Information Transfer in the Disciplines

The goal of the information professional is to bridge the gap between the need for information and the resources to access knowledge. As I observed classroom lectures in two different disciplines and interviewed the professors, I became aware of the gap between what library services are possible and what the students and professors use.

I assessed a Financial Accounting class and a General Biology class in a small private college. Both professors use the course textbooks to structure their lectures. Both use a lot of terminology that refers explicitly to their discipline. The library needs to provide print sources that define this terminology. I would recommend that the library provide a business dictionary, and more specifically, an accounting dictionary. A business encyclopedia would be relevant, too. I would also add a general science dictionary and science encyclopedia on the reference shelves of the library to support the science curriculum. My recommendations are listed in the "print sources" of this website.

I also think both professors need to add current websites to their lectures. There is a multitude of relevant information on the Web to supplement the professors' lectures. Some are even animated and would capture the students' attention. Other websites are appropriate for student use in completing assignments. I have listed several in "websites" that would be beneficial for the professors and the students in both disciplines. Good starting points for locating websites in many disciplines are found in the book Academic research on the Internet: Options for scholars and libraries (2000).

I think "gray literature" is an unknown source, but a valuable source for all disciplines. The library needs to provide access to a directory of gray literature databases for both professors' and students' use. During the library orientation given to all freshmen and during individual classroom sessions, gray literature needs to be explained and gateways to these sources need to be shown.

Information professionals need to be advocates for the services libraries provide. They are the liaison between those who need information and the resources that are available. I have included recommendations for print sources, websites, and gray literature for learning and teaching in the business and science departments at an academic institution.