Service learning—defined as community service connected to a for-credit college course—is acknowledged to be a high-impact educational practice. It provides students with opportunities to put what they learn in class into action, to engage problem-solving skills, and to reflect on their experiences. Ideally, in service learning, course materials inform student service, and students’ service experiences, in turn, inform academic dialogue and comprehension. But where do academic libraries and librarians fit into this process?

This is the first book to provide that missing piece, giving librarians practical information and examples of how to contribute to service learning on their campuses. It begins with an overview of librarian involvement in service learning, highlighting connections between service learning and information literacy pedagogy. Case studies focus on specific aspects of service learning that engage information literacy, illustrating ways academic libraries can partner with service learning initiatives. The book concludes with thoughts on assessment and short essays on the future of libraries and service learning.

Features

• Draws from the 2014 (inaugural) Colloquium on Libraries & Service Learning
• Offers a unique take on the role of libraries and librarians in the service learning programs that are increasingly popular in higher education as a way to engage active learning
• Provides information and insights that will be useful to academic librarians who teach and/or have outreach responsibilities, as well as to academic library administrators and LIS faculty
• Shares reflections on the future of service learning