Building a Participatory Culture: Collaborating with Student Organizations for Twenty-first Century Library Instruction

Today’s students are critical thinkers, collaborators, and creators. They expect to participate in 21st century learning environments not as passive information consumers (think lectures), but as active contributors (think team-based problem-solving). There are opportunities for instruction librarians to collaborate directly with student-led organizations. These partnerships have the potential to increase attendance at library events and provide platforms for students to engage in richer forms of exploratory learning that incorporate 21st century skills. This article will discuss the literature surrounding library instruction collaborations, identify “Librarian – Student Organization Collaborations” as an important form of partnership, and supply specific case studies of successful library instruction events based on these collaborations.