Library Awards & Grants

Award amount: $2,000 

Application deadline: April 10, 2024 (at noon)

Award announced: April 29, 2024

Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2015) http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework

2023 - Dr. Shannon Harmon (ELED 4200)

2022 - Dr. Zaf Khan (SPED 6650) & Dr. Erica Stone (ENGL 3620)

2021 - Dr. Rebecca Oldham (CDFS 4710) & Dr. Claire Cook (CDFS 4350)

2020 - Dr. Christabel Devadoss (GEOG 2000), Dr. Chaney Mosley (AGRI 1000), and Dr. Molly Taylor-Poleskey (HIST 2010)

2019 - Dr. Natalie Hoskins (COMM 3750) & Dr. Jane Lim (ECE 4370)

2018 - Dr. John Maynor (PS 4930) & Holly Hebert (LIBS 6000)

2017 - Dr. Joan McRae (HUM 2610) & Dr. Racha El-Kadiri (GEOL 4120)

2016 - Dr. Mary Beth Asbury (ORCO 3750)

Information Literacy Curriculum Integration Grant (for MTSU Faculty) 2024

Purpose

The James E. Walker Library will fund up to two $2,000 grants for MTSU faculty members to integrate information literacy skills and concepts into a new or existing course. The grants will be awarded annually at the end of the spring semester. Recipients will be expected to plan curricular changes during the following summer and offer the integrated courses during the next fall or spring semester. Recipients will submit a final report by May 23, 2025, after teaching the course.

The grant will be awarded in three phases: $1,000 upon initial award (issued in June 2024), $272.73 for summer work (issued in September 2024), and $727.27 upon successful completion of the grant requirements (issued no later than June 2025).

Information literacy is defined by the Association of College and Research Libraries as the “set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.” For a more expansive definition and supporting material, see the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2015) at http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework.

Eligibility

All tenured, tenure-track, and full-time faculty members are eligible to apply. Only individuals may apply, and only one course per grant. Eligibility is limited to faculty who have not received this grant in the past five years. Proposals for graduate and undergraduate classes are eligible for curriculum integration.

How to Apply

Applications for this grant must be submitted electronically by email to infolitgrant@mtsu.edu by noon on April 10, 2024, and must include each of the following elements:

• Application cover page (signed and scanned OR digitally signed)—This form should include your contact information, type of proposal (new course or redesign), and your department chair's signature.
• Project Proposal (2-3 pages)
  • Project Statement—This should include a brief project description and the rationale for the redesign.
  • Student Learning Outcomes—Provide 3-5 student learning outcomes for the course, and identify those that relate to information literacy.
  • Timeline—This should include when you would plan the course, consult with a librarian, and teach the course. Note: The course must be offered in the fall or spring semester following the award.
  • Assessment Plan—Describe how you will know that this course integration has been successful.
  • Dissemination of results—Describe how you plan to share the results of your course integration experience (e.g., workshops, publications, etc.).
  • Biographical statement—Brief statement of credentials, experience teaching this course subject, and experience teaching information literacy concepts.

Grant Recipient Obligations

Recipients of this grant are required to:

• Demonstrate the integration of information literacy skills and/or concepts into the course’s curriculum
• Partner with an MTSU librarian on the project.
• Submit a final reflective report (1-2 pages) after teaching the redesigned course. This report should also include a copy of the course syllabus and any relevant information literacy assignments—Due by May 23, 2025.

Evaluation of Proposals

Application materials will be reviewed by an interdisciplinary committee of MTSU librarians and non-library faculty. Successful proposals will:

• Contain all elements included in the “How to Apply” section above.
• Demonstrate a thoughtful integration of information literacy into the curriculum; a feasible plan with realistic goals, objectives, and timelines; and
• Articulate a commitment to partner with MTSU librarians in the development and implementation of the plan.