Presented at LILAC 2008

1. The academic librarian as a supervisor:
Intervening in the student’s research process
Dr. Maria-Carme Torras, senior academic librarian
University of Bergen Library, Norway

2. How can the academic librarian’s supervision best
support the postgraduate student’s research process?
• Student challenges
• A model of library supervision to extend the
educational role of the academic librarian

3. Student challenges
• Narrowing down a research question from a general topic
• Dealing with large amounts of available sources / selecting what to read
• Evaluating information analytically and critically
• Using terminology correctly
• Using information creatively, i.e. transforming it into own knowledge which is
communicated in the student’s work
• Structuring the text in a logical way
• Constructing and supporting arguments
• Expressing own views and supporting them
• Drawing conclusions
• Using information ethically
• Referencing (paraphrasing, using sources to support arguments,
documenting sources)
(Dysthe et al., 2000; Kulthau, 2004)

4. The psychological dimension
• Uncertainty, confusion, frustration, anxiety at different
research stages (e.g. Kuhlthau, 2004; Cavallin, 2006;
Dysthe, 2006)
• Uncertainty as part and parcel of the research process,
but may hinder academic progress or lead to writer’s
block.
• How can the student be assisted to tackle uncertainty?

5. Traditional supervision - humanities and social sciences
Academic supervisor Student
Academic librarian
’ad hoc’ supervision
(Handal & Lauvås, 2006)

6. An alternative supervision constellation
Fellow students
Academic supervisor Student Academic librarian
(Torras & Sætre, forthcoming)

7. Supervision tandem:
academic supervisor & academic librarian
Formalising the relationship
• ’Who does what and what do we do together?’
• What kind of intervention should the academic librarian
have in the student’s research process?

8. Supervision tandem
Academic supervisor
Primary supervisor
Product and process supervisor
Academic librarian
Secondary supervisor (H&L,2006)
Process supervisor (H&L,2006)
Counsellor (Kuhlthau, 2004)

9. The academic librarian as a secondary supervisor
• Complementary but formalised role.
• A resource person offering advice and assistance in her
particular area of expertise.
• The academic librarian
– an expert in matters concerning info search and
exploitation
– academic qualifications in a certain discipline.

10. The academic librarian as a process supervisor
• guides and encourages S to move on in her research
process over time
• process intervention is especially important at initial
stages of research process
– uncertainty
– narrowing down a research question
– obtaining reasonable overview of the literature

11. The academic librarian as a process supervisor
• focuses on texts for thinking (Dysthe et al., 2000)
– process-oriented. Texts for learning
– private, informal and exploratory (mindmapping, brainstorming)
– stimulate and clarify thoughts and ideas about a topic
– tool for diagnosing where S is and for enabling her to move onto
the next phase
• does not focus on texts for presentation (final drafts and thesis and
their quality)
– product-oriented (reader, assessment)
– reflect critical-analytical thinking

12. The academic librarian as a counsellor
• The info. searching process is ‘highly individual, creative,
and personal’ (Kuhlthau, 2004, p. 119).
• S and L have a dialogue over time.
• L assists S in her development of a research question,
choice of a search strategy and identification of
appropriate sources at the different stages of her
(re)search process.
• L guides S through the creative process of constructing
meaning, that is, of seeking certainty and clarity in her
academic work.
• As opposed to source-oriented intervention (identifier)

13. The academic librarian as a counsellor
Non-controlling supervision style (Clark & Fry’s 1992 writing coach).
• S decides on what the supervision session will be about
• S talks, L listens, asks questions and gives positive feedback
• L formulates ideas, suggestions and advice as questions (Dysthe
et al., 2000)
• L encourages S to express her own thoughts, problems and
alternatives
• L does not interrupt the student to impose her own ideas
• L takes notes or records the session for S

14. An alternative supervision constellation
Fellow students
Academic supervisor Student Academic librarian
(Torras & Sætre, forthcoming)

15. Learning as a social practice:
Masters and apprentices at the academic library
• Kvale’s (1997) research apprenticeship: a model for organised
group supervision at the library
• Hands-on workshops
– Participating in communities of practice
• Dialogue
• Scaffolding
• Socialisation into the discipline
– Learning by doing
• Acquire IL by doing IL related activities based on own work
– Evaluation through practice
– Acquiring a professional identity, e.g. research ethics in using
information

16. Metacommunication about supervision
• It should include the academic librarian
• Explicitly discussing supervision expectations, duties and strategies
with S and AS will help delimit L’s supervisory roles in a way which
satisfies all.
– defining the partnership
– reflecting on a multiplicity of supervisory roles
• Lack of metacommunication can have unfortunate consequences.
– S might receive conflicting feedback from the AS and L
– Both library and faculty staff might feel that librarians are
treading on ‘faculty territory’

17. Field-testing the model
• Planning a pilot project: organised individual and group
supervision
• Challenges
– Following up S throughout the process
– Making organised group supervision relevant to S
– Defining how their AS-L tandem is to share the
supervisory role in practice.
– Costs

18. Rewards
- S will be supported better in their research process
- S’s acquisition of complex intellectual skills will be more
comprehensive.
- AS will be partially or even totally relieved of some tasks.
- For L:
- more adequate user education and contact with users
- better insight into collection development needs, as
she will be more aware of faculty research areas.
- professionalisation of L’s educational role.

19. References
Cavallin, C. (2006) Gruppebasert veiledning med én veileder i masterstudier. In: Dysthe,
O. & Samara, A. eds. Forskningsveiledning på master- og doktorgradsnivå. Oslo,
Abstrakt forlag, pp. 56-64.
Clark, R.P. & Fry, D. (1992) Coaching writers. Editors and reporters working together.
New York, St. Martin’s press.
Dysthe, O. (2006) Rettleiaren som lærar, partnar eller meister?. In: Dysthe, O. & Samara,
A. eds. Forskningsveiledning på master- og doktorgradsnivå. Oslo, Abstrakt forlag,
pp. 228-248.
Dysthe, O., Hertzberg, F. & Hoel, T.L. (2000) Skrive for å lære. Skriving i høyere
utdanning. Oslo, Abstrakt forlag.
Handal, G. & Lauvås, P. (2006) Forskningsveilederen. Oslo, Cappelen.
Kuhlthau, C.C. (2004) Seeking meaning. A process approach to library and information
services. 2nd edition. Westport, Libraries Unlimited.
Kvale, S. (1997) Research apprenticeship. Nordisk pedagogik, 17 (3), pp. 186-194.
Torras, M.C. & Sætre, T. P. (forthcoming) Information literacy education: A process-
oriented approach. Professionalising the pedagogical role of academic libraries.
Oxford, Chandos.