Individualized instruction for undergraduates: Term paper clinic staffed by MLS students

Abstract

In academic libraries, shrinking budgets and expanding enrollments are forcing reference librarians to explore innovative ways to provide individualized services to their clients. Meanwhile, library schools are seeking ways to enhance the educational experience of their students and to provide them with a competitive advantage in a tight job market. At the University of Toronto, the Sigmund Samuel Library and the Faculty of Library and Information Science joined forces to mount a Term Paper Clinic for undergraduates that was staffed by MLS students. This service provided research strategies to first- and second-year undergraduates working on term papers. Tins article describes the planning, implementation, and assessment of the TPC and provides recommendations for similar undertakings in the future.