Illlinois Immersion ‘07

Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois
July 13-18, 2007

ACRL's Institute for Information Literacy is pleased to announce Illinois Immersion '07 the Regional Information Literacy Institute sponsored by ACRL. Whether your institution is just beginning to think about implementing an information literacy component or whether you have a program well underway, Illinois Immersion '07 will provide academic librarians with the intellectual tools and practical techniques to help your institution build or enhance its instruction program.

Illinois Immersion '07 will be four-and-one-half days of active learning and intensive interaction among academic librarians. A faculty of nationally recognized librarians will teach the program. Acceptance to the Illinois Immersion Program is competitive; participation is limited to 90 to ensure an environment that fosters group interaction and active participation.

The Regional Institute for Information Literacy will be held on the Illinois State University campus in Normal, Illinois, July 13 – 18, 2007. The Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) is hosting Illinois Immersion '07 with support from the Illinois State Library.

Description

Illinois Immersion ‘07 will offer two tracks:

Teacher Track. This track focuses on individual development for those who are interested in enhancing, refreshing, or extending their individual instruction skills. Curriculum includes classroom techniques, learning theory, leadership, and assessment framed in the context of information literacy. Librarians and graduate students in library and information science programs are eligible to apply. Participants selected for the Teacher Track will prepare a description of an instructional situation and a related presentation in advance of the Immersion program. During Immersion, participants will revise the presentation based on feedback from colleagues and faculty. The Teacher Track is for you if:

You have little or no experience as a teacher or if you have experience teaching but would benefit from a focus on the fundamentals.
You want to understand more about learning theory, and how to design lessons and assignments that accommodate different learning styles.
You want an opportunity to practice and receive feedback on your teaching.
You need to understand the role of assessment in improving your teaching techniques and the design of lessons and assignments.
You want to identify and build on your leadership skills.

Program Track. This track focuses on developing, integrating, and managing institutional and programmatic information literacy programs. Participants selected for the Program Track will develop individual case studies in advance of the Immersion program. Change dynamics, systems thinking, institutional outcomes assessment, scalability, and the integration of teaching, learning, and technology will be brought to bear on analyzing the various programmatic challenges presented in the case studies. Immersion participants will be expected to develop the case studies into an action plan for implementation at the home institution, and possible inclusion in a "best practices" report six months after the program. The Program Track is for you if:

You have some knowledge of learning theory, pedagogy, and assessment.
You have some experience as a teacher.
You currently have (or are soon to have) some program management responsibility.
You are interested in moving your program from a focus on bibliographic instruction to a focus on information literacy.
You need to understand the role of assessment related to a whole curriculum and to gaining campus support.
You want to strengthen your skills as a campus leader for information literacy.

Click here for Immersion '07 learning outcomes and curriculum details.

Application

Space is still available for this program. Applications will be accepted until Friday, April 27, 2007. Online applications must be received by 3:00 p.m. CDT; those delivered by hand or by mail must be received prior to the CARLI office closing at 4:30 p.m. CDT. Please use a 9” x 12” envelope so the application is not folded. A waitlist will be established.

Click here for Illinois Immersion '07 application instructions and online application form. Wednesday, February 28, 2007, is the deadline for Illinois residents to apply and have preferred consideration for Illinois Immersion '07. As space allows, applications will be accepted (including non-Illinois residents) until Friday, April 27, 2007. Applications may be submitted via the online application form or by mail to: CARLI, 501 E. Daniel St., Suite 228, Champaign, IL 61820. Please use a 9” x 12” envelope so the application is not folded. All applications must be received by the deadlines noted in the application instructions. Applications will be reviewed by the Illinois Immersion Planning Task Force; notifications will be issued in March & April 2007.

While graduate students are welcome to apply, priority will be given to practicing librarians. Upto 5 graduate students may be accepted to the Illinois Immersion Teacher Track Program.

Costs

Illinois residents: $600
Non-Illinois residents: $750

Registration includes tuition, an extensive binder of resources, access to computer facilities, private electronic discussion forum of all participants, ALL meals, twice-daily refreshment breaks, and special social events. Lodging is not included as part of the registration fee. Details about accommodations are below.

Scholarships

Several Illinois Library Systems are providing scholarships. More information about this will be posted here. Please check back!

Accommodations / Parking

Air conditioned single rooms in a university residence hall are available. Each room has a desk, closet, and dresser. There are communal single-sex bathrooms. Full linen service (provided) includes one pillow, one pillowcase, two sheets, and one blanket. Towels, soap, and shampoo will also be provided. Beds will be made fresh daily. Trash will be emptied daily. Towels will be exchanged daily in the room.

Residence halls are within a comfortable walking distance to the program meetings in Bone Student Center.

The nightly rate in the residence hall is $35.68. For the entire stay, the rate is $178.40 for five nights. Parking near the residence halls is included in the rate. This does not include parking in the ISU Bone Student Center Visitor lot.

Other options: If you wish, you may make other accommodation arrangements at local hotels / motels in the area. (see Convention & Visitors Bureau in the About Bloomington – Normal section for a list of local establishments.)

If you plan to commute to the area, parking is $4 per day for 6 days for $24 for the program (Friday – Wednesday).

About Bloomington – Normal

The home of Illinois State University (Normal) and Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington) offer the finest in higher education. State Farm Insurance, Mitsubishi Motors North America, Country Insurance and Financial Services and Beer Nuts are a few of the companies who are headquartered here in McLean County.

The July temperatures for the area range from an average high of 84 degrees to an average low of 66 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bloomington – Normal is located in central Illinois. Interstates 39, 55, and 74 are direct routes to the twin cities. The Central Illinois Regional Airport (http://www.cira.com/) provides air traffic to the area. Also, Amtrak (http://www.amtrak.com) has routes through Bloomington – Normal.

For more information on the area, please visit the Bloomington – Normal Convention & Visitors Bureau at http://www.bloomingtonnormalcvb.org/ or the Illinois State University website at http://www.ilstu.edu/ .

Questions

Contact either Elizabeth Clarage, Director of Collections Services, CARLI, or Lorna Engels, Library Systems Coordinator, CARLI, for any additional information. They also may be contacted by phone at (toll-free) 866-904-5843.