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Library Instruction and Research Expertise

Research Librarians

Research librarians at NYUAD combine subject expertise with teaching, supporting students in developing information literacy skills and collaborating with faculty across disciplines.

Information Literacy and Library Instruction

Information literacy is the ability to recognize when information is needed and to locate, evaluate, and use it effectively. Beyond supporting academic success, information literacy fosters independent, lifelong critical thinkers prepared to navigate information in all areas of their lives.

At NYUAD, research librarians draw on the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education to guide their teaching. This framework emphasizes effective information discovery while also examining the systems that shape knowledge and the ethical responsibilities of information use.

Librarians bring these concepts into the classroom through course-integrated instruction sessions. Scheduled on request and tailored to assignments, these sessions connect information literacy directly to student learning. Working in close collaboration with faculty, librarians design sessions that introduce the resources and research skills students require for their courses and assignments.

Sessions may include, but are not limited to:

  • Developing search strategies using catalogs, databases, and discovery tools

  • Comparing scholarly, popular, and other types of information to understand how knowledge is created in different forms

  • Evaluating credibility across sources, including online information, and understanding the peer review process

  • Working with primary and secondary sources across disciplines

  • Tracing scholarship through citations and influential works to engage with scholarly conversations

  • Examining the ethical and economic dimensions of information use, including citation, attribution, and avoiding plagiarism

  • Understanding copyright, open access, and publishing models, and how they affect access to scholarship

  • Approaching research as an iterative process of questioning, evidence-gathering, and reflection

  • Exploring AI and algorithmic literacy to understand how technologies shape access to information and knowledge creation

To schedule a session, contact your Research Librarian or email nyuad.library@nyu.edu

First-Year Writing Seminar (FYWS) and the Library

The First-Year Writing Seminar (FYWS) is a cornerstone of the NYUAD experience, introducing undergraduate students to the reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills essential to a liberal arts education.

Research librarians are embedded in every seminar, ensuring that students build a strong foundation in information literacy alongside their writing and communication skills. 

All students enroll in FYWS during one of their first two semesters, ensuring that the Library becomes an early and integral part of their academic journey. Through this partnership, students develop research methods that support them across disciplines.

As part of this commitment, the Librarian for Instruction, First-Year Experience, and Student Success coordinates FYWS instruction, collaborates with faculty, and develops programs that support research, foster belonging, and strengthen the first-year learning experience.

Rebecca Hastie

Assistant Academic Librarian for Instruction, First-Year Experience and Student Success

Email: rmh10057@nyu.edu
Phone: +971-2-628-6137

Support Beyond the Classroom

The Library extends support through:

Workshops and Events

The Library regularly hosts open workshops and events on research, digital tools, and academic skills. These sessions are available to all students, faculty, and staff.

Find a Research Librarian in Your Subject Area

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