Staff

As a Library and IT Services (LITS) resource, the DiSCO is supported by a cross-disciplinary team of LITS instructional staff – Research and Instruction Librarians, Instructional Technologists, and the Distinctive Collections Engagement Librarian. Our team engages with faculty, staff, and students to provide instruction in areas of information literacy, technology, and the Special Collections and College Archives. .

Mission

The LITS Instructional Staff uses a literacies framework to teach skills and habits of mind that build the concepts students need to be savvy users and producers of information and lifelong learners.

How We Partner with Faculty and Staff Across the College

LITS Instructional Staff collaborate with faculty and staff in both curricular and co-curricular spaces to develop innovative pedagogy, promote students’ critical thinking and academic success, and aid in students’ vocational exploration. This includes:

• Providing curricular, research, and assignment consultations
• Teaching instructional sessions on research strategies and digital projects
• Supporting critical infrastructure such as Moodle, Panopto and Posit (RStudio) servers

How We Engage with Students

We meet students at various points in their St. Olaf journey, in classes, via work in student organizations, on personal projects, or career exploration efforts. This may include:  

• Course-related instructional sessions on research strategies and digital projects
• One-on-one and small group consultations
• Managing the DiSCO and Cave makerspace
• Consulting with / providing training for student organizations
• Supporting Moodle learning management system
• Supervising student employees

Every academic department has a dedicated Research and Instruction librarian and an Instructional Technologist who serve as liaisons for faculty (see below). Liaisons consult with faculty on projects involving research and/or technology and help to train students in related areas. 

Due to high demand and limited staff, we encourage you to contact your librarian/technologist as early as possible to to arrange for class instruction in order to ensure their availability, and a minimum of two weeks prior to your desired instruction date. If your librarian or technologist is at capacity during your class time we will share some online resources to support your course.

For general questions, see help links to the right. For specific research and instructional support, see staff and liaison information below.