Transcript Engineering Students and the Library Forging That

Engineering Students and the Library
Forging That Critical First Link
Ed Perry
Engineering Librarian and
Head Library Research Services
[email protected]
Current Library School Enrolments
275 students
3 with engineering degrees
183 students
6 with engineering degrees
125 students
0 with engineering degrees
“We’re examining that situation for all subjects.”
Establishing Librarian Credibility
“Anyone who is a librarian at an academic institution
and knows only “library’ will have difficulty
establishing credibility with both faculty and students,
especially in fields like science and engineering.”
Cornell engineering librarian, 1987
How can a librarian with a degree in Arts or Humanities
establish credibility with Engineering FACULTY and
STUDENTS????
1.Look at research in progress in the engineering faculty.
2. Pick 2-3 of areas in which you already have an interest.
3.Read heavily in the related literature to develop expertise.
4.Join societies covering those areas and attend their
conferences.
5.Try to attend “socials“ for Engineering staff, such as coffee
parties. [reference questions].
6.Enlist head librarian to get you added as member of the
engineering faculty council
7.Forward “items of interest” to individual faculty members.
It’s a hook…
Major issues for Engineering Educators
Are we properly training students to function in
the workplace?
Are our graduates meeting the expectations of
employers?
Needed Areas of Improvement
Technical training is excellent - but
1) Teamwork
2) Accurate in-depth research
3) Communication Communication Communication
I updated the status report for the four discrepancies Lennie
forward to us via e-mail [they in Barry file]…to make sure my
logic was correct It seems we provide Murray with incorrect
information…However after verifying controls on JBL – JBL
has the indicator as B????-I wanted to make sure the recent
changes-I processed today- before Murray make changes
again on the mainframe ‘C’
Dillion, 2004, New York Times
Major Issues on the Library Side
1) Information overload
2) Research skills to address this overload
C N E A B
1.
2.
3.
4.
Criteria
Technical knowledge
Oral and written communication skills
Function as an effective team member
Ability to find / use appropriate information
# 4 key to the library’s role
“ A systems engineer is an engineer trained for the
analysis, design and evaluation of natural and
man-made systems, with a particular awareness
of the economic, humanitarian, environmental and
administrative implications of her/his work . ”
Dean John Mantle 1979
Expanded faculty of engineering goals
1. Role of the university in education system
2. Learn university rules and regulations
3. How do you survive in a university ?
4. Learn the different branches of engineering
5. Discern the role of the engineer in society
6. Examine the role of technology in society
7. Good/bad impacts of technology on society ?
8. Develop oral and written communication skills
Cont’d…
9. Develop skills in locating/evaluating information , with emphasis
on resources of the university library
10. Carry out a group engineering project [study] and present
results verbally and in writing [ 50 % of grade ]
# 9 and #10 key to the library’s role
Where Does the Librarian Enter this Picture?
1. Graduate student level?
2. Intermediate classes?
3. Introductory level?
***Impact of the University’s Co-Op Program***
Engineering 103 – Fall Semester
2 Library instruction sessions
a. Intro. to the basics.
Engineering 103 – Fall Semester
b. Introduction to the research process
It’s a hook…
Engineering 113 – Winter Semester
Individual analysis of an engineering catastrophe
[Gimli Glider presentation by Librarian]
Tetra society handicapped aids group design
projects
[Intro. to “free patentsonline” database]
Introduction to REFWORKS
“ It was great to see the Faculty of Engineering and
the Library working collaboratively. I’m used to the
typical one-off session. A librarian comes into the
class almost as an afterthought , gives a one hour
presentation [ that most students don’t even pay
attention to ], then vanishes – never to be heard
from again.”
Ian Glass, June 2007
“ Learning how to find information, and to learn
something about the reliability of different sources of
information is extremely important to all university
students…. It has turned out that one of the most
important things in this course has been learning
how to search for and retrieve information in the
University Library system. ”
Dr Art Opseth, June 2007
It’s a hook…