LCSC Library | Core Competencies

Level One:	Introduction to the Library, including a tour, an explanation of the classification system, and basic overviews of the online catalog and journal indexes.
Level Two:	Intermediate-level training on using the library resources for research.
Level Three:	Training on resources for research in specific disciplines.
Level Four:	General concepts about intellectual freedom and social / political / economic issues affecting information and research.
Level One:
Module 1A:	Understand the organization of materials in the LCSC Library. Understand how to use the Library of Congress classification system.
Module 1B:	Preserve the integrity of information resources, equipment, systems and facilities. Understand the policies governing the use of each.
Module 1C:	Know the basic organization, features and capabilities of the Library Catalog. Use location information in the bibliographic record to retrieve locally owned resources.
Module 1D:	Know the basic organization, features and capabilities of general journal indexes. Use location information in the bibliographic record to retrieve online or locally owned resources.
Module 1E:	Know when to search the Web, some tools to use, and how to evaluate the results.
Module 1F:	Know how information is formally and informally produced, organized, and disseminated. Identify the value and differences of potential resources in a variety of formats (e.g., multimedia, database, website, data set, audio/visual, book, journal). Differentiate between primary and secondary sources. Understand that information is also available from other unpublished sources, including experts, agencies and information networks.
Module 1G:	For Outreach Students. Discover the Library services and resources available to distance students and how to access them.
Level 2:
Module 2A:	Demonstrate an understanding of what constitutes plagiarism and does not represent work attributable to others as one’s own. Demonstrate an understanding of intellectual property, copyright, and fair use of copyrighted material. Select an appropriate documentation style and use it consistently to cite sources.
Module 2B:	Understand the access points to information sources (e.g., author, title, call number, subject, keyword). Recognize the components of a citation and differentiate between types of resources cited, such as a book, periodical, or government document, as well as the format (e.g., electronic or print).
Module 2C:	Identify the nature of a given information need. Formulate a general research question. Understand that topic focus is evolutionary and changes during the course of investigation. Explore general information resources to increase familiarity with the topic. Refine the focus of the information need. Understand that information seeking takes time, flexibility, diligence, and practice, and that skills are learned over time. Define a realistic overall plan and timeline to acquire the needed information.
Module 2D:	Examine and compare information from various sources in order to evaluate validity, accuracy, authority, timeliness, and point of view or bias.
Module 2E:	Use online search techniques and tools (such as Boolean operators and symbols, limiting capabilities, and truncation) to locate relevant citations and information to further refine, expand or narrow a search, as needed. Evaluate search results, and revise search strategy as needed. Advanced searches on catalog and advanced searches in journal databases.
Module 2F:	Determine the availability of needed information and make decisions on broadening the information seeking process beyond local resources (e.g., interlibrary loan or using resources at other locations). Use locally owned resources to locate information sources in the global information environment.
Module 2G:	Understand the nature and use of controlled vocabulary for accessing information.
Level 3:
Module 3A:	Finding Resources in Psychology. Know the basic organization, features and capabilities of Psychology-subject reference resources. Distinguish between primary and secondary sources in Psychology and evaluate their appropriateness to the information need. Realize that information may need to be constructed with raw data from primary sources, including surveys, interviews, and experimentation. Use discipline-specific controlled vocabularies to access subject-specific databases. Construct advanced Boolean search statements to locate relevant citations.
Module 3B:	Finding Resources in Nursing. Know the advantages and disadvantages of using full-text article databases and citation health databases for searching. Identify the major journal article databases in the area of Nursing that are available at LCSC. Understand the importance of using keyword searching in a full-text database. Structure a search statement using syonyms and plural forms of the terms describing the major concepts in the search. Understand the importance of using subject headings in a citation database search. Identify 3 different strategies for locating the valid subject terms for the database.
Modules 3B - 3G:	Tutorials for Business, Education, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.
Level 4:
Module 4A:	Identify and discuss issues related to censorship and freedom of speech.
Module 4B:	Understand the social / political / economic issues affecting information, such as: a) Privacy, b) Privatization and access to government information, c) Electronic access to information, d) The exponential growth of information, e) Equal access to information, f) Costs associated with the production, acquisition, storage and delivery of information.