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    Library Instruction Design: Learning from Google and Apple
    Library Instruction Design: Learning from Google and Apple
    Library Instruction Design: Learning from Google and Apple
    Ebook207 pages1 hour

    Library Instruction Design: Learning from Google and Apple

    By Di Su

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    The design philosophies of Google and Apple represent different approaches to new product design. Google's model features bottom-up and data-driven decision-making processes, while Apple's model is to design and build products top-down. Library instruction program design may learn from these differing but complementary approaches. Inspired by Google’s and Apple’s success, Library Instruction Design details how library instruction program design may learn from the philosophy of product design in the business world. In designing library instruction, a Google-philosophy approach teaches what the user wants to know while an Apple-philosophy approach teaches what the librarian thinks the user needs to learn. These two design philosophies aim at different teaching objectives reflecting library and information science education in modern society. The book is divided into five sections, with opening sections covering library instruction, the philosophy of library instruction design and design philosophy from different angles. Later sections discuss applying Google’s model and applying Apple’s model.
    • Offers a creative way to think about library instruction program design
    • Suggests two design approaches grounded in two philosophies, represented by the design approaches of Google and Apple
    • Details the differences and complementarities between top-down and bottom-up approaches to design
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherElsevier Science
    Release dateAug 23, 2014
    ISBN9781780634074
    Library Instruction Design: Learning from Google and Apple
    Author

    Di Su

    Di Su is Associate Professor and Head of Reference Services at York College Library of the City University of New York, USA. A person with a wide range of interests, Di has been a contributor to several publications including Information Outlook; Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship; The Reference Librarian; and more. He was the editor of Evolution in Reference and Information Services: The Impact of the Internet and Collection Development Issues in the Online Environment. This is his first book with Chandos.

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      Book preview

      Library Instruction Design - Di Su

      Library Instruction Design

      Learning from Google and Apple

      Di Su

      Chandos Information Professional Series

      Table of Contents

      Cover image

      Title page

      Copyright

      Dedication

      List of tables

      Acknowledgements

      Foreword: Evolving Instructional Activities by Using the Philosophies of Google and Apple

      About the author

      Introduction

      1. Library instruction

      Abstract:

      Definitions and limitations

      Background and a brief history

      The impact of technology on information accessibility

      The impact of the Internet on information availability

      From bibliographic instruction to information literacy

      2. Philosophy and practice

      Abstract:

      Educational philosophy

      Purposes and goals

      Principles

      Instructional design and forms

      Preparation

      Expected outcomes and assessment

      3. Design philosophy from a different world

      Abstract:

      The Google style

      The Apple style

      Google and Apple styles: common features and differences

      4. Learning from Google and Apple

      Abstract:

      What can we learn from the success of Google and Apple?

      From business to education

      From consumer product design to academic program design

      5. Applying Google’s style: bottom-up

      Abstract:

      User-centered and service-oriented

      Communication and collaboration

      Data-driven instruction

      Suggested instructional programs

      Sample (The Google style): one-shot workshop teaching outline

      6. Applying Apple’s style: top-down

      Abstract:

      Instructor’s vision

      Guiding the learner

      Long-term view

      Suggested instruction programs

      Sample (The Apple style): a credit-bearing library course syllabus

      7. Conclusion

      Appendix 1

      Ten tips for a better research / library assignment

      Appendix 2

      The Library Instruction Program: A Plan for Information Literacy at Oglethorpe University

      Appendix 3

      How to Access and Use Library Resources

      Appendix 4

      Digital information retrieval: sources & techniques

      INSTRUCTOR’S SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

      Bibliography

      Library Instruction

      Business & Technology

      About Google

      About Apple

      Index

      Copyright

      Chandos Publishing

      Elsevier Limited

      The Boulevard

      Langford Lane

      Kidlington

      Oxford OX5 1GB

      UK

      store.elsevier.com/Chandos-Publishing-/IMP_207/

      Chandos Publishing is an imprint of Elsevier Limited

      Tel: + 44 (0) 1865 843000

      Fax: + 44 (0) 1865 843010

      store.elsevier.com

      First published in 2014

      ISBN 978-1-84334-741-5 (print)

      ISBN 978-1-78063-407-4 (online)

      Chandos Information Professional Series ISSN: 2052-210X (print) and ISSN: 2052-2118 (online)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2013957390

      © D. Su, 2014

      British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.

      A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. This publication may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without the prior consent of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

      The publisher makes no representation, express or implied, with regard to the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and cannot accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions.

      The material contained in this publication constitutes general guidelines only and does not represent to be advice on any particular matter. No reader or purchaser should act on the basis of material contained in this publication without first taking professional advice appropriate to their particular circumstances. All screenshots in the publication are the copyright of the website owner(s), unless indicated otherwise.

      Typeset by Domex e-Data Pvt. Ltd., India

      Printed in the UK and USA.

      Dedication

      To Shaoshan and Emma

      List of tables

      2.1 General purposes and appropriate instructional forms  22

      2.2 Content to teach for short-term goals  23

      2.3 Content to teach for long-term goals  24

      2.4 Design principles and tasks  25

      4.1 Comparable categories in business and education  66

      4.2 Philosophies and principles we may borrow from Google and Apple  68

      4.3 Library orientation in two styles  73

      7.1 Suitable styles for the design of library instruction programs   100

      7.2 Comparison between the two styles applied to library instruction  101

      Acknowledgements

      I wish to thank Chandos Publishing for giving me the opportunity to write this book; and my thanks go to the people at Chandos, especially assistant commissioning editor George Knott, commissioning editor Jonathan Davis, copy editor Louise Larchbourne, production editor Fenton Coulthurst, publisher Dr. Glyn Jones and all the staff members who were involved in this project, for their professionalism and patience.

      I also wish to thank Dr. William Miller, who kindly agreed to write a foreword for the book. I am appreciative of my York College Library colleagues, whose encouragement was the source of my energy. I am indebted to my wife, Shaoshan Li, who always reads my manuscripts and offers invaluable advice, for her understanding and tolerance.

      This book would have been impossible without the help of all of you. For this, I am truly grateful.

      Foreword: Evolving Instructional Activities by Using the Philosophies of Google and Apple

      People keep predicting the death of libraries, but unlike so many other institutions, from telegraph offices to travel agencies, libraries have survived, because librarians have had the wisdom to evolve as technology and societal needs have changed. Had libraries remained merely repositories for printed materials, they would now be history. However, far from being a thing of the past, the average academic library today is a vibrant institution, one of the most heavily used facilities on campus, and a favorite place for both socializing and scholarship.

      The author of this book has traced the history of library instruction for those unfamiliar with it, but he has also gone far beyond that, pointing to the philosophies of both Google and Apple as guideposts which can better enable libraries to evolve and meet user needs as time goes by. Google’s search engine clearly put libraries’ arcane search processes to shame, and as a result most academic libraries have now implemented Summon, or a similar discovery tool, which comes close to the simplicity and power of the Google search, but focuses on the library’s own collection—an imitation that has made collections much more ‘discoverable’ than heretofore, though much work remains to be done to achieve total accessibility to the information most libraries theoretically have to offer.

      Google’s simplicity and focus on giving the user what he or she wants quickly are admirable, but not always optimal. Di Su points out that Apple’s top-down approach also has its value; in their role as educators, academic librarians sometimes have to expand the users’ universe, and tell them what they need to know, not just what they had assumed would be enough. Without being overly prescriptive, Su points out circumstances in which one philosophy or the other is preferable. A library tour or a 50-minute one-shot lecture is no place to provide specialized content, much as the librarian might desire to engage in that futile attempt. In a 15-week course, however, inculcation of in-depth content is reasonable and potentially more helpful to students than just providing them with simple sources and approaches.

      It is interesting to consider that libraries have much to learn both from Google’s service-oriented, patron-centered, bottom-up design and from Apple’s vision-driven, top-down, long-term approach. Both the ‘yin’ of the one and the ‘yang’ of the other are important, as is having the wisdom to know when to apply each. Su’s thoughtful analysis will help librarians apply both philosophies and even more importantly, help them to realize that instructional activities are not one-size-fits-all gloves into which every instructional effort must be shoved.

      As my own career as a person formerly much involved with reference and instruction approaches its end, it is good to see people like Di Su carrying the ball forward and advancing the work which so many of us devoted ourselves to in earlier decades. Here’s hoping that he and his colleagues will continue to learn the lessons society and our users are teaching us, and help libraries to evolve as useful institutions, even though their missions and roles may change over time.

      William Miller

      Dean of University Libraries, Florida Atlantic University

      About the author

      Di Su is Associate Professor and Head of Information Literacy at York College Library of the City University of New York (CUNY), USA. He holds a Master’s degree in Library Science (MLS) from the State University of New York at Albany. His work experience ranges from public library through corporate library to academic library. Having a wide range of interests, he has been a contributor to publications including Information Outlook, Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship and The Reference Librarian, as well as to publications in other areas such as music, business, and sports. He was the editor of Evolution in Reference and Information Services: The Impact of the Internet (Binghamton, NY: Haworth Information Press, 2001) and Collection Development Issues in the Online Environment (Binghamton, NY: Haworth Information Press, 2007).

      Introduction

      Library instruction is commonly encountered in academic libraries, where it is part of a librarian’s job to educate library users. There are several different kinds of library instruction programs, serving various purposes. The term ‘library instruction’ may cover or represent many other terms, such as library orientation, a library tour, library sessions, library workshops, a library lecture, library research, library skills, a library course, bibliographic instruction, user education, research consultation, reference service, and information literacy teaching.

      ‘Literacy’ is defined as ‘the quality, condition, or state of being literate; the ability to read and write.’ (Oxford English Dictionary). A simpler definition is just ‘the ability to read and write.’ (Cambridge International Dictionary of English). In modern society, ‘literacy’ has become a popular keyword. When combined with another noun, the word extends its scope by denoting the ability to perform other acts of comprehension and execution than reading and writing. Information literacy is an example of one popular extension; it is a substantial part of library instruction. To

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