Transy Library: About Library Instruction at Transy: Session Topics

FYS/FYRS

Academic library research is an integral part of the First-Year Research Seminar course experience. Some possible topics covered in the first year program include the following:

Overview of Library's services, spaces, & resources
Ethical ways to use sources (i.e. plagiarism, copyright, artificial intelligence, in-text citation)
How to form a strong research topic and develop a good research question
Appropriate types of resources for the information they seek
Basic database structure and how to construct a search
Visual mapping of sources

For more information about required and optional library sessions for FYS and FYRS, view the links below.

Librarians also create webpages for general FYS topics and individual course webpages for FYRS classes; see the following links for examples.

AI MicroCourse

Gen AI Microcourse - Faculty Info
Since GenAI tools have been made freely available to the campus community, Transy Library has created this microcourse to teach students best practices when using them. The microcourse is designed for faculty to assign specific modules based on course curriculum and student needs rather than requiring students to complete every module. Prior to assigning a module, please ask students to review the “Student Introduction” module.
This microcourse is not endorsing students’ use of GenAI in their academic work. Students will see the following when they enroll in the course: "These modules do not grant approval to use GenAI at Transy. Before using any GenAI tool, please check with your professor to learn if GenAI can be used, and how its use should be cited.
In class activities

Discipline Specific Course Sessions

Many disciplines require students to have an understanding of and fluency with resources specific to their subject beyond the general first-year level. By working with faculty in those departments, we provide students opportunities to learn about the terminology, resources, and scholarly expectations within a particular field of study. In Senior Seminar, students build on what they have learned over their course of study, we seek to prepare seniors for the research expectations they will face as they transition into graduate or professional level work.

Librarians will work with faculty to design a session that addresses specific student needs. Some possible library sessions for upper level students, include the following:

Tracing the research path
Locating and using discipline-specific resources
Advanced library catalog and database skills
Advanced open web search skills
Adding to the scholarly conversation in their field
Using artificial intelligence ethically and effectively in their field

Educational Technology

Katrina Salley and Juie Perino provide sessions to help students gain understanding and skills regarding educational technology. Watch the video below to learn more about the types of educational technology instruction available for your students.

Library Partnerships

Image: KissClipart

The library instruction team works across all departments of campus and supports all academic programs. We specifically partner with the First-Year Program and DLA to develop content and make decisions for program review.

First-Year Program
During your first two terms at Transylvania, students take First-Year Seminar courses designed to prepare them for the type of academic work it will take to thrive at Transy.
Digital Liberal Arts Program
Program to teach students how digital technologies affect the world of today and tomorrow. You’ll learn to use technology to enhance your learning, your research and your art to give you a leg up in job markets that are constantly evolving to keep up with new innovations.