Information Literacy & Research Support: Key Roles of the 21st Century Academic Library

David W. Young

Research Services Librarian, UNC-Pembroke

2025 Metrolina Library Association Conference

Charlotte, North Carolina

June 4, 2025

Food For Thought: A Word About College Student Information Literacy

Useful quote: “Information literacy is considered an essential learning outcome by the Association of American Colleges & Universities and among its high-impact educational practices. It topped the Chronicle of Higher Education’s higher education trends for 2017.” [Source: Community College Daily, February 8, 2019]

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Focus Question: What do library staff @ UNC Pembroke do to promote the information literacy skills of college students or support student research? �

• Introduction to Academic Research Course (3 credit hour)
• Book A Librarian/Consult-A-Librarian service (students get detailed research assistance for any research project)
• Research Guides for most subject areas (for example, American Indian Studies, Chemistry, Criminal Justice, Nursing, Psychology & Counseling, and so forth) (sections on each subject area page include Books/eBooks, Databases, Journals, Video tutorials, Web Resources, and Citation Guides)
• Chat with a Librarian service (Reference Chat)

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The LIB 1000 course @ UNC Pembroke provides students with specific assignments or table activities to help them make sense of research, including the following:�

• Research Topic Keyword Assignment
• Research Experience Table Discussion Activity (Example: Have you ever used Google for school projects or research before?)
• Research Question Guidance Activity (Note: example of activity included on next PowerPoint slide #5)
• Creating A Sample Research Log Assignment (Note: Details of assignment provided on PowerPoint slide #6)
• Applied Research Project (ARP) (worth 20% of student final grade) helps students understand research process (Note: Details provided on PowerPoint Slides # 7 & 8)

Research Question Guidance Activity (LIB 1000 F2F Course – Spring 2025)�

1). What makes a good research question?

2). Why should you avoid a research question with a simple “yes” or “no” response?

3). Why are “very broad” and “very narrow” research topics challenging?

4). As you are thinking about your Applied Research Project topic in this Introduction to Academic Research (LIB 1000) course, did you find this video about research question development useful? Why or why not?

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LIB 1000 Create A Research Log Assignment

• LIB 1000 students create a “research log” on their assigned Applied Research Project topic (Note: The ARP is the equivalent of the student’s final exam in the Introduction to Academic Research course)
• Students provided a Sample Research Log on Canvas (the learning management system UNC Pembroke uses)
• Students use PRIMO (library search engine), Primo Research Assistant (AI tool) and 3 specific library databases: Academic Search Ultimate, ProQuest Central, and Indigenous Peoples of the Americas: History, Culture & Law on this assignment
• Research log includes date of search, resource used, keywords used, number of results, number of peer-reviewed results after applying limits, specific limits/filters used, and list of related terms

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Applied Research Project (LIB 1000 Course)

The main details of this Final Project are as follows:

• Students enrolled in the course explore a research topic addressing a social, political, economic, and sovereignty issue facing indigenous peoples/communities
• Some sample topics (all having some relationship to Indigenous Cultures & Communities or ICC) include the following: Residential Schools, Murdered & Missing Indigenous Women (or MMIW), and other topics
• Students get choice of formats like PowerPoint, video, 5–7-page paper, or podcast. As part of their Final Project, students do an in-class presentation @ Library classroom.

Applied Research Project (ARP) Partial Topic List

• Indigenous Agriculture and Sustainable Food 
• Indigenous agroforestry 
• Farming techniques of the indigenous upper Midwest
• Indigenous businesses' contribution to the Australian economy
• Indigenous economy in Canada
• Indigenization and Entrepreneurship
• Residential Schools
• Critical Race Theory and Indigenous Peoples

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To help with research assignments, students can utilize Livermore Library’s Book A Librarian Service

• Face-To-Face or Online Research Appointments
• Students get to choose the librarian to meet
• Students choose specific appointment date
• Students choose specific appointment time
• Librarian & student get confirmation email

Livermore Library Book A Librarian Appointment Screen

To help students with research, Livermore Library website has “Research Sections” available

• Research Guides section provides UNC Pembroke students with specific guidance in specific subject areas like African American Studies, American Indian Studies, Biology, Music, Nursing, and so forth (Note: Screenshot found to right side). Each subject area is clickable. Examples of Nursing Clickable Organizations on next PowerPoint slide

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Livermore Library Detailed Research Assistance

For each subject area that UNCP students click on, there are opportunities for further research found along left side of screen, including the following: Books & eBooks, Databases, Web Resources*, Citation Guides, & Need Assistance sections

*Note: The Web Resources area includes Professional Organizations where students can research organizations in their chosen area of study.

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Livermore Library Website Nursing Subject Area Professional Organizations

Focus Question: How can the layout of the Livermore Library’s search screen assist students in becoming more information literate?����

Students can use PRIMO (the Livermore Library Search Engine) (see screen shot on left side)

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Students can use the new Primo Research Assistant Beta (AI) to enhance their information literacy & research skills. Note: Students must be signed into Primo.

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Focus Question: How are Generative AI tools like Primo Research Assistant used effectively by UNC Pembroke’s Reference Services Department to assist students in their research assignments and enhance information literacy skills?�

Launched in the Spring 2025 academic semester, the Research Assistant has the following basic features:

• Primo Research Assistant works within ExLibris Primo (our online search engine)
• To access Primo Research Assistant, students must be logged in
• Once signed in, UNCP students can either expand Research Assistant widget (along right side of screen) or click on the Research Assistant search tab (at top of screen)

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Using Primo Research Assistant (AI): Search Process

• Student enters sample research topic in our Library search engine (Primo) (For example: (Native Americans or American Indians or indigenous) AND (mental health) OR (mental health services) AND (Canada or United States)
• Students get to Primo search screen, but are not able to access the Primo Research Assistant yet
• Students must log in to be able to use Primo Research Assistant (generative AI tool)
• Students then sign in and access Primo Research Assistant
• The Primo Research Assistant remembers our original research question in the “Research History” section. This allows Reference Librarians to bring up the material if a similar question gets asked.
• Student arrives at landing page for Primo Research Assistant (shown in next slide)

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Primo Research Assistant (Generative AI) Search Page

Primo Research Assistant Provides both Related Topic Questions for Further Student Research & Research History Sections

Sample Research Topic (using Primo Research Assistant): Mental Health Care for Indigenous People��Sample Question: What are the rates of mental health care needs within Native American communities?��

Ultimately, UNCP students can always use Library Contact Us Page (Specifically, Research Services Department) for specific course assistance.

Questions?