Includes bibliographical references and index.

Historical overview of library instruction -- Who teaches? -- How students learn -- Predelivery considerations -- What to teach -- Where instruction takes place -- It's about time -- Characteristics of effective instructors -- Characteristics of effective instruction -- Assessment -- Challenges to instruction.

Being a great teacher is part and parcel of being a great librarian. In this book, the author, a veteran instruction services librarian lays out the fundamentals of the discipline in easily accessible language. Succinctly covering the topic from top to bottom, he: Offers an overview of the historical context of library instruction, drawing on recent research in learning theory to help the instructor choose the most effective strategies for any situation; Shows readers how to assess the information needs of a given audience, how to develop a curriculum for teaching information literacy, and how to fit an appropriate amount of content into the allotted time; Addresses the pros and cons of online versus face-to-face instruction; Includes methods for publicizing the availability of the library's learning opportunities. With expert guidance for putting theory into practice, this book helps librarians connect with students as effectively as possible.