UWG’s Ingram Library Advances Information Literacy from Georgia to the Globe Share this page
The University of West Georgia’s Ingram Library is advancing its commitment to accessible, high‑quality learning materials through two major initiatives that broaden the reach of open educational resources (OER) locally and internationally.
In Fall 2020, Ingram Library launched LibraryDen, an online, asynchronous tutorial series created by Anne C. Barnhart, professor and head of UWG outreach and assessment, to strengthen students’ research and information‑literacy skills. More than 5,000 UWG students have completed the program, which earned the 2021 American Library Association Library Instruction Roundtable Innovation in Instruction Award.
That recognition sparked international interest, leading to a four‑year collaboration between Barnhart and librarians from four Mexican institutions to adapt the program for Spanish‑speaking learners. The resulting project, ALFIN sin fronteras (“InfoLit Without Borders”), debuted on Dec. 1, 2025, at the XXXIX Coloquio Internacional de Bibliotecarios before an audience of more than 200 librarians. The Spanish‑language course, ALFIN: tu puerta al conocimiento, is now freely available through Canvas and Moodle, and within its first week, more than 20 libraries across eight countries requested access. Additional information is available at alfinsinfronteras.org.
At the same time, Ingram Library has strengthened statewide access to OERs through a comprehensive cataloging project led by senior cataloger Shelley Rogers. Rogers completed catalog records for 344 OER created by University System of Georgia (USG) faculty and staff from 2020 to 2025. These records, added to OCLC and the USG universal catalog, allow students and faculty across Georgia to easily discover no‑cost and low‑cost course materials – resources that can significantly reduce textbook expenses and support student retention. Materials range from core undergraduate texts to specialized graduate resources, including UWG‑authored works such as “First-Year Writing Toolkit.”
As new OERs continue to be developed, Ingram Library will maintain and expand this growing collection. For more information, contact Blynne Olivieri Parker, dean, at bolivier@westga.edu.