Sara J. Beutter Manus

While other publications provide insight into the overall trajectory of the published literature on music information literacy, instruction-related presentations and poster sessions at MLA meetings are a key part of the scholarly record that have been overlooked. As information literacy has expanded to occupy a prominent role in the broader practice of librarianship, the consistent increase in the numbers of MLA posters and presentations on this topic reflects the growth of a community of music information literacy practitioners. This article will demonstrate the ways that presentations and posters intersect with and expand upon foundational documents like the ACRL Framework, the published scholarship of music IL, and the work of the MLA Instruction Subcommittee. The article is organized chronologically into three sections: Laying the Foundation (1978–1999); From the Standards to the Framework (2000–2016); and Teaching with the Framework (2017–2024). Within these sections, we observe trends in poster and presentation content by category and situate them within the scholarly discourse on music IL.

Colleges and universities in the United States have made significant progress in their support services and understanding of gender diversity and gender expression, yet there is still work to be done in our integration of the unique needs of gender-diverse students. Instruction librarians are likely to be called on to be an advocate for students in the classroom, library, or on campus, and being gender-knowledgeable is the first step in that process. Educating oneself on the challenges faced by gender-diverse students is the start of creating an inclusive learning environment for this user population. An instruction librarians’ support, or discomfort, around this community is communicated just as clearly through silence as it is through words of affirmation. This chapter will focus on the inclusion of trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming students in information literacy programs. We will examine the challenges that are faced by these students and the problems that can arise in teaching situations due to the marginalization and tokenism of these learners.

Self-awareness and reflective practices will be outlined to identify implicit and explicit biases and how these have an impact on instruction. Pedagogical practices that foster inclusion in the classroom will be detailed, with particular weight given to the importance of cultivating and maintaining a culture of mutual respect. This chapter will include information on language usage, unconscious bias awareness, creation of inclusive spaces, limitations of integrated library systems, embedded librarianship, and intersectionality in relation to trans, nonbinary, and gender-fluid students in library instruction programs. We may not know or even be able to predict what state of mind and lived experiences a student may bring with them to the classroom, library, or reference interaction, but gaining knowledge and building confidence with this user population will create a positive, safe, and inclusive learning environment for the student.

This book offers several structures for engaging music students as reflective and engaged participants in today's complex information environments. This rich time of change brings renewed interest in information literacy instruction and developing new skill sets for the shifting paradigms in librarianship, as recent educational reform movement shifts information literacy away from competency standards to a more complex set of core concepts associated with metaliteracy and cognition. This transformed world requires library environments to be inclusive with the resulting cultural evolution prompting a re-examination of how best to serve a population that represents diversity of all kinds: sexual, political, disabilities, national origin, socioeconomic, religion, linguistic, body size, age, and other dimensions. The first step to a successful information literacy program is creating a welcoming and supportive environment for the students, staff, and faculty being served. This book offers expert guidance on planning and implementing information literacy instruction programs in a wide range of instructional situations and theoretical frameworks, including: course-related instruction using the ACRL Framework; lesson study, a process in which teachers jointly plan, observe, analyze, and refine information literacy strategies; active learning concepts to teach the student performer; embedded librarian techniques to facilitate music information literacy; utilizing technology-based audience response system and digital primary sources; peer instruction in the classroom and outreach settings; creative collaborations with partners such as an audio engineer; and career workshops for music students and the incorporation of information literacy and more. As music and performing arts librarians revisit information literacy instruction, this essential book serves as a guide to creating and maintaining quality instruction programs. The book includes a bibliography of a critical articles, books, association documents, and government data on information literacy in academic library instruction, intended to supplement the chapters on instructional theories and techniques, instructional modes, and building relationships and collaborations presented in this book.

How do you foster the development of foundational research skills in first-year undergraduate music students? This was the dilemma facing Vanderbilt University music librarians and faculty. Although first-year students take an introductory survey course in music literature intended to prepare them for the more demanding courses in the music history and literature core, they were not acquiring the basic information-literacy skills required to successfully complete research papers and assignments. A solution to this problem was to implement a four-semester integrated music information-literacy program that emphasized library instruction for first-year students. To promote the integral role of the library in student learning, the author embedded herself in all three sections of the initial survey course for first-year students. By attending all class meetings, teaching in-class information-literacy sessions, and evaluating assignments, students came to view the author as trusted partner in their educational process. The author details her experiences as an embedded librarian, examining the benefits and challenges of providing instruction to first-year students in this setting. The collaborative process between faculty and librarian in designing the information-literacy components is emphasized, and the tools used to evaluate student progress towards desired music information-literacy outcomes is shared. Also discussed is the importance of regular assessment of the information-literacy program, a process that resulted in revisions that improved the program.