E-TUTORSHIPS AND E-LEARNING – RE-SKILLING LIBRARIANS FOR INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

In university, research, and health institutions the need has become evident for high quality information literacy instruction in order to develop and support research, teaching and other services. The University of Bologna launched an Information Literacy Project in 2003 to improve information skills at all levels. Librarians were involved in a course of "training for trainers" and in the production of learning objects/tutorials for students and teachers. This experience was an interesting approach not only to a virtual environment, but also to the basics of pedagogical requirements for a good training course. As a second example of this re-skilling effort, the experience of a course delivered in 2008 for hospital librarians as e-tutors on the Moodle platform is also be presented. The critical aspects of this initiative within traditional Italian universities will be highlighted: the transition to a digital library-oriented profession is made difficult by national and local norms and behaviours. Moreover, technical aspects regarding barriers of access to e-learning content in a hospital/university context will be analysed. It has been a real struggle to develop new professional attitudes based on effective communication skills.