Our Library Orientation is an introduction to Ricker Library’s space, collections, and services that is often combined with at least one additional menu item. An orientation can include an in-person tour of the library, an introduction to the catalog, and an introduction to Ricker-specific materials and resources. Participants will gain a familiarity with Ricker Library’s space, collections, and services.
In addition to our tailored sessions, we have developed the following active learning exercises individualized to specific courses, majors, or subjects: Randomized Bibliography, Gizmo Activity, Sustainable Fashion Scavenger Hunt, Typeface Exercise.
Learning Outcomes
- Learners will navigate Ricker Library’s space with familiarity and ease in order to locate and identify on-topic items of interest.
- Learners will use the library’s call number system and browse the stacks in order to assess the scope and depth of the circulating collection.
- Learners will participate in an exploration exercise in order to implement tools and services specific to Ricker Library.
Session Parameters
- Session lengths range from 20 to 60 minutes.
- We require at least 1 week of advance notice for Library Orientation session requests.
With the help of the Ricker Library’s Emilee Mathews, I have taught several studio art courses that utilized the Library as a site for creative play and invention, as well as for research. For these classes, the Ricker served as a unique kind of place, one that is somewhere between a controlled classroom and a public square, where we negotiated the needs and actions of others while engaging in collective and individual learning. In this way, the Ricker has been invaluable for helping me introduce expectations of success, failure, and accountability in ways that extend beyond our typical classroom walls.
A group of undergraduate students sit a table in Ricker Library and use colored paper to make pop-up creations.
Siobhan McKissic, Visiting Design & Materials Librarian, introduces a class to the library.
There is so much more to the library than the books on the shelves. After connecting my undergraduate and graduate students to the resources and staff at the Ricker library, I am looking forward to doing even more next year.
