Goodman. This article is distributed under a Creative Commons
Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Maren Goodman. Research and Instructional Librarian,
London ON (Email: maren.e.goodman@gmail.com)
Benjes-Small C, Miller RK. The new instruction librarian: a
workbook for trainers and learners. Chicago: ALA Editions;
2017. Softcover: 237 p. ISBN: 978-0-8389-1456-4. Price: USD$68.00.
Available from: https://www.alastore.ala.org/content/new-instruction-librarian-workbook-trainers-and-learners
As Candice Benjes-Small and Rebecca K. Miller note in The New
Instruction Librarian, there is a rich body of literature
about information literacy instruction but there has been no
single go-to source for orienting librarians to the instruction
role. This book aims to fill that gap—it examines the many facets
of being an instruction librarian and provides information and
tools to help librarians get started in this important role.
As long-time instruction librarians and co-founders of the information literacy conference The Innovative Library Classroom, Benjes-Small and Miller bring much experience and perspective to their topic. Benjes-Small is the head of information literacy and outreach and university coordinator of information literacy for the general education curriculum at Radford University, and Miller is the head of library learning services at Penn State University Libraries. They recognize that “for too many librarians, the entry into instruction is trial by fire, painful for both the instructing librarian and the students” (p.4), but they go on to reassure readers that with training and experience, teaching can be comfortable and rewarding.
This book is aimed at a broad target audience: Benjes-Small and
Miller state that The New Instruction Librarian was
written for any library professional with instruction duties. This
includes recent graduates, experienced librarians new to
instruction, and experienced librarians teaching in a new setting.
As a practical handbook and workbook for trainers and learners,
this book can be used by librarians to train themselves, or by
managers or supervisors to provide instruction training to others.
Although it focuses on academic librarians, it is applicable to
librarians in other settings. For example, the parts of the book
that discuss instructional design, and those that discuss
mentorship and planning for lifelong learning, will be useful to
librarians who teach in any library setting.
The book is divided into 4 parts. The first demonstrates the
importance of formal training in instruction and the value of
developing a teaching identity, and presents concrete ideas and
practices for creating a strong foundation for instruction at your
library. The second provides an overview of 8 different “hats we
wear” in the instruction librarian role, from colleague to
instructional designer to teaching partner. The third discusses
the use of observation, feedback, and performance management to
grow and develop as an instructor. The fourth provides tools and
templates that can be used to implement the strategies described
in the book.
Each chapter contains activities that prompt the reader to
explore and reflect on the issues raised in the chapter, an
annotated bibliography for those interested in “exploring the
conversation” in more depth, and a list of references. The
chapters discussing instruction librarian “hats” also contain an
“Ask the Experts” section presenting a problem or scenario that
librarians in this role may face, followed by two or three
possible solutions proposed by library instruction experts. Of the
book’s 13 chapters, 2 are written specifically for managers; these
focus on hiring and training new instruction librarians and on
performance evaluation and management.
The New Instruction Librarian covers a lot of content in its 237 pages. This is both a strength and a weakness—there is enough depth given to each topic that readers can understand the landscape and determine which topics they would like to explore in more detail; however, each chapter functions more as an introduction to one aspect of instruction librarianship rather than a comprehensive look. The authors acknowledge this and recommend foundational texts that look in depth at these topics. Overall, the book succeeds at what it sets out to do. It is full of useful content and would be a good starting point for librarians new to instruction.
This book is written in an easy-to-read, conversational style.
Terminology is clearly defined and the logical organization makes
it easy to locate tools and information relevant to each part of
the instruction role. It also presents an honest look at the
challenges of working with colleagues, timelines, limited
resources, and library and institutional priorities, along with
some strategies for dealing with them.
The greatest strength of this book is its practical
applicability; as they present each idea, the authors demonstrate
how it can be applied in the workplace. Tools such as a sample
orientation checklist, training curriculum, lesson plan, and
workshop script would help new librarians design their first
classes. An interview schedule would give interviewees an idea of
what to expect. Activities are useful and encourage reflection and
discovery of yourself and your organization. For example, an
activity at the end of the chapter about the “teacher hat” asks
readers to identify learning outcomes for a workshop tied to the
provided sample assignment.
I appreciated the authors’ acknowledgement that public speaking
and teaching can be difficult for many. Benjes-Small and Miller
describe themselves as librarians who love instruction, and their
enthusiasm shines through in the book. They maintain a positive
and encouraging tone throughout. Their work may inspire even a
hesitant instructor to tackle the challenges and reap the rewards
of library instruction.
This book will be most useful to academic librarians or those or
interested in academic librarianship. I would recommend it
to new graduates, to those new to teaching librarian roles, and to
those who have been doing instruction but who would like some
guidance from which to grow and develop as a teacher.
No competing interests declared.