Library Instruction

Home
Academics
Decker Library
Faculty Resources
Library Instruction

Library Instruction

In this Section

Library Instruction
Course Reserves
Video Streaming Service for Faculty
Teaching at Decker Library: Creating Scholars and Researchers Together.

The Decker Library Information Literacy Program is devoted to encouraging, nourishing, and empowering all MICA students to find, use, and create information responsibly in a changing world.

Decker librarians do more than just show students how to use the library or connect them to the collection. The Information Literacy Program focuses on instilling the skills, knowledge practices, dispositions, and habits of mind that allow all students to conduct rigorous research and navigate complex information systems in the academic and studio classroom, and beyond. Even artists and designers need research!

 

Decker Library Information Literacy Curriculum

For select undergraduate and graduate courses at MICA, faculty are required or highly encouraged to schedule course-specific library lessons as part of the course curriculum. These library lessons gives every student a foundational education in information literacy through the support and collaboration between MICA faculty and Decker librarians. 

Schedule All Required Instruction Below

Undergraduate Courses

  • FYE:  Contemporary Visual Languages - Schedule your required library orientation for first-year undergraduate students.
  • FYE: Independent Studio - Schedule an optional library lesson on research for making.
  • FYE: Color Design - Schedule an optional library lesson to use the Josef Albers' Interaction of Color.
  • HMST: Ways of Writing - Schedule required (Lesson A) and optional (Lesson B) library lessons for your Ways of Writing Course.
  • HADVC: Modernisms - Access the optional Canvas library module by searching for "Modernisms Library Module" in the Canvas Commons.
  • HADVC: Ways of Seeing - Schedule at least one of the required lessons (A or B) for your Ways of Seeing course.
  • Thesis Lessons - Schedule an optional lesson on thesis research for your third- or fourth-year undergraduate students.

Graduate Courses

 

Schedule Additional Library Instruction

Librarians will also teach lessons for courses without existing library curriculum upon faculty request! Traditional modes for library instruction include bringing your class to the library classroom for a lesson or a collection visit taught by a librarian.

  • Information Literacy Lesson (90 mins): Whether your students are working on a research assignment or there are elements of research and information literacy in the course itself, collaborate with librarians on a lesson related to a specific concept, skill, or knowledge practice of information literacy. This is a great chance to give your students hands-on practice using the library, the collections, and library services!
  • Collection Visit (60 mins):  Bring your class to the library to explore our amazing collections! Work with librarians to select an array of items relevant to your course. These items can include artists' books and special collections, zines, games, and circulating materials. These visits can also include librarian-led learning activities to include more information literacy instruction!

The library also offers librarians visiting your classroom (in-person and online) for a lesson or presentation or class visits to the library to view Josef Albers' Interaction of Color.

Schedule Additional Instruction Offerings Below

 

Get in Touch:

Have questions or need further assistance? Reach out to Tannaz Motevalli, Information Literacy and Instructional Design Librarian, tmotevalli@mica.edu.

Decker Library Home Search the Catalog

Frequently Asked Questions

Most library sessions can be scheduled within 120 days in advance using our scheduling program Calendly. If you need to schedule even further in advance, please email Tannaz Motevalli at tmotevalli@mica.edu to place a hold on the instruction calendar for your session.

Almost all of our scheduling options require 1 week's notice so librarians can adequately plan for the session. The only exception is to view the Josef Albers’ Interaction of Color which requires 2 days notice to ensure a librarian is present to assist the faculty as needed.

All of our librarians teach!

When your session is scheduled any librarian can be assigned to your class, but scheduling constraints and workload are the primary factors that determine which librarian will be assigned to teach your session.

 

First you will select one of the offerings above and open it's specific Calendly link. Calendly will show you available times and require that you complete a brief form to gather helpful information the librarian will use to plan for your session. Please remember to use your preferred email when filling out the form! 

Once you've submitted the request, you will see a confirmation page and receive a calendar invite for the session from libraryclassroom@mica.edu.

Our Information Literacy and Instructional Design Librarian will then assign a librarian to your session by adding them to the calendar invite. That librarian will reach out to plan the session with you and coordinate any other details. You will also get an automated email reminder 2 days before the session occurs and day-of.

 

First, check to see if you used another email address when filling out the form. Check other inboxes to see if the calendar invite was sent to another email address. 

If you find it in another email that is not attached to your preferred calendar, you can simply add your preferred email address as an invitee to the event.

If you did not receive any calendar invitations, reach out to Tannaz Motevalli at tmotevalli@mica.edu to resolve the issue.

 

The librarian will make adjustments to the session according to the specific accommodation. However, we ask that the faculty member gives us adequate notice of the accommodation, not day-of.

Accommodations are valid in any and all learning settings at MICA, and we are determined to support all our students in the library classroom space. 

Yes, we require all faculty members to remain present in the library session. This allows the faculty to pass authority over to the librarian. Additionally, due to the closer relationship between faculty and their students, the faculty member may be more equipped to assist students who may need additional support and guidance throughout the lesson.

 

Rescheduling a session is always preferred to cancelling, but life happens, we get it! Rescheduling a session can occur within 24 hours notice, but last minute cancellations may be required if the librarian is not given adequate notice to reschedule the session.

 

There are many ways the library can be integrated into your course from having students schedule research consultations, to co-teaching a session with a librarian, to adding asynchronous activities or assignments made in collaboration with a librarian!

If you are interested in considering alternative ways of integrating the library into your course, reach out to Tannaz Motevalli at tmotevalli@mica.edu to discuss further.

 

You can always bring your class to use the library space and collection at any time. If you wish to give advance notice you can email refer@mica.edu. Please note, if your class is using the main library space, especially the lower level, be mindful of creating too much noise and disrupting other patrons who may be using the library for quiet study space.

Additionally, you can request to use the library classroom if it is available. Classroom requests can only be made within 7 days in advance, so if you wish to book the classroom further in advance, please email refer@mica.edu. 

 

About Our Program

Program Learning Outcomes

PLO 1: Pre-search, Exploration, and Inquiry

Students will be able to find inspiration and explore new ideas through open-ended and expansive inquiry. 

PLO 2: Search and Discovery

Students will be able to articulate isolated and disparate ideas and topics into iterative and flexible search queries. 

PLO 3: Adapting to Information Ecosystems

Students will be able to effectively navigate existing and evolving information systems with curiosity, critical observation, resilience, and persistence. 

PLO 4: Information Creation as a Process

Students will be able to examine the history and process of information's creation and dissemination.

PLO 5: Critical Thinking and Evaluation

Students will be able to evaluate information in varied contexts with a sense of critical or informed skepticism.

PLO 6: Synthesis

Students will be able to combine, test, and explore ideas across diverse and sometimes conflicting sources or perspectives to inform their own making process.

PLO 7: Responsible Use of Information

Students will develop a sense of responsibility to use and create information ethically with a critical understanding of information access or lack thereof.

Search for anything and everything at MICA: