Information Literacy Instruction Services at Rural Community Colleges, Fall 2019 Through AY 2021/22

Abstract

This exploratory study examines the instructional practices of two-year institutions located in rural areas during the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and the two academic years that follow. Since the virus commonly known as COVID-19 first made its way to the United States in March 2020, three classes of community college students have had an introduction to higher education unlike any other in living memory. The mixed method approach consists of a survey aimed toward rural college librarians and subsequent in-depth interviews. This study identifies attempts to retain connections with faculty and students, as well as adjustments in instructional practices created both during the pandemic and in response to the return of in-person instruction.

Keywords:

• College librarians
• community colleges
• COVID-19
• information literacy
• instruction
• online service
• pandemic
• rural academic libraries

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).