Learning From Personal Experience What's Needed in Information Literacy Outreach: An Engineering Student Returns to Her Alma Mater as an Engineering Librarian

Abstract

An engineering background may not be required for successful outreach projects; however, when coupled with a review of the relevant literature of sci-tech librarianship, it can certainly facilitate buy-in from the faculty in a way that promotes the American Board of Engineering and Technology mandates to foster lifelong information literacy skills in their students. After having established rapport with the faculty through providing them with specially tailored research and current awareness support, library outreach was then directed toward graduate students. Success with these two influential groups is now being used to expand both in-person and wireless opportunities to grow the fact-finding confidence and competence of the undergraduates they teach and advise.

Keywords:

• ABET criteria
• accreditation
• American Board of Engineering and Technology criteria
• engineering education
• engineering information
• information literacy
• library outreach
• University of Akron Science and Technology Library