Making Connections: Teaching Information Retrieval

THEFOCUS OFTHIS ARTICLE is on the necessity of making connections when teaching information retrieval-i.e., connections between graduate library school education and the practitioner; between learning strategies and library staff development and library user education programs; between basic library user education and lifelong learning skills; and between the library and the classroom, the library and media services, the library and computer centers, and the library and its users. In order to assist library users in successfully accessing a host of local and remote systems-in both online and CD-ROM formatslibrary professionals are encouraged to accept a leadership role. They must facilitate end-user instruction in meaningful ways so that independent, individualized learning through electronic access is assured. A comprehensive framework has been described to teach the process of online and other electronic-based information retrieval. Educational content incorporates cognitive, conceptual, and mental models. Communications analogies and a database model are stressed as being fundamental to teaching. Progressive and continuous Betsy Baker, Reference Department, University Library, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208 Mary M. Huston, School of Library and Information Studies, Texas Woman’s University, P.O. Box 22905, Denton, T X 76204 Maureen Pastine, Central University Libraries, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, T X 75275-0135 LIBRARY TRENDS, Vol. 39, No. 3, Winter 1991, pp. 210-22 @ 1991 The Board of Trustees, University of Illinois BAKER & HUSTON & PASTINE/ INFORMATION RETRIEVAL 211 learning and development of expertise will lead from personal knowledge to societal knowledge through enhanced searching