Fundamentals for the instruction coordinator

CHICAGO — An instruction coordinator does more than just oversee the entire department of instruction librarians. The role also requires you to function as the assessment lead, training and directing the tone of how instruction will be taught, performed, and evaluated, as well as perform outreach to departments and faculty outside the library to find ways to make connections for future instruction. Tasked with the position when a colleague was on a sabbatical, Caitlin A. Bagley has written “Fundamentals for the Instruction Coordinator,” the guide she wishes she’d had from the very beginning. Published by ALA Neal-Schuman, this primer outlines exactly what you need to know as a new instruction coordinator, including:

• an overview of library instruction and the primary stakeholders;
• guidance on key duties such as training, management, communications, and assessment;
• instruction coordinator best practices drawn from librarians working in a range of settings;
• a chapter on technology management, with advice on selecting and keeping technology up to date; and
• tips on how to integrate what you’ve learned into your program.

Bagley is an instruction librarian at Gonzaga University in Spokane. Her research has focused on shifting library technologies and most recently on using infographics in instruction. She has authored several articles on cloud computing and infographics as well as the book “Makerspaces: Top Trailblazing Projects.” A 2013 ACRL Immersion Teaching with Technology graduate, she earned her master's degree in library science at Indiana University.

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