The learning and discovery are then part of a larger context of meaning within the academic curriculum. Because of the organization and administrative structure of some organizations in higher education, there is a particular challenge in expanding instructional services to insure that information literacy and information technology literacy are integrated into the curriculum. Partnership with faculty may not come easily because of structure and governing issues, and librarians may need to expand their strategies in terms of outreach to campus partners, taking a broader view of the academic mission than they may have in the past. In the best of worlds, students would have access to labs or collaborative spaces in which to work, high-end equipment, and software and databases, scanners, etc. as well as access to knowledgeable staff to help them. In a Collaboratory used by Humanities Graduate Students for Web-page creation at the Berkeley Library, students have access to five networked PC workstations, one of which serves as an instructor's machine, a stand alone Power Mac, a projector, flatbed scanner, slide scanner and laser jet printer.
Students can use the space, working together, to create subject based web pages.
Library staff train the students in use of equipment and serve as consultants. Work spaces should be able to be arranged flexibly so that students, faculty and staff can work together collaboratively and in different combinations. Ideally, there should be spaces for students to work with high-end instructional technology equipment, with staff available to teach and assist. It is sometimes difficult to align students' late-night study habits to the normal working schedules of the University, but the goal should be to staff workspaces at the times students wish to use them, rather than at the convenience of staff. Clearly, information technology is now a critical tool we use to access and manipulate data, but only a tool, and it is important to remind ourselves of this from time to time.