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The following is an annotated list of materials dealing with information literacy including instruction in the use of information resources, research, and computer skills related to retrieving, using, and evaluating information. This review, the twentieth to be published in Reference Services Review, includes items in English published in 1993. A few are not annotated because the compiler could not obtain copies of them for this review.

Hardesty reviews 25 years of library instruction and his experiences with integrating library instruction into the liberal arts curriculum. There has been resistance and lack of attention from both teaching faculty and administrators. Recently accrediting agencies have begun to encourage library competency as a requirement, but this is only in the beginning stages. Librarians must take primary responsibility for seeing that this educational goal is achieved.

The following is an annotated bibliography of materials published in 1978 on orienting users to the library and on instructing them in the use of reference and other resources. A few entries have a 1977 publication date and are included because information about them was not available in time for the 1977 review. Also some entries are not annotated because the compiler was unable to secure a copy of the information.

More than any other area of academic library collection, periodicals demonstrate the immense gap between the infinite nature of human inquiry and the finite quality of the resources available for the acquisition, organization, and maintenance of this inquiry. The number of periodicals currently available is far beyond the capabilities of most academic libraries to acquire and maintain. For example, Katz and Katz wrote in their introduction to the most recent edition of Magazines for Libraries that they included some 6,500 periodicals from over 65,000 possibilities. Fewer than a half a dozen major research libraries subscribe to 65,000 or more periodicals, and only a similar number of liberal arts college libraries subscribe to even 3,000 titles.

The “Conference on Library Orientation” that eventually became the LOEX Conference began over 25 years ago in 1971. The following article looks at the history of library instruction as influenced by and illustrated by those conferences and recaps some of the major themes illustrated by articles in the conference proceedings over the LOEX Conference’s first 25 years.

Farber surveys the past 25‐30 years in library instruction, and in particular the cooperation and collaboration between librarians and teaching faculty. Resistance has only been studied recently. Course integrated program at Earlham made cooperation and collaboration imperative. Over the years there has been increasing interest in this approach.

The following annotated bibliography of materials on orienting users to the library and on instructing them in the use of reference and other resources covers publications from 1979. A few items from 1978 were included because information about them had not been available in time for the 1978 listing. Some entries were not annotated because the compiler was unable to secure a copy of the item. The bibliography includes publications on user instruction in all types of libraries and for all types of users from children to adults. To facilitate the use of the list, it has been divided into categories by type of library. Even though the library literature includes many citations to items on user instruction in foreign countries, this bibliography includes only publications in the English language.

The following is an annotated list of materials dealing with orientation to library facilities and services, instruction in the use of information resources, and research and computer skills related to retrieving and using information. The thirteenth annual such review in Reference Services Review, the article covers items in English published in 1986. A few items are without annotations because the compiler was unable to secure copies of them for this review.

Library instruction is an important component in developmental programs for high‐risk college freshmen. There is little in the literature to describe information literacy programs for these students. Aims to redress this omission.

This article describes a library instruction component that was included in an English department enrichment skills program for university freshmen with low verbal SAT scores. The library component includes instruments used to evaluate library sessions from the viewpoint of both the English department faculty and library faculty. A pre‐session survey was given to students to ascertain their previous experience with using the library. The results of this indicated that library instruction was needed. An assessment quiz given to students at the end of the session evaluated what they had learned.

Two or three library sessions are required to cover the basic skills of library use. In addition, librarians and English professors need to collaborate closely on assignments for the library sessions so that students will have a practical need to focus on the material presented.

This article adds to the body of literature on information literacy programs for high‐risk students, an often overlooked group.

A programme of electronic information search training for health care academics was carried out at Dorset House Library, Oxford Brookes University, in summer 2000. Academic staff in health care need to be competent bibliographic searchers, but experience some barriers to learning. The author reflects on the potential benefits for academic staff and libraries when timely and appropriate training is offered to this user group.