1. A look at librarians teaching credit-bearing courses
Give Us Some Credit
A look at librarians teaching credit-bearing courses
Dr. Monty L. McAdoo
Edinboro University of PA
July 25, 2017

2. Today’s presentation
Part I: Introduction Part II: Development Part III: Reflection and Review

3. Part 1 Introduction

4. Background EUP 1 of 14 PASSHE institutions 2016: 4,840 UG; 1,341 G
341 faculty
Library
15-20 work-study, 12 staff, 7.5 librarians Me
Librarian since 1994, PASSHE 1996, EUP 1999
Research and instruction
UWCC
COUN794

5. How many students… can articulate what a librarian does?
can tell the difference between a staff member and a librarian?
know two or more librarians by name?
never participate in traditional library user education?
do not value and/or benefit from traditional library user education?

6. As a librarian, do you…
believe you have valuable knowledge or skills to share with students?
believe the library should be/is the academic hub of your institution?
believe you – individually or collectively – could contribute more?
want to find ways to add relevance to your department/library?

7. As a profession, librarians…
Perceive our work as inherently valuable
Often lack a communicable context for the work that we do
Risk marginalization
Experience ongoing questions about “faculty status” and our 9-month contract

8. The journey begins…

9. Opportunities Greater depth and exposure Truly embedded
Showcase expertise
Revitalize self and department
Draw positive attention to department
Better understand faculty/student needs
Add weight to “faculty” status
Curricular needs

10. Department Meeting Fall, 2011
Stepping In
Slam dunk
Confident
Focused
Energized
Showcase our skills and insights
Positive step
Stepping Out
Being slammed
Uncertain
Confused
Frustrated
“Librarians don’t teach!”
Watch your step

11. Timeline Fall, 2011 2/3/12 2/9/12 4/11/12 4/12/12 4/16/12
Spring, 2014, Fall, 2014, Spring, 2017
Initial idea proposed
Fac. mtg;  ballot 7-2
Signed by Chair and AVPUL
UWCC approval
Signed by Provost
Signed by President
Taught three times

12. Part I: Introduction
Challenges

13. Personal Challenges Expertise Motivation Resources Process
Coordination

14. Workload Challenges Who will teach? How many sections how often?
Translating workload hours
Victim of our own success
Reassignment of responsibilities
Position realignment

15. Colleague Challenges Why do you want to teach?
Credits won’t go anywhere.
Will we be expected to teach as well?
What makes you qualified to teach?
Librarians don’t teach.
If you want to teach, why don’t you go to a different department?

16. Departmental Challenges
Articulating process
Determining workload equivalency
New or existing contract?
Who pays?
Ambiguous administrative milieu

17. Institutional Challenges
What is your product?
Perception of “remediation”

18. Contractual Challenges
What does “faculty” mean?
Teaching vs. non-teaching vs. mixed status
Part-time/adjunct in another department

19. Curricular Challenges
What is the process?
Where will credits go?
LIBR prefix vs. other department’s
Online or F2F?

20. Part II DEVELOPMENT

21. LIBR106: Information Ethics

22. Self-Assessment
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?

23. Identify Your Curricular Niche
Avoid “dead credits”
Address curricular “bottleneck”
Identify curricular opportunities
Avoid “remediation”

24. General Considerations
“Specialized” vs. “normal” course
Departmental assignation
Alignment with curriculum structure
Curricular approval process/timeframe
Online or face-to-face?
Developing awareness

25. Teaching Time, time, and more time Generating course materials Grading
Student follow-up
Participation
Revision

26. Assessment
Content
Official
Self-developed
“Feel good” caveat

27. Part III REFLECTIONS AND REVIEW

28. Successes Interaction with students is invigorating
Interaction with students is frustrating
Sense of accomplishment/pride
A right to be happy

29. Challenges Feeling compromised Grading Authorization Non-Honors
Writing co-requisite

30. Opportunities Precedent set Curricular viability
Publishing opportunity

31. Thank you!
Dr. Monty L. McAdoo Research and Instruction Librarian Baron-Forness Library Edinboro University of PA Edinboro, PA