LOEX of the West 2006

Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii

Kohala (Kona) Coast of Hawaii's Big Island
June 8-10, 2006


The Association of College & Research Libraries proclaims that "information literacy forms the basis of lifelong learning." This conference explores the extent and the ways that information literacy programs and instruction librarians in academic libraries are developing lifelong learners. We are especially interested in presentations which focus on the following questions:

1. To what extent is information literacy instruction contributing to lifelong learning rather rather than developing a student's skills to complete particular class assignments?

2. What techniques are librarians using within the course of information literacy instruction to contribute to lifelong learning? (Again, when we say "lifelong learning" we mean promoting the concept that information literacy is not a school task but a lifetime habit of mind).

3. To what degree can lifelong learning be assessed? How can this be done? Why is it an important task?

4. To what extent does the structure of library instruction (one-shot classes) hinder rather than aid the goal of developing lifelong learning? In effect, how much can you contribute to "forming the basis of lifelong learning" in a one hour class?

5. What new or emerging technologies are people using to make library instruction relevant to different age groups? To illustrate, are libraries using digital games and/or podcasts when developing instruction assignments for younger students?

6. Can anyone share examples of partnerships between high school/public librarians and academic librarians that help students acquire the information literacy skills that they will need to succeed at college and university libraries?

7. As the number of senior citizens enrolling in higher and continuing eduction increases, so do the challenges and opportunities for academic librarians providing these returning students with information literacy skills. What combination of support, resources, and techniques are required to provide excellent instruction to seniors? What unique problems do they experience in the classroom? What unique contributions do they bring to the classroom?

8. With rapid technology, knowledge, and skill tranformations occurring in the workforce, workers need constant retraining to remain productive and competitive. With regard to information literacy, how have academiclibraries been responsive to the needs of workers in their communities?

9. What information literacy programs have established competencies for learning throughout a student's educational career? What are the necessary skills for the various levels of undergraduate, graduate, and
post-graduate work?

10. What attempts or programs have academic libraries used to provide information literacy instruction to community users (those not affiliated with their college or university)?

11. When children 4-6 were asked in a survey, "Which do you like better, TV or your daddy?, 54 percent said "TV." Watching TV is the dominant leisure activity of Americans, consuming 40 percent of the average person's free time as a primary activity. In the average American household, the television set is on for over seven hours a day. In effect, TV is the primary information source for most Americans. Yet, much of information literacy revolves around text (whether electronic or print). To what extent have information literacy programs taught media lieteracy - provided students with the skills to analyze the information found in
films, radio, television photography and other non-text media?

12. Numerous educators and psychologists have argued that people think in a variety of ways. The theory of multiple intelligences encourages us to consider linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial,
bodily-kinisthetic, and naturalist intelligences to name a few. Yet, the kind of instruction and learning that takes place in most American schools is dominated by expressions and measurment of linguistic and
logical-mathematical skills and intelligences. To what degree have academic librarians attempted to incorporate multiple intelligences in the design, delivery, and measurement of their information literacy programs?

13. As a foundation for lifelong learning, information literacy is a general skill, widely applicable in multiple settings. What is the role of disciplinary information literacy skills and competencies relative to
lifelong learning? What is the role of expertise in a specific area relative to information literacy?

14. What is the impact and role of credit courses in developing lifelong learning skills?

15. In the past, collective and community-based educational practices of indigenous populations that supported lifelong learning among their members were supplanted by colonial educational structures. The
educational community is slowly acknowledging the damage caused by ignoring the learning processes of diverse cultures and programs are growing that support indigenous modes of education. How have academic libraries addressed the issue of indigenous knowing and learning as it relates to information literacy?

By exploring these and related questions, we hope to better understand how academic librarians are contributing to the development of lifelong learners.