Research Clinics: An Alternative Model for Large-Scale Information Literacy Instruction

This article describes the pilot year of a new model for information literacy instruction in first-year composition classes at the University of New Mexico. The flipped classroom model, the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education, and challenges to library staffing sparked the implementation of research clinics, which are a blend of a flipped classroom and a research/reference consultation. These clinics are designed to meet students at their point of need for research projects and allow students to choose what sort of library help will be the most beneficial at that moment. At the end of the pilot year, students and librarians reported high levels of satisfaction with the new model. Both students and librarians enjoyed the one-on-one interaction, and librarians felt sessions were more consistently successful. The research clinic model is a flexible approach with implications beyond the first-year composition classroom.