Engineering Students and the Library

Forging That Critical First Link

Ed Perry

Engineering Librarian and

Head Library Research Services

Ed.Perry@uregina.ca

Current Library School Enrolments

275 students 3 with engineering degrees

183 students 6 with engineering degrees

125 students 0 with engineering degrees

“We’re examining that situation for all subjects.”

Establishing Librarian Credibility

“Anyone who is a librarian at an academic institution and knows only “library’ will have difficulty establishing credibility with both faculty and students, especially in

fields like science and engineering.”

Cornell engineering librarian, 1987

How can a librarian with a degree in Arts or Humanities establish credibility with Engineering FACULTY and STUDENTS????

1.Look at research in progress in the engineering faculty.

2. Pick 2-3 of areas in which you already have an interest.

3.Read heavily in the related literature to develop expertise.

4.Join societies covering those areas and attend their conferences.

5.Try to attend “socials“ for Engineering staff, such as coffee parties. [reference questions].

6.Enlist head librarian to get you added as member of the engineering faculty council

7.Forward “items of interest” to individual faculty members.

It’s a hook…

Major issues for Engineering Educators

Are we properly training students to function in

the workplace?

Are our graduates meeting the expectations of

employers?

Needed Areas of Improvement

Technical training is excellent - but

1) Teamwork

2) Accurate in-depth research

3) Communication Communication Communication

I updated the status report for the four discrepancies Lennieforward to us via e-mail [they in Barry file]…to make sure my logic was correct It seems we provide Murray with incorrect information…However after verifying controls on JBL – JBL has the indicator as B????-I wanted to make sure the recent changes-I processed today- before Murray make changes again on the mainframe ‘C’

Dillion, 2004, New York Times

Major Issues on the Library Side

1) Information overload

2) Research skills to address this overload

C N E A B Criteria

1. Technical knowledge

2. Oral and written communication skills

3. Function as an effective team member

4. Ability to find / use appropriate information

# 4 key to the library’s role

“ A systems engineer is an engineer trained for the analysis, design and evaluation of natural and man-made systems, with a particular awareness of the economic, humanitarian, environmental and administrative implications of her/his work . ”

Dean John Mantle 1979

Expanded faculty of engineering goals

1. Role of the university in education system

2. Learn university rules and regulations

3. How do you survive in a university ?

4. Learn the different branches of engineering

5. Discern the role of the engineer in society

6. Examine the role of technology in society

7. Good/bad impacts of technology on society ?

8. Develop oral and written communication skills

Cont’d…

9. Develop skills in locating/evaluating information , with emphasis on resources of the university library

10. Carry out a group engineering project [study] and present results verbally and in writing [ 50 % of grade ]

# 9 and #10 key to the library’s role

Where Does the Librarian Enter this Picture?

1. Graduate student level?

2. Intermediate classes?

3. Introductory level?

***Impact of the University’s Co-Op Program***

Engineering 103 – Fall Semester

2 Library instruction sessions

a. Intro. to the basics.

Engineering 103 – Fall Semester

b. Introduction to the research process

It’s a hook…

Engineering 113 – Winter Semester

Individual analysis of an engineering catastrophe [Gimli Glider presentation by Librarian]

Tetra society handicapped aids group design projects [Intro. to “free patentsonline” database]

Introduction to REFWORKS

“ It was great to see the Faculty of Engineering and the Library working collaboratively. I’m used to the typical one-off session. A librarian comes into the class almost as an afterthought , gives a one hour presentation [ that most students don’t even pay attention to ], then vanishes – never to be heard from again.”

Ian Glass, June 2007

“ Learning how to find information, and to learn something about the reliability of different sources of information is extremely important to all university students…. It has turned out that one of the most important things in this course has been learning how to search for and retrieve information in the University Library system. ”

Dr Art Opseth, June 2007

It’s a hook…