WILU History

The Workshop for Instruction in Library Use, commonly known as WILU, is an annual Canadian conference where delegates meet to discuss timely topics related to information literacy.

In May 1972, five Canadian participants at a conference on library instruction in Ypsilanti, Michigan met and discussed ways to share their experiences with other Canadian librarians.

Within a few months, the following members formed a steering committee:

• Boris Chumakov (York University)
• Richard Dewey (Sir George Williams University, now Concordia University)
• Lucie Greene (University of Western Ontario)
• Patricia Grieg (University of Western Ontario)
• Sheila Laidlaw (University of Toronto)

Based on enthusiastic comments received from participants at a workshop that occurred in August 1972, a basic set of guidelines was established:

• The conference initially targeted staff and librarians from universities and colleges in Ontario and Quebec (today WILU attracts librarians from across Canada and the US, and beyond)
• A committee was to formed with representation from several different institutions (today, oversight passes from one hosting institution to the next)
• The workshop would (and still does) exist independently from library organizations, in order to facilitate “grass roots” participation at the lowest possible cost
• The workshop would emphasize experiences and learning (today, WILU blends practical experience and learning with meaningful theory and research)
• “Outside” speakers were meant to be kept at a minimum and input sought from faculty members and students for whom library instruction was designed
• The registration fees were (and still are) set as low as possible, with campus accommodation when possible (major contributions from hosting institutions as well as corporate sponsors have traditionally helped to keep registration fees low)
• The conference would operate on a cost-recovery basis, with seed money passed from one host to the next (these standards continue today)
  WILU continues to evolve and redefine itself as Canada’s premier information literacy conference and now attracts attendees and speakers from Canada and the world over.

Past Hosts

2017	University of Alberta
2016	University of British Columbia – Intersections Emily Drabinski: Intersections with Power: Critical Teaching the Library Catalogue E. Paul Zehr: Closing Keynote
2015	Memorial University – sea change Char Booth: Information Privilege: Narratives of Challenge and Change TA Loeffler: Cultivating a View Towards Change
2014	Western University – e-magine the possibilities Craig Gibson; Judy Jacobson: Opening Keynote Megan Oakleaf: Closing Keynote
2013	University of New Brunswick – Synchronicity – The Time is Now Bonnie Stewart; Dave Cormier: MOOCs, Rhizomes, and Networks: Information Literacies in a Time of Complexity and Abundance. Terry Reilly: Changing the Conversation
2012	Grant MacEwan University – Vigour, Thrift and Resourcefulness Michael Eisenberg: What College Students Say About Conducting Research in the Digital Age: Implications for Libraries, Librarians, and Higher Education from Project Information Literacy Adria Vasil:Decoding Greenwash
2011	University of Regina – Learning Under Living Skies Brian Thwaits: The Big Learn: Smart Ways to Use Your Brain David Bouchard: Aboriginal Success: A Crack in the Door
2010	McMaster University – Design, Play, Learn Dr. James Paul Gee (Arizona State University): A New Paradigm for Learning in the 21st Century (And Where Libraries Fit In) Dr. Steven J. Bell (Temple University): Exploring the Instruction Mystery: Designing our way past a wicked problem
2009	Concordia University – Reflections Dr. John M. Budd (University of Missouri): Where do we go now? Some research directions in information literacy Heidi LM Jacobs (University of Windsor); Selinda Berg (University of Windsor): Looking outward, looking within: Reflections on information literacy praxis
2008	UBC Okanagan – Information Literacy Uncorked John Willinsky (Stanford University): La Culture de l’information Alane Wilson: Their perceptions, our reality: The information-seeking habits and preferences of college and university students Judith Peacock (Queensland University of Technology); Nancy Goebel (University of Alberta, Augustana); Alice and the Carpenter present: The Time Has Come to Talk of Many Things: Act 1 – Your Future Through The Looking Glass
2007	York University – Teach Every Angle Rick Salutin: Thinking versus knowing: Where does information come in? Patricia Iannuzzi (University of Nevada): Changing learning, changing roles: Collaboration at every angle Fay Durrant (University of the West-Indies): Culture, context and content: Vital issues in ensuring information literacy and effective e-citizenship
2006	Acadia University – Charting a Course for Instruction Dr. Patricia Senn-Breivik (Nehemiah Communications): Information literacy and lifelong learning: The time is now! Dr. Jeremy Shapiro; Ms. Shelley Hughes (Fielding Graduate University): If everything is information, is information literacy possible? Dr. Toni Samek (University of Alberta): Information ethics on our global library streets
2005	University of Guelph – A Kaleidoscope of Possibilities Bill Johnston (University of Strathclyde) Sheila Webber (University of Sheffield)
2004	University of Victoria – Theory Meets Reality Dane Ward (Illinois State University): The collaborative quest for compelling information literacy instruction Trudi Bellardo Hahn (University of Maryland): Connecting information literacy to the research process
2003	University of Windsor – Bridging the Gap: Teaching Across Boundaries Dr. Clara Chu (University of California, Berkeley): Information literacy within a multicultural critical framework
2002	University of New Brunswick – River Runs: Trends in Library Instruction Dr. Heidi Julien (University of Alberta): Miles to go before we sleep
2001	Carleton Unversity – Teaching Using Learning in a Pluralist Setting Dr. Tim Pychyl (Carleton University): What’s our vision for teaching & learning?: Addressing systemic barriers to information literacy instruction
2000	University of Western Ontario – Literacy for the Infollennium Hannelore Rader (University of Louisville): If we teach them will they learn? Dr. Michael Atkinson (University of Western Ontario): Teaching and learning in the 21st century
1999	McGill Unversity – Process of Integrating Library Instruction into the Curriculum in Partnership with Our Teaching Colleagues Carol Kuhlthau (Rutgers University): Collaboration in the learning process Gloria Leckie (University of Western Ontario): Fostering a pedagogy for information literacy
1998	Queen’s Unversity – Libraries at the Heart of Learning Cerise Oberman (SUNY-NILI Hannelore Rader): Library liaison program
1997	University of Montreal – Gateways to the Information World Thérèse Laferrière: Learning to search and create co-operatively
1996	Wilfrid Laurier University – Anticipation: Library Instruction for Changing Times Roma Harris (University of Western Ontario): Development of library instruction and its place in a changing learning environment
1995	Université Laval
1994	University of Ottawa – Making Connections Richard Rancourt (University of Ottawa): Librarians can do it with style
1993	University of Toronto – Library Instruction: Strategies for Success Lorna Marsden (Wilfrid Laurier University)
1992	University of Windsor – Skills for Change Patricia Breivik (Towson State University)
1991	Concordia University – From Yesterday to Tomorrow Maureen Pastine (Southern Methodist University): Library user education: Where have we been? Where are we going?
1990	Brock University – The Challenge of the 90’s Constance Mellon (East Carolina): Library anxiety: Instruction librarian as therapist
1989	Bishop’s University & Champlain Regional College – The Art of Library Instruction Evan I. Farber (Earlham College): How I became ‘Bibliographic Instructor of the Year’
1988	University of Waterloo & Wilfrid Laurier University – Teaching and Learning in the Present Tense Stanley Benson (University Centre, Tulsa) & Sheila Laidlaw (University of New Brunswick): The library’s status in undergraduate instruction: Far from the heart of things
1987	McMaster University & Mohawk College – Re-Creating the Image Panel with Tom Eadie, Tanis Fink; Jacelyn Foster – Immodest proposals: Alternative futures for instruction
1986	John Abbott College – Connections Linking the Library Instruction Network R. Smith (Concordia University) & L. Melamed (consultant): Learning style theory: implications for helping others learn
1985	University of Western Ontario & Fanshawe College – Reaching Out: New Directions in Library Instruction Moderator, George Robinson (University of Western Ontario), Panel on “Faculty communication and the role of library instruction
1984	Queen’s University & St. Lawrence College – Coping with Crisis: Strategies for Survival Margot McBurney (Queen’s University)
1983	Carleton University & Algonquin College – Exploring the New Technology for Library Instruction Fraser Taylor: Videotex and related technologies
1982	University of Toronto – A Learner-Centred Approach to Teaching Liz Burge: How adults learn
1981	University of Guelph – Approaching Instruction Effectively “Librarians in the 1980’s: Skills and Technologies”
1980	McGill University – Staff Development, Computerized Services, Part-time and Non-traditional User, Marketing M. Scott (McGill University)
1979	University of Waterloo – Teaching the Use of the Library: Instructional Strategies That You Always Wanted to Know But Were Never Taught Panel of 3 librarians from the University of Michigan: Instructional strategy for teaching the use of the library
1978	University of Ottawa – Approaches to Library Instruction: Do You Know What Your Colleagues Are Doing? Anne McQuade (Carleton University): Teaching Skills
1977	York University – Marketing the Library, Selling the Library as Part of the Teaching Learning Process
1976	Queen’s University – The Librarian as Teacher: Planning, Teaching, and Evaluating Library Programs Hugh Munby
1975	McMaster University – Printed Materials Monika Jensen (Metro Toronto Library Board)
1974	University of Toronto – Audio-Visual Techniques Panel with B. Squires, L. Wise, D. Todgham, I. Melanchuk: Matching Media & Message”
1973	McGill University & Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University) – Communication and Learning Theory
1972	University of Western Ontario – General Overview of Orientation F. Eugene Gattinger: Confessions of a Library Orientator