The Library Instruction Cookbook

The Library Instruction Cookbook is a practical collection of learning recipes, each of which includes a plan for conducting a specific type of learning session and which indicates how the recipe reflects specific ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education.



The Library Instruction Cookbook is stuffed with recipes from academic librarians from around the world. Chef editors Ryan Sittler and Doug Cook have gathered 97 of the best lesson plans to spice up the student experience. Recipes meet the learning goals of the following occasions:

Library Orientation

Teaching Basic Library Skills

Teaching Citations and Plagiarism

Evaluating Various Types of Resources

Teaching Specialized Research Skills

Teaching Discipline Related Research

Teaching with Technology



Each recipe is accompanied by the following teaching and planning aids:

Main Cooking Technique

ACRL Information Dietary Standards Addressed (ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards)

Main Ingredients

Preparation Steps

Allergy Warnings


This book is appropriate for college, university, and community college libraries with instruction programs. It is also appropriate for schools of library and information science.

Ryan L. Sittler is Instructional Technology/Information Literacy Librarian, and Assistant Professor, California University of Pennsylvania (PA). Dr. Douglas Cook is Reference Librarian and Professor, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (PA).