As we mentioned in our post of June 14, the manuscript of Metaliteracy in Practice has been delivered to our editors, ALA Neal-Schuman, with publication expected in late 2015 or early 2016. The volume includes nine chapters, whose authors explore a wide range of teaching situations and opportunities where metaliteracy provides a structural and pedagogical framework.

We thought that brief overviews of some of the content might interest you.  Over the next month or two we will feature these sneak peaks, written by chapter authors, as blog posts. We hope they will whet your appetite!

Chapter 4:

Where Collections and Metaliteracy Meet: Incorporating Library-Owned Platforms into Open and Collaborative Library Instruction

Amanda Scull

Keene State College, New Hampshire

Many of the ways in which librarians provide instruction are dependent upon libraries’ subscription content, namely databases and online journals. Yet in a time when our budgets are decreasing and the cost of those resources increases annually, librarians should consider shifting their focus to library-owned platforms that support local content creation. This focus on institutionally created content housed on library platforms requires a shift in the way we define “collections.” However, this approach allows librarians to innovate and adapt their instruction in ways that engage students with collaboration, varied content, and the literacies demanded of today’s scholars and workforce.

This chapter focuses on the use of institutional repositories and LibGuides as two platforms through which librarians can both teach and develop content. There are many ways to connect the metaliteracy objectives to instruction through these platforms, as they are ideal places for encouraging students to collaborate and participate in the scholarly conversation. Practical examples of how librarians are already using these platforms at colleges and universities are provided, as well as suggestions for assessment and mapping to the metaliteracy goals and objectives and ACRL’s Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.