Library Skills and Training

The Library provides library skills sessions for students throughout the academic year. These sessions will show you how to search for information for your assignments, teach you how to develop a search strategy, teach you how to correctly reference, and much more! Book your place for any session that will be of benefit to you. The sessions are mainly delivered online, but click on the session you wish to register for to check if we are delivering it online or on site. If you have any queries, e-mail the library at library.midlands@tus.ie

Why are Information Skills Important?

During your time in TUS Athlone you will be expected to read course materials to inform and educate yourself with the subjects you are studying and to write assignments set out by your lecturers. The majority of the material is provided as recommended reading lists, printed course packs or links to electronic copies of books and articles provided through the VLE, Moodle.

However, you will also be expected to develop your learning and do research beyond what is set by your lecturers to show your understanding of the subjects you are studying. This requires you to search, find and evaluate information independently on the topics you are studying. To do this effectively you need good information skills. With information accessible in various formats and quality, it is important that students have the skills needed to allow them to use the variety of information resources available and to retrieve, evaluate and use that information successfully.

Examples of information skills training include:

  • Library inductions
  • Information sources
  • Using the library catalogue
  • Copyright and plagiarism
  • Citing and referencing
  • Using electronic resources
  • Bibliographic database searching

In the wider context, information skills are important because they help to increase information literacy. Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.” (ALA, 1989) Integrating Information Literacy into the curriculum is about building skills for independent lifelong learning.

More Information:

Information Literacy CILIP Information Literacy Group
Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education ALA
Integrating Information Literacy into the Curriculum CONUL

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