ABSTRACT
Undergraduate students arrive at a research-oriented university or college with varying levels of experience and ability in using libraries or information. The Purdue University Undergraduate Library has designed an instruction program to teach large numbers of students the essential library research skills needed for completing higher education program requirements and for lifelong learning. The major objective of the program is to instill a sense of the value of information utilization to all students without presenting impossible demands on limited library personnel resources.
To meet this objective, the Undergraduate Library Research Skills Program was developed. Through use of several components designed for on-demand, self-directed learning, students obtain instruction on how to logically and efficiently conduct library research. This approach allows students and faculty to satisfy their information instruction requirements based on their personal interest, motivation, and time constraints. The following paper describes the components of this Program and the methodology employed for integrating the content of these components into the existing curriculum. Enhancements to this Program are also described to suggest a process whereby this Program could be adapted to other libraries’ instruction requirements.
