Gearing up for new students

Each semester a new class of freshmen begin their collegiate experience. Most likely these students are leaving home for the very first time. Most have lofty and misplaced ideas about how things will be at college. In reality students are usually overwhelmed with the rigors of being a college student.

The first difficulty a freshmen faces is the mere size of a college campus. It usually takes a few weeks for a student to become familiar with their new surroundings. The second difficulty is adjusting to a new learning structure. At college it is up to the student to complete his or her work without anyone monitoring them. The third difficulty is learning how to effectively use a college library and its resources. Let's consider these difficulties in relation to new students and information literacy.

Most academic libraries conduct new student orientations each year to welcome incoming freshmen. New Student Orientations take place at Florida State University from the middle of May until the end of June. Unfortunately, like most universities, the sessions are not mandatory at FSU. One reason is because numerous campus informational sessions take place at the same time. So librarians are forced to convince students and parents to come in, sit down, and learn about the library instead of Greek life. No easy task to say the least, not even for an instruction librarian.

You may be thinking, "How does this relate to information literacy?"

First, if we want students to be information literate, then we must convince them to use the library and its resources. Second, if we don't portray our best face when a student begins her/his college experience, then they'll probably be harder to reach later. Third, its in the library's best interest to wow and hook them early with the resources and magnitude of information. All three of these points will promote information literacy, for a student can't find, evaluate, and use information unless we first introduce the necessary tools.

And if the librarian can convince the student he/she can help with all three difficulties instead of just the third, then the student might be more inclined to attend the libraries session and visit the library.

During the orientation we can demonstrate the campus geography by using the library as a central location. This will help a student always keep the library in the forefront of their mind when navigating the campus. And we can explain how the library is the perfect place to prepare for the student's new learning environment. This entails not only providing adequate support services but fostering the idea that the library is the coolest place to spend time.

So if we address difficulties one and two, then the third step takes care of itself.