DEVELOPING INFORMATION LITERACY AMONG FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS MAJORING IN MARKETING (SPECIALTY D5): INTRODUCTION TO THE RESOURCES AND SERVICES OF THE KNUTD SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL LIBRARY

On September 29, 2026, an online tour of the Scientific and Technical Library of the Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design (KNUTD) was organized for first-year students majoring in Marketing (Specialty D5) and enrolled in the “Marketing” and “Digital Marketing” educational programs. The event was attended by students of the “Marketing” program, supervised by Diana Yuriyivna Nechyhlod, and the “Digital Marketing” program, supervised by Pavlo Dmytrovych Shevchuk.

Introducing first-year students to the Scientific and Technical Library is an important part of their adaptation to the university’s academic environment. A modern university library is much more than a well-organized collection of printed publications. It is a comprehensive information hub that provides access to educational and scholarly sources, electronic resources, the university’s research output, and modern services for searching, retrieving, and processing information.

During the online tour, representatives of the various departments of the KNUTD Scientific and Technical Library introduced the students to the library’s key areas of activity. The first-year students gained a comprehensive understanding of how the library operates, including the development and use of its collections, user services, information and bibliographic support for the educational process, and the opportunities available for accessing required materials both on-site and remotely.

Considerable attention was devoted to the KNUTD library collection, which includes educational, scientific, reference, periodical, and other publications corresponding to the university’s academic and research areas. Students were introduced to the principles of collection organization, the specifics of working with educational literature, and the information support available when searching for relevant sources.

A separate part of the tour focused on the library’s electronic information resources. The students learned about the capabilities of the electronic catalog, which enables users to search for publications according to various criteria, verify bibliographic information, and locate literature required for studying particular academic disciplines.

Library representatives also introduced the students to the KNUTD Digital Library, which significantly expands access to educational content and enables users to work with essential materials regardless of their location. Such opportunities are particularly valuable for independent study, preparation for practical classes and seminars, completion of individual assignments, and exploration of supplementary literature.

Another important information resource presented during the meeting was the KNUTD Institutional Repository, an electronic platform that brings together the results of the university community’s research and educational activities. Students learned about its role in locating scholarly publications, exploring the research conducted by KNUTD faculty members and researchers, and developing essential skills for working with academic sources.

Library specialists also drew the students’ attention to the library’s information and bibliographic services. These include searching for and selecting sources on specific topics, working with bibliographic descriptions, navigating various information resources, and developing effective search strategies. Such skills are particularly important in higher education, where students gradually progress from relying on ready-made learning materials to independently searching for, analyzing, evaluating, and critically processing information.

Special emphasis was placed on information literacy and academic integrity. Students were reminded of the importance of using information and scholarly sources correctly, properly acknowledging borrowed ideas and materials, and treating the results of intellectual work responsibly. For future marketing professionals, the ability to locate reliable information, assess the quality and credibility of sources, organize data, and use information ethically in their own academic work is an essential component of professional training.

Through informative presentations delivered by representatives of the library’s various departments, first-year students were able to gain a broader understanding of the diverse scope of its activities. Each department was presented through its main functions, resources, and services, providing students with a practical understanding of which library resources and tools can best support particular academic or research tasks.

Of particular value was the students’ realization that the KNUTD Scientific and Technical Library supports the educational process at every stage of their university studies—from searching for essential textbooks and learning materials during the first year to working with scholarly publications and preparing research projects and qualification papers. The combination of traditional library collections, digital resources, modern search tools, and professional advisory support provides extensive opportunities for independent learning and student research.

The meeting took place in an atmosphere of professional and engaging communication. Students had the opportunity to ask questions directly to library representatives and receive practical recommendations on how to make effective use of the resources and services presented during the tour.

The online tour was more than an introduction to the activities of one of the university’s key structural units. It also became an important step toward developing the students’ ability to work independently and effectively with information. The knowledge and practical guidance gained during the meeting will help students of the “Marketing” and “Digital Marketing” educational programs make more effective use of KNUTD’s information resources throughout their studies, broaden their professional outlook, and gradually become involved in the research activities of the university community.

We sincerely thank the staff of the KNUTD Scientific and Technical Library and the representatives of its departments for organizing such a professional, informative, and engaging meeting, for sharing valuable practical recommendations, and for providing a comprehensive presentation of the library’s extensive information resources and services.

We wish our first-year students every success in making active use of the resources available to them, developing their information literacy, and discovering new opportunities for learning, research, professional development, and future career growth!

12.10.2026