LIRT (Library Instruction Round Table)

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last person joined: 4 days ago 

The mission of the Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT) is to provide a forum for discussion of activities, programs, and problems of instruction in the use of libraries; to contribute to the education and training of librarians for library instruction; to promote instruction in the use of libraries as an essential library service, and to serve as a channel of communication on library instruction between the ALA divisions, ALA and ACRL committees, state clearinghouses, Project LOEX, other organizations concerned with instruction in the use of libraries, and members of the Association.

Learn more about LIRT on the ALA website.

Free Upcoming Webinars: Outdated and Controversial Research Notions

  • 1.  Free Upcoming Webinars: Outdated and Controversial Research Notions

    Posted 20 days ago

    Please consider joining us at these free upcoming webinars, sponsored by The Ohio State University Libraries and the University of New Mexico Libraries. All are welcome!

    Should I Still Be Teaching That? Outdated Research Notions

    February 5, 2026
    12:00-1:00 pm (Eastern)
    To register: https://go.osu.edu/sp25outdated

    Are .org sources more credible? Should students be discouraged from using Wikipedia or Google Scholar as part of the research process? Students, and sometimes even instructors, may have a wide range of misconceptions or outdated notions when it comes to information searching and research assignments. In this workshop, participants will learn about some common, but outdated, understandings about how to find, evaluate and use information as part of the research process, and become familiar with more updated guidance. This workshop is being offered by the University Libraries Teaching & Learning Department, and the University of New Mexico Libraries.

    Do Students Really Need to Learn That? Controversial Research Notions

    February 12, 2026
    12:00-1:00 pm (Eastern)
    To register: https://go.osu.edu/sp26controversial

    Do first year students need to be using peer-reviewed journal articles? Should students spend time learning how to use Boolean operators? How important is it for students to be able to create perfect APA or MLA citations? Is plagiarism really theft? Research and information literacy instruction often centers around teaching students how to conduct research in the same way as disciplinary experts. We encourage students to learn how to use academic databases and peer-reviewed journal articles, to utilize Boolean operators and other precision search techniques, and to generate complete academic citations. However, after graduation, many (perhaps most) of our students will lose access to academic databases and will never use peer-reviewed articles or need to provide citations. This presentation will outline several controversial notions related to how we teach research and information literacy. Participants will be encouraged to consider these notions in light of their own teaching practices and consider potential alternative approaches for teaching research and information literacy. This workshop is being offered by the University Libraries Teaching & Learning Department, and the University of New Mexico Libraries.

    These workshops  counts toward completion of the Teaching Information Literacy Certificate from The Ohio State University Libraries Teaching & Learning Department



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    Jane Hammons
    Teaching and Learning Engagement Librarian
    The Ohio State University
    hammons.73@osu.edu
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