Tracking Instructional Themes at the Reference Desk

Abstract

Academic libraries play a vital role in supporting student learning by offering both structured
instruction and point-of-need research assistance. While formal library instruction sessions are
often planned well in advance, reference services provide a more spontaneous and personalized
way for students to develop essential research skills. These interactions, whether brief or in-depth,
can contribute to student learning outcomes (SLOs) related to information literacy. As libraries
increasingly seek to demonstrate their impact on student success, assessing the instructional
value of reference services is an opportunity to do so