In collaboration with the Rochester Regional Library Council and many, many librarian volunteers throughout the Western and Central New York State area, Milne Library is thrilled to announce the kick off of the second Library Instruction Leadership Academy (LILAC). The first program, envisioned by Milne librarians Michelle Costello and Kim Davies-Hoffman, was offered in Spring 2010 with 11 participants – librarians who were new to classroom instruction and who desired a more effective and engaging teaching approach.
This year’s LILAC has attracted many more applicants but could only accommodate for its current 21 students. Participants hail from Buffalo, Alfred, Rochester and Syracuse and the types of libraries where they work is just as diverse – the Adam Mickiewicz Library & Dramatic Circle (the oldest surviving Polish library in Buffalo, NY), the Business Career Management Center at University of Rochester’s Simon School, the Scottsville Free Public Library and SUNY’s Upstate Health Sciences Library, just to name a few.
An additional highlight to the exciting array of students is the inclusion of three recent SUNY Geneseo graduates who have gone on to pursue a Masters in Library Science – Bonnie Archer (‘07, English Literature), Maura Proctor (‘04, History, Honors Program), and Chad Taylor (‘99, Philosophy with English and Medieval Studies minors).
While serving different age groups, populations and special interests, all 21 LILAC participants have one thing in common – the desire to become better teachers. They started on this path by attending 1) the January 24 kick-off celebration where they were able to become acquainted with the expectations of the LILAC program and meet like-minded librarians in their cohort and 2) the first two full-day workshop which took place on January 28 and February 27.
| SUNY Geneseo Education professor, Dr. Brian Morgan*, led the foundational workshop for the academy which focused on pedagogical theory and how to translate that into effective teaching practice. The intention of LILAC is that subsequent presenters will address and emulate the theory-to-practice model, as introduced by Dr. Morgan and through their own workshop delivery. |  * |
To prepare LILAC students for their next workshop session, Teaching with Technology (March 27), the academy planning team has immersed them in educational technology. Pre-workshop, the students joined in a discussion around learning new technologies via Voicethread, during the session, students will choose a chat room (from a choice of three learning management system [LMS] platforms) where they will engage in creating a new learning (digital) asset, and then come together for a larger group discussion in Blackboard’s Collaborate. The LILAC LMS, Moodle, will provide the traditional text-based discussion forum for students to reflect, share ideas and ask questions post-workshop.
LILAC will run through June 2013 with a total five full-day workshops; observations of librarians’ teaching; outside (online) reading assignments, reflections and student discussions; and a final mini-presentation that demonstrates improved teaching practice.
Already recognized nationally by the ACRL Instruction Section Innovation Award, LILAC organizers are hopeful of similar success for their participants in 2013. We are also pleased to announce the upcoming publication, “Keeping pace with information literacy instruction for the real world: When will MLS programs wake up and smell the LILACs?” in the online, open access journal Communications in Information Literacy. The u
ltimate goal in writing this piece is to gradually transform graduate-level curriculum in Library and Information Science programs across the country.
Ms. Jane Mannheim Claud, Geneseo ‘69
* The inclusion of a Master Instructor with expertise in pedagogical theory and practice was made possible by a generous donation from Ms. Jane Mannheim Claud, Geneseo ‘69.
