Information Literacy and Instruction: Embedding Information Literacy in an MFA Novel Workshop
The rise of graduate creative writing programs in the United States during the twentieth century has been well documented. Less well documented is their connection with academic libraries, particularly in terms of their students’ acquisition of research skills. When I was asked by a faculty member to provide in-depth support for the MFA novel writing workshop at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), there were a few articles treating this topic, a few references in creative writing pedagogy books, and a couple suggestive course titles listed in MFA program curricula. In 2012–13, I served as the embedded librarian in this year-long workshop. In that role, I worked with the faculty member to develop assignments that helped students to incorporate research into their fiction-writing practice, met with students for two lengthy research workshops, and subsequently met with students individually as their research deepened.