Cultivating Information Literacy Instruction Practices in a Virtual Environment

Like many institutions, academic libraries were greatly impacted by the sudden arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in changes to hours of operation, material accessibility, and everyday tasks. This presentation highlights how the full spectrum of our research and instruction practices were impacted with the shift to an online learning environment. Information literacy instruction is challenging even during a typical semester. COVID-19 provided an unexpected albeit needed opportunity to reexamine our information practices and pedagogy, particularly outside of the traditional classroom environment. Some changes that we made include the introduction of virtual research appointments, a virtual drop-in reference desk, shifting a required library seminar to a webinar format, and teaching in classes where there were both students physically present and students attending remotely. We will bring our unique perspectives as two librarians with different backgrounds: one with several years of teaching experience and one entry-level librarian who started in the midst of COVID-19. As we reflect on how our instruction services and pedagogical practices evolved, we consider both the recognized benefits and our missteps when teaching in virtual spaces. The pandemic has necessitated that higher education institutions develop strategies for serving students in hybrid, fluid learning spaces. As the “new normal” has become routine, we are asking questions and encouraging dialogue about what we will take with us, what will be left behind, and how to frame information literacy instruction venturing forward into a post-pandemic academic landscape