As information literacy instruction outcomes assessment in academic libraries continues to increase as a key indicator of pedagogical value both within libraries and throughout their parent institutions, the call for the design and implementation of such assessment continues to rise as well. Ideally, this process is supported with adequate time, funding, and personnel. The reality, however, is not always so accommodating. This case study relates the Brooklyn Campus Library of Long Island University's experience with developing a start-from-scratch outcomes assessment of information literacy instruction in its undergraduate core curriculum.
Since the release of the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education,1 academic libraries have implemented a wide range of initiatives and programs. Formats range from traditional library instruction that integrates information literacy concepts in “one shot” sessions to credit-bearing courses that are librarian led and offer course or discipline specific instruction. Delivery modes also range from face-to-face to online instruction. Increasingly, student assessment and indicators related to program impact have become the focus of ongoing discussions. Guidelines such as the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Standards for Libraries in Higher Education,2 Guidelines for Instruction Programs in Academic Libraries3 and The Value of Academic Libraries: A Comprehensive Research Review and Report4 offer direction related to student assessment and defining program impacts. These documents also reflect a recognition that information literacy and library instruction programs are varied in response to institutional needs