Information Competencies for Students in Design Disciplines

Information Competencies for Students in Design Disciplines, for the first time, compiles a list of core information literacy skills for students. Divided into basic, intermediate, and advanced skills in each design discipline, this set of competencies is an invaluable aid to librarians as they strive to define and delimit information literacy skills for students in design disciplines. These competencies are intended to facilitate a systematic means of integrating information literacy skills into the core curriculum of design students, as well as to open lines of communication with faculty as to how competencies can be integrated into specific course goals. The authors developed Information Competencies for Students in Design Disciplines with previously established information literacy standards at its foundation. The ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education as well as specific standards in other disciplines such as Information Literacy Standards for Science and Engineering/Technology were consulted in the creation of these standards

The Post-Pandemic Transformation of Art and Architecture Libraries

This entry paper considers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the processes and functions of art and architecture libraries in North America and distinguishes between temporary changes and those that will endure and are here to stay. COVID-19 impacted all aspects of human life, placing tremendous stress on institutions and individuals globally. Academic libraries responded to the crisis by bringing resources to communities remotely and keeping constituents engaged to maintain a sense of normalcy. While libraries in schools of architecture, art, and design, responded similarly to other academic libraries, they also had unique needs. This entry paper is informed by two surveys of art and architecture library staff and faculty, alongside a preliminary literature review. The results of the first survey were published in Art Documentation and the results and analysis of the second survey are forthcoming. Both temporary and long-standing changes were implemented to ensure uninterrupted service in academic institutions. Temporary solutions included extending loan periods, quarantining materials, enforcing social distancing, and expanding document delivery. Changes that will endure post-pandemic include the increased acquisition of digital materials, remote instruction and reference consultations, increased resource access, and the utilization of a vast array of technologies

COVID-19 Pandemic Architecture Librarians Respond

Librarianship is a resourceful profession, but COVID-19 created new challenges for everyone, especially those working in public service with architecture students and faculty. Unlike in STEM disciplines, many architectural materials remain print-based, which impacted the quick change faculty needed to make to online teaching and classroom instruction. It impeded timely reference by even seasoned librarians and student access to necessary resources to complete their assignments. With libraries closed, librarians innovated and soldiered on, ordering new and different resources, applying new methods, learning new tools, and taking advantage of new vendor access models. This article documents the initial impact of COVID-19 on architecture libraries and librarians, supplemented by survey input from architecture librarians and faculty, and suggests strategies for navigating an uncertain future