Information literacy and flexible delivery: are we meeting student needs?

This paper discusses the impact of flexible delivery on the creation and delivery of information literacy programs. By focussing learning on the needs of the learner, libraries have had to adapt traditional services to meet the needs of a diverse and dispersed client group. On campus students visit the library and have the opportunity to attend face-to-face classes. Librarians can discuss their needs, demonstrate products, offer alternatives, ascertain appropriate levels of service and negotiate solutions until their information needs are satisfied. For students who choose not to visit the library, interpersonal communication, non-verbal cues, immediate feedback, human intervention and negotiation is limited, making it difficult to attain an equivalent level of personalised service.