Congratulations to the 2020 Learning Resources Commission Library Services Exemplary Practice Award winners!
Speed Dating With Databases (SDWD)
Matthew Bodie, Paula Knipp, Heather Holtzman, Kassie Sherman, and Kaitlin Crockett
St. Petersburg College
Initiated in January 2019, Speed Dating with Databases (SDWD) looks to maximize student learning and success through offering compelling and interactive information literacy instruction, featuring informative and comical vignettes, where matchmaker librarians take students out on “DATE-a-bases.” Created to support face-to-face and online instruction, guided student learning, and self-regulated strategy development, the program’s materials include PowerPoints, YouTube webisodes, database profiles for social media posts, and a Libguide to connect students with all of the program’s resources.
This program has significant reach. At its root, SDWD comprises four current and emerging librarians from multiple campuses, who identify as Database Relationship Coaches. SDWD incorporates multi-disciplinary subject material and features live and recorded multimedia presentations and resources. Marketing for this program has included collaboration with Online Learning and Services, which has provided banners promoting the program in the learning management system as well as partnerships with the college’s Marketing & Strategic Communication team, which has helped guide college-wide distribution of social media and public relations messages regarding the program. SDWD encourages faculty to adapt the resources to their curriculum, and its content is easily adaptable to other contexts and colleges. As survey results show, the program has connected glowingly with students and faculty and increased participation in both course-integrated library instruction and supplemental workshops. A few pieces of praise come from faculty and students who say the following:
Oh my goodness!!! I love the Speed Dating with Databases project you created. Its comprehensive and multi-faceted approach will give students an enriching experience, and because it’s so cute they’ll WANT to engage with it. – Karen Walker, Humanities Instructor
I really like the design of this guide, it's whimsical and fun and allows students to find databases they will need to complete assignments without being overwhelming or dry and boring. I love the ‘bringing back the '90s theme,’ and the framing of searching for databases as searching for the right date. I appreciate the effort put into making things as simple for us as possible, to help us succeed. Thank you – Alexandra Paul, Health Sciences major
As an older student, this makes research less intimidating – Heather Carpenter, FTIC student
I’m happy to be a part of a school that wants their students to succeed not only in class, but also in life – Taylor Fee, first-year AA transfer student