan melatih pelajar-pelajar baru mengguna perpustakaan secara berdikari. Dalam usaha ini, Perpustakaan telah menyediakan program di mana para petejer telah diperkenalkan kepada struktur dan organisasi perpustakaan, jenis dan skop koleksi, perkhidmatan- perkhidmatan yang diberi serta teknik-teknlk pencarian maklumat yang canggih dan terkini. Pendek kata, tujuan utama Program ini ialah untuk mendedahkan pelajar- pelajar baru kepada apa yang relevan di perpustakaan untuk pembelajaran mereka dan bagaimana mereka dapat memperolehi sumber-sumber maklumat atau maklumat yang tertentu yang dikehendaki melelul perkhidmatan dan sistem yang disediakan. Program ini merangkumi sesl-sesl orientasi di mana para pelajar didedahkan kepada susunatur, koleksi dan perkhidmatan perpustakaan, tunjukajar penggunaan OPAC dan penyediaan perkhidmatan pertanyaan selama sebulan. Abstract: In conjunction with the Orientation Week organised by the Student Affairs Division of the University of Malaya, the Library undertook a Library User Education Programme for new students of the 1993/94 academic session. With the objective of inculcating lifelong skills and encouragement of independent learning the user educa- tion programme that lasted for a month was drawn up incorporating library orientation and the more indepth library instruction. During the library tour students were intro- duced to the library, its collection and services. OPAC sessions were conducted to instruct students on information retrieval to meet their needs. Follow-up sessions for more indepth searching was facilitated and a reference enquiry desk service was set up. In future the Library will playa more determining role in the University's orientation programme to further improve the effectiveness of user education. Introduction In planning library user education the goals and objectives of the programme must be in agreement with the general aims of the univer- sity library, that in turn must reJate to the goals and aims of higher education. The University of Malaya Library is an integral part of the univer- sity. Its role is to provide services which facili- tate the teaching, learning and research func- tions of the university. In respect of its role to facilitate the teaching-learning process it is the responsibility of the library not only to support the teaching function of the university but also to actively participate in that function. The library's basic responsibility in user education is to instruct users in the effective identification and use of information sources relevant to their needs and interests. It aims to equip students with life-long skills in relation to the retrieval of information and to teach them to make intelli- gent, independent decisions about library use. In this way library user education plays its role of supporting the university's objective of en- couraging independent learning among stu- dents. This in tum supports the objective of higher education to educate individuals and prepare them with the life-long ability for critical thinking, decision-making and problem solv- ing. . Librarian, Reader Services Division Kekal Abadi 12 (3) September 1993 !,;l ------~~--------------------------~~

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Page 1: Rencana-Rencana I Articles - UM

Rencana-Rencana I ArticlesLibrary User Education Programme 1993194

Devindar Kaur Chair

Abstrak: Sempena Minggu Haluansiswa yang diadakan 'olen Bahagian Hal EhwalPelajar, Universiti Malaya untuk pelajar-pelajar baru, Perpustakaan telah mengadakanProgram Pendidikan Pengguna khusus untuk membolehkan pelajar-pelajar baru memperolehikemahiran-kemahiran asas dalam penggunaan perpustakaan. Kemahiran-kemahiraneses dalam pencarian dan penggunaan maklumat amatlah penting untuk mengajar danmelatih pelajar-pelajar baru mengguna perpustakaan secara berdikari. Dalam usahaini, Perpustakaan telah menyediakan program di mana para petejer telah diperkenalkankepada struktur dan organisasi perpustakaan, jenis dan skop koleksi, perkhidmatan-perkhidmatan yang diberi serta teknik-teknlk pencarian maklumat yang canggih danterkini. Pendek kata, tujuan utama Program ini ialah untuk mendedahkan pelajar-pelajar baru kepada apa yang relevan di perpustakaan untuk pembelajaran merekadan bagaimana mereka dapat memperolehi sumber-sumber maklumat atau maklumatyang tertentu yang dikehendaki melelul perkhidmatan dan sistem yang disediakan.Program ini merangkumi sesl-sesl orientasi di mana para pelajar didedahkan kepadasusunatur, koleksi dan perkhidmatan perpustakaan, tunjukajar penggunaan OPACdan penyediaan perkhidmatan pertanyaan selama sebulan.

Abstract: In conjunction with the Orientation Week organised by the Student AffairsDivision of the University of Malaya, the Library undertook a Library User EducationProgramme for new students of the 1993/94 academic session. With the objective ofinculcating lifelong skills and encouragement of independent learning the user educa-tion programme that lasted for a month was drawn up incorporating library orientationand the more indepth library instruction. During the library tour students were intro-duced to the library, its collection and services. OPAC sessions were conducted toinstruct students on information retrieval to meet their needs. Follow-up sessions formore indepth searching was facilitated and a reference enquiry desk service was setup. In future the Library will playa more determining role in the University's orientationprogramme to further improve the effectiveness of user education.

Introduction

In planning library user education the goalsand objectives of the programme must be inagreement with the general aims of the univer-sity library, that in turn must reJate to the goalsand aims of higher education. The University ofMalaya Library is an integral part of the univer-sity. Its role is to provide services which facili-tate the teaching, learning and research func-tions of the university. In respect of its role tofacilitate the teaching-learning process it is theresponsibility of the library not only to supportthe teaching function of the university but alsoto actively participate in that function. The

library's basic responsibility in user educationis to instruct users in the effective identificationand use of information sources relevant to theirneeds and interests. It aims to equip studentswith life-long skills in relation to the retrieval ofinformation and to teach them to make intelli-gent, independent decisions about library use.In this way library user education plays its roleof supporting the university's objective of en-couraging independent learning among stu-dents. This in tum supports the objective ofhigher education to educate individuals andprepare them with the life-long ability for criticalthinking, decision-making and problem solv-ing.

. Librarian, Reader Services Division

Kekal Abadi 12 (3) September 1993 !,;l------~~--------------------------~~

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To meet the objectives of library user educa-tion the programme should be structured insuch a way that it will enable the student torecognise the library as a vital primary sourceof information and to familiarise himself withthe resources available to him. It should equiphim with fundamental retrieval skills to enableeffective use of the library resources such ascatalogues, reference sources and computerterminals to retrieve information on even themost specialised of topics. The programmeought to convey the fact that libraries use clas-sification systems to organise materials sothat the student will recognise that classifica-tion numbers and subject headings are mean-ingful in obtaining relevant information on histopic. It will enable him to interpret recordsand information on holdings and make effec-tive use of the more complex library resourcesranging from periodical indexes and abstractsto governmental publications. It must developin the student an appreciation of scholarlycommunication in his field, an understandingof the scientific publications cycle and trustin approaching information personnel forassistance. The acquisition of such skills andunderstanding of concepts will have life-longbenefits for the user.

User education must integrate in its pro-gramme not only skills and concepts but alsonew technology. With advances in technologydramatic changes have occurred in terms ofstorage of information in computerised form.Library card catalogues have been abandonedin 'favour of online computerised cataloguesand information sources stored in digital form incompact discs called CD-ROM are rapidly re-placing printed versions. Incorporated in thelibrary user education programme in the Uni-versity of Malaya Library is instruction on newtechnological developments and teaching ofspecialised retrieval skills related to the use ofonline and CD-ROM databases.

With these educational objectives and frame-work of user education in mind, the LibraryUser Education Programme for the 1993/94academic session embarked a new approachof combining library orientation with libraryinstruction. In the literature of user education adistinction is often made between library orien-tation and library instruction. Whilst library ori-entation is concerned with enabling studentsto become aware of the existence of the univer-

sity library and the services available to them,library instruction is concerned with problemsof information retrieval and enables students toobtain information required for specific pur-poses. The programme thus comprised a per-sonalised library tour, Online Public AccessCatalogue (OPAC) instruction and an enquirydesk service. The programme stretched over aperiod of seven weeks, beginning with the offi-cial university orientation week, from 5 July...1993 to 14 August 1993. • ••

The Library User Education Programme fromnow will be formally developed to "build bridges"with the teaching faculties and will incorporateuser education instruction sessions on particu-lar subjects. Attempts will be made to incorpo-rate new instructional strategies in user educa-tion and new approaches such as reflective andcritical thinking will be explored. This articledescribes in detail the Library User EducationProgramme for undergraduates of the 1993/94academic session scheduled for a period ofseven weeks.

Orientation Sessions

This was to introduce the new students tothe library and to inform them briefly andefficiently the library services and collections.This was performed in a personalised mannerwith professional staff taking the students on atour of the library and pointing out the collec-tions and services.

Orientation is the first step in any libraryinstruction programme and new users, like tra-vellers in a foreign country, need to find theirbearings with basic information about thelibrary. Students must know how the library isarranged physically before they are able to usethe services and collections. A library tour bygroups of students guided by professional staffprovided the students with a first-hand knowl-edge of the library.

With the introduction of advanced technol-ogy in the form of computers and in particularwith the availability of an online catalogue,OPAC, there is a need to familiarise studentswith the search procedures and protocols re-quired in using OPAC. This includes teachingeffective and efficient use of the library's col-lection by way of OPAC. The time-consuming

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• but personalised library tour was therefore com-bined with elements of bibliographic instructionto impart basic retrieval skills. The latter wasstrategically provided in the second and thirdweeks of the programme.

Team Effort

With a total of 2,355 new students (exclud-ing the Medical, Dental, Biomedical, Nursingand Law students who are serviced by branchlibraries) and seven time slots in the weekallocated by the Student Affairs Division of theUniversity, the Library Orientation necessitateda team effort on the part of the professionalstaff.

The planning, coordination and manage-ment of the programme was the responsibilityof the Reader Services Division. It was appar-ent that the library tour, if it was to be success-ful and personalised, required the participationof other divisions in the library. There were ninevolunteers doing an average of six library tourseach. Another five professionals were cooptedduring an unexpected turn out in the numberof students at a particular time slot. A totalnumber of 1,600 students benefitted from thelibrary tours. In all, 56 tours were conductedwith an average of 22 students per tour.

Materials, handouts and trial run

Confirmation of the tour dates was made ata meeting with the Student Affairs Division ofthe University. Official announcement was madeby way of letters to every faculty, department,unit, centre and residential college of the Uni-versity. Posters for display at the respectivepremises were appended. Venue and time oftours were also indicated. .

For up-to-date and comprehensive informa-tion on the library, its layout, collections andservices, a booklet was produced and distrib-uted to the students. A set of handouts an-nounced rules and regulations of the library.Also dispensed was a handout announcingloan procedures of the basic recommendedreading materials in the Red Spot Collection.

A quick basic guide to the use of OPAC wasproduced and distributed to participants at theOPAC instruction sessions. This was supple-

mented with a single sheet handout explainingelements of a bibliographic record that appearon the screen when searching OPAC.

At a strategic location in the library foyer,a Library User Education Display Board wasmounted. Posters of the floor plans, bookstacklevels, opening hours, collections, services andnotices relating to the Library User EducationProgramme were displayed. A schedule of theOPAC instruction sessions was drawn up forstudents to select, register and attend them.These sessions were held in the Reading Hallin the lower level of the first floor of the Library.

To ensure consistency and comprehensive-ness in presentation and coverage of the tourby the professional staff, a tour route wasdrawn up for them. Discussions were held toiron out irregularities and a trial run of the tourwas made prior to the orientation week.

The Tour

The programme commenced with a briefingby one of the reference librarians in the Refer-ence Hall where the students assembled. Withthe aid of a one-minute electronic slide showusing the microcomputer, information on col-lections, services, branch libraries and generallibrary etiquette to be observed in the librarywas presented. The briefing provided an op-portunity to announce the OPAC instructionsessions and to stress the importance of at-tending them. Library registration procedureswere also explained.

The one-hour tour of the library commencedafter students were split into manageable groupsof 20-25 each. Each group was led on thepersonalised tour by a librarian. This methodpermittted first-hand knowledge of collectionsand services to the students. They were ledfrom one service point to another. At the Circu-lation Service Counter the online computerisedloan, return and reservation transactions weredemonstrated. The aim was to familiarise stu-dents with the online system. With this, stu-dents will be able to tell if a book is on loan,when it is due and how reservations may bemade. Students were again reminded to regis-ter for the OPAC instruction sessions. All tourswere conducted in the first week of the pro-gramme, from 29 June 1993 till 3 July 1993.

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OPAC Instruction Sessions

Team effort was also required for this part ofthe programme. Held from 5 July 1993 to 17July 1993 on an hourly basis, the sessionswere conducted by nine professional librar-ians. In all, 54 sessions were held with about1,080 students attending.

With the aid of an overhead projector and acomputer panel to project the OPAC screen,students were taught how to trace library mate-rials by author, title, subject and call number. Asignificant advantage in using computer tech-nology is the ability to provide 'keyword' accessin searching. By combining keywords or signifi-cant words that define a topic, students weretaught to trace relevant materials on their areasof interest.

As a reinforcement, students were provideda further opportunity to pursue more indepthsearching via OPAC sessions offered by theprofessional staff on night duty. These follow-up sessions were conducted on a one-to-onebasis in the evenings from 5 to 6 for four weeks,that is after the OPAC instruction sessionsperiod, from 19 July 1993 to 14 August 1993.

Enquiry Desk

An enquiry desk was stationed in the foyerof the library for answering quick referencequeries. Both directional, quick reference andcatalogue enquiries were received. The deskalso served as an access point for studentsto place requests for additional copies ofessential reading materials recommended bylecturers. Special request forms were devisedfor this purpose. The titles requested wereordered immediately by the library.

Conclusion

In reviewing the Library User Education Pro-gramme it was evident that the role of thelibrary vis-a-vis the Orientation programme ofthe university needed to be re-examined. Infuture the library plans to play an instrumentalrole in the planning and organisational stageof the university's orientation programme thatpertains to the use of the library. Traditionallythe Student Affairs Division of tlfe. Universityhas been responsible for drawing up the timeschedules for the library visits for new stu-dents. Students had been scheduled for libraryvisits according to their colleges of residence.They were grouped randomly irrespective ofcourses pursued. The time slots allotted weretoo few.

Subject-based and faculty-based groupswould be a better rationale for grouping thancollege-based groups. With such a breadthand depth of collection and wealth of informa-tion in the library, user education will be moreeffective if it includes highlighting of and con-centration on collections and services relevantto the student.

To enable students to make meaningful useof classification numbers and subject head-ings, to retrieve information for their topics andto understand the complexities of publicationsin subject fields, faculty-based group visitsand instruction will be attempted.

To meet the objectives of user educationand to have a more effective programme thelibrary will involve itself directly with the Stu-dent Affairs Division in order to determine thatthe library schedules are based on the needsof particular groups.