Showing papers in "portal - Libraries and the Academy in 2013"

Library Use and Undergraduate Student Outcomes: New Evidence for Students’ Retention and Academic Success

Abstract: Academic libraries, like other university departments, are being asked to demonstrate their value to the institution. This study discusses the impact library usage has on the retention and academic success of first-time, first-year undergraduate students at a large, public research university. Usage statistics were gathered at the University of Minnesota during the Fall 2011 semester for thirteen library access points. Analysis of the data suggests first-time, first-year undergraduate students who use the library have a higher GPA for their first semester and higher retention from fall to spring than non-library users.

Visual Literacy Standards in Higher Education: New Opportunities for Libraries and Student Learning

Abstract: Visual literacy is essential for 21st century learners. Across the higher education curriculum, students are being asked to use and produce images and visual media in their academic work, and they must be prepared to do so. The Association of College and Research Libraries has published the Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education , which, for the first time, outline specific visual literacy learning outcomes. These Standards present new opportunities for libraries to expand their role in student learning through standards-based teaching and assessment, and to contribute to campus-wide collaborative efforts to develop students' skills and critical thinking with regard to visual materials.

E-books in Academic Libraries: Challenges for Acquisition and Collection Management

Abstract: This bibliographic essay examines the difficulties associated with the selection, licensing, acquisition, and management of e-books in academic libraries. The potential advantages of e-book technology are likely to be realized only to the extent that they advance the economic goals of e-book suppliers and are consistent with the legal framework that has been negotiated by publishers, vendors, libraries, and readers. Many difficulties can be traced to a lack of uniformity in license terms, access restrictions, and librarians' expectations. Likewise, sustainable access to e-books is hindered by impermanent physical media, proprietary file formats and software, and restrictive license provisions. Although the goals of e-book providers are sometimes inconsistent with those of universities, librarians are well-positioned to guide vendors in the development of e-book licenses and platforms.

Google vs. the Library: Student Preferences and Perceptions When Doing Research Using Google and a Federated Search Tool

Abstract: Federated searching was once touted as the library world's answer to Google, but ten years since federated searching technology's inception, how does it actually compare? This study focuses on undergraduate student preferences and perceptions when doing research using both Google and a federated search tool. Students were asked about their preferences using each search tool and the perceived relevance of the sources they found using each search tool. Students were also asked to self-assess their online searching skills. The findings show that students believe they possess strong searching skills, are able to find relevant sources using both search tools, but actually prefer the federated search tool to Google for doing research. Thus, despite federated searching's limitations, students see the need for it, libraries should continue to offer federated search (especially if a discovery search tool is not available), and librarians should focus on teaching students how to use federated search and Google more effectively.

Data Management and Sharing from the Perspective of Graduate Students: An Examination of the Culture and Practice at the Water Quality Field Station

Abstract: Libraries are actively seeking to identify and respond to the data management and curation needs of researchers. One important perspective often overlooked in acquiring an understanding is that of graduate students. This case study used the Data Curation Profile Toolkit to interview six graduate students working for agronomy researchers at the Water Quality Field Station (WQFS) research lab to understand the students' practices with data, the challenges they face, and their attitudes toward managing and sharing data. Though a small study, this research could provide new insights for libraries creating data services, particularly in regard to graduate students.

Analyzing Demographics: Assessing Library Use Across the Institution

Abstract: In Fall 2011, staff at the University of Minnesota Libraries-Twin Cities undertook a project to measure how often, and in what ways, students used the Libraries' services. Partnering with the University's Office of Institutional Research, the team investigated ways to match library service usage to individual accounts while retaining patron privacy to determine who was - and was not - using the library. With complete data sets, the group was able to determine overall usage rates for undergraduate and graduate students and compare how students in different colleges used library services. This article discusses data gathering techniques, analysis, and initial findings.

Publish or Practice? An Examination of Librarians' Contributions to Research

Abstract: This article examines authorship of LIS literature in the context of practitioner and non-practitioner production of published research. For this study, 4,827 peer-reviewed articles from twenty LIS journals published between 1956 and 2011 were examined to determine the percentage of articles written by practitioners. The study identified a decrease in the proportion of articles authored by practitioners between 2006 and 2011. Topic analysis of articles revealed subtle yet distinct differences in research subject matter between practitioner-authored and non-practitioner-authored articles. If present trends continue, the character of LIS literature may shift away from many issues relating to practical librarianship.

Talking About Information Literacy: The Mediating Role of Discourse in a College Writing Classroom

Abstract: This paper reports on the findings of an observational study of information literacy instruction in a college writing course. Using a sociocultural approach, the study explores how classroom discourse can influence the ways in which students conceive of information literacy and the process of research and writing. We found that a discourse that emphasized "finding sources" more than "learning about" might limit students' engagement with information and the process of inquiry. This article concludes with recommendations for modifying discourse and instructional practices in order to help students engage more deeply in the research process.

Information Literacy: The Battle We Won That We Lost?

Abstract: As we continue to revise our formal definitions of “information literacy” and to hone our delivery of information literacy across higher education, have we failed to see that information literacy as a programmatic aim, for all of its successes to date, is no longer relevant? The essay charts how the institutionalization of information literacy arose naturally from the first calls in the 1970s to create a national program in support of an information-literate population—and how that focus became single-minded even as what had once taken place only in research contexts became the activity of our daily lives.

Valuing Information, Information Services, and the Library: Possibilities and Realities

Abstract: A range of issues are identified and the approaches and methodologies that have proven useful in addressing the questions of "the value of information," "valuing information services," and "valuing a library" are explored. It is suggested that the use of outcomes-based approaches resonate better with external stakeholders than the traditional use of input and output measures. Libraries are encouraged to demonstrate institutional value through the use of outcomes of institutional relevance.

Academic Librarians' Perceptions on Information Literacy: The Israeli Perspective

Abstract: Information literacy (IL) is a necessary skill crucial for effective functioning in today’s knowledge society. This study seeks to explore Israeli librarians’ perspectives toward major components of information literacy. Do librarians find there is a need to redefine the concept? Who do they think should teach it? How do they think Web 2.0 platforms and social networks influence the concept of IL? The study used an online survey and data analysis consisting of two phases: a quantitative and a qualitative one. Findings reveal that, in general, librarians see little or no need to revise the traditional definition of information literacy, even though they expand it while including Web 2.0 and digital-literacy characteristics within its scope. In addition, respondents think that it is more a library role than a faculty role to teach information literacy, and they view positively the possibility of integrating Web 2.0 platforms into IL courses. Introduction and Definitions I nformation literacy (IL) is an essential skill crucial for functioning in today’s knowledge society. The term has developed since its inception in 1974 when Paul Zurkowski, who was the first to use the phrase

Citation Analysis and Authorship Patterns of Two Linguistics Journals.

Abstract: This article analyzes the sources cited in articles published in two linguistics journals, Applied Linguistics and Journal of Linguistics , from 2001 to 2010. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted using bibliometric indicators, such as types of cited sources, timeliness of cited sources, authorship patterns, rank lists of the most frequently cited journals and authors, degree of research collaboration, and yearly distribution of articles in the journals. A total of 884 papers were reviewed. The papers analyzed provided a total of 15,283 bibliographic references, with an average of 17.2 citations per paper. References to books and monographs dominated, making up 53.3 percent of citations, while references to journals accounted for 35.9 percent. More than 70 percent of the cited sources exceeded ten years old. Findings also revealed that sole authorship dominated reports on linguistics research. Single-authored sources constituted 63.2 percent of the cited works, while 36.8 percent had multiple authors. The degree of collaboration in linguistics research was very low, with joint research projects making up only 0.37 percent of the articles. Twenty-three most frequently cited journals were identified, with Applied Linguistics and Linguistic Inquiry ranking first and second, respectively. Similarly, twenty-eight frequently cited authors were identified, with Noam Chomsky ranking first. This study would be useful for linguistics research and for collection development of libraries, particularly academic libraries that need to support researchers in linguistics.

Assessing Affective Learning Using a Student Response System

Abstract: Affective learning relates to students' attitudes, emotions, and feelings. This study focuses on measuring affective learning during library instruction by using a student response system. Participants were undergraduate students who received course-related library instruction for a research assignment. Students rated their confidence levels associated with finding resources before and after the library session using a student response system and again at the end of the semester using a paper survey. The results show a significant improvement in confidence levels for students receiving library instruction, suggesting that library instruction can have a positive influence on affective learning. his study focuses on using a student response system for measuring learning in the classroom, specifically affective learning during library instruction. Affective learning relates to students' attitudes, emotions, and feelings. Becoming aware of the affective domain can increase learning, even influencing cognitive learning. This study examines students' affective learning by measuring their confidence in being able to find resources for an assignment. Participants in the study were undergraduate students at Penn State who received course-related library instruction for a research assignment. Students were asked to rate their confidence levels in finding resources before and after the library session using a response system and again at the end of the semester using a paper survey. The results show a significant increase in the average number of students who rated themselves as "very confident" by the end of the instruc- tion session, and a corresponding significant decrease in the average number of students who rated themselves in the "uncertain" category post-instruction. However, the study did not control for first-year students who may have become more confident at the end of the semester simply by virtue of acclimating to college in general.

Expanding Library Support of Faculty Research: Exploring Readiness

Abstract: The changing research and information environment requires a reexamination of library support for research. This study considers research-related attitudes and practices to identify elements indicating readiness or resistance to expanding the library’s role in research support. A survey of faculty conducted at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) finds that although a high percentage of faculty rate the library as important or very important to research productivity, perceived importance of specific support functions drops markedly, except for functions related to buying or providing access to resources.

Reconsidering the Checklist in Teaching Internet Source Evaluation

Abstract: The growing importance of the Internet in our society requires that university graduates be skilled in critical evaluation of the messages and sources present in the online world. Traditional efforts to teach these skills have relied on specific, checklist-like tools; recently, these approaches have rightly come under criticism for being ill-suited to authentic, modern Internet tasks. This article proposes that such specific tools still have a place, however, and suggests a new version of such a tool that better addresses a changing Internet and the evolving ways we use this medium for information-seeking tasks.

The Apprentice Researcher: Using Undergraduate Researchers' Personal Essays to Shape Instruction and Services

Abstract: Little is known about the intellectual journey of advanced undergraduates engaged in the research process. Moreover, few studies of this population of library users include students' personal essays as a point of analysis in their scholarly pursuits. To gain insights into the research trajectory of apprentice researchers at the University of Michigan, the Library examined the personal essays that students submitted for its inaugural undergraduate research award. These essays chronicled students' intellectual growth and development throughout the research process. Drawing on observations about the unique needs of these students, the authors analyze the implications for library instruction and services.

Mind the Gap: Integrating Special Collections Teaching

Abstract: Instruction is a vital part of the academic librarian’s public services mission, but the teaching efforts of special collections librarians can be overlooked due to the culture and particularities of teaching in an archival setting. This article documents the challenges special collections librarians face in integrating their teaching program into that of general library instruction, and details several approaches taken at our institution to achieve effective collaboration while retaining the value of our individual strengths and differences.

Examining Student Research Choices and Processes in a Disintermediated Searching Environment

Abstract: Students today perform research in a disintermediated environment, which often allows them to struggle directly with the process of selecting research tools and choosing scholarly sources. The authors conducted a qualitative study with twenty students, using structured observations to ascertain the processes students use to select databases and choose sources for a typical undergraduate research assignment outside of the classroom. Based on these observations, the authors developed three personas depicting different approaches to the research process. The authors make recommendations for improving students' success in selecting research tools in a disintermediated environment.

Tag, You're It: Enhancing Access to Graphic Novels

Abstract: Current users of academic libraries are avid readers of graphic novels. These thought-provoking materials are used for leisure reading, in instruction, and for research purposes. Libraries need to take care in providing access to these resources. This study analyzed the cataloging practices and social tagging of a specific list of graphic novel titles in the academic libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Results found that of the 668 graphic novel records 68 (10.17 percent) used the genre heading “graphic novel” and 99 (14.8 percent) were tagged. This limited access could be improved by using social tagging and genre heading.

Unintended Consequences: New Materialist Perspectives on Library Technologies and the Digital Record

Abstract: Digital technology has irrevocably altered the nature of the archive. Drawing on materialist critiques and the evolving field of media archaeology, this essay explores new strategies for understanding the implications of computer networks in libraries. Although a significant portion of the contemporary literature within Library and Information Science (LIS) addresses issues of technological change, the materialist and multidisciplinary approaches proposed here provide a theoretical basis for investigating the current state of library technologies in new ways. These methods provide insight into the proliferation of digital products and the cycles of platform adoption and replacement that have marked the past decades of library development. They also help to reframe questions about content aggregation and the licensing of digital scholarship.

Academic Libraries and Automation: A Historical Reflection on Ralph Halsted Parker

Abstract: This paper provides a historical account of Ralph Halsted Parker and his work to automate libraries in the early to middle parts of the twentieth century. One of Parker’s motivations to automate stemmed from a desire to professionalize academic librarianship, and this is evident in his administration as library director at the University of Missouri. Importantly, the motivation implies a simple means of judging the critical use of technology: that any substantive technology should be evaluated by how well it benefits librarians. Parker’s additional contributions included consulting and coauthoring, with Frederick G. Kilgour, the report that led to the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), the world’s largest bibliographic database.

Reinventing Discovery: The New Era of Networked Science by Michael Nielsen (review)

Abstract: In the second section of this book, library specialists address issues facing cataloging workflows, bibliographic control, and information retrieval systems. Jon Gorman provides a fascinating vision of a utopian cataloging environment that combines currently available or easily feasible technology with the strength and expertise of individual catalogers to provide useful and searchable information to those seeking resources. This section provides the most technical discussion in the text as the authors seek to illustrate essential components of a catalog, the best means for storing and sharing the data that make up the catalog, and how this all can remain relevant now and in the future. How catalogers react to these inevitable changes will determine the survival of the profession going forward. Lynnette M. Fields and Christine Schwartz provide somewhat similar accounts of their transitions from “cataloging” librarians to “metadata” librarians. Building upon their strengths in organizing and describing collections, catalogers may be uniquely positioned to make special and “hidden” collections more accessible to library patrons as libraries place an emphasis on these collections as a means to draw attention and associated funding to themselves and to the institutions that host them. However, at a time when these traditional cataloging skills coupled with programming and scripting knowledge along with project management abilities is becoming crucial, most American Library Association (ALA) accredited library programs are lowering requirements and course offerings for cataloging and information organization. In the final section of the book, Sylvia Hall-Ellis and Janet Swan Hill provide thoughts on how the education for catalogers can be improved, how to attract those with degrees from fields outside the humanities to the profession, and how to make the work of catalogers seem more glamorous. In addition, Jennifer Marie Eustis discusses the benefits of embracing non-traditional education sources, like blogs, as a means to stay relevant and educated in a sea of change. The cataloging world is in a state of uncertainty, but this may not be any different now than in the past. Many of the articles in Conversations with Catalogers rely on the past to show where cataloging is today. Much like in the past, there is little consensus on what cataloging should be or where it is going. This is not a book that will answer those questions either, but it does highlight catalogers’ adaptability in the continuous face of change. Conversations with Catalogers in the 21st Century illustrates that catalogers’ survival is dependent on their ability to embrace change even in the face of the unknown. While this may go against the stereotypical image of the unyielding cataloger, history has shown that catalogers will adapt to remain relevant in today and in the future.

Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle for Internet Freedom by Rebecca MacKinnon (review)

Abstract: of information literacy and recent work by librarians in this field. The notion of visionary leadership is central to Purcell’s work and moves like a thread through the book, informing all its chapters. The successful academic archivist, Purcell asserts, should be more than just a passive manager of her program. He quotes Dearstyne (The Archival Enterprise: Modern Archival Principles, Practices, and Management Techniques, Chicago: American Library Association, 1993) in observing the most successful academic archives are “dynamic.” By dynamic, Purcell means effectively tying a broad vision for the archives to a track record of success in physical growth, collections development, fundraising, and services. Recent advances in technology, information delivery systems, donor relations, and the processing of collections all require that the academic archivist be a skilled (outward-looking) leader, not a competent (inward-looking) manager. Purcell’s discussion of the challenge of electronic records reinforces his argument for a skilled leader. Indeed, his most important contribution in light of recent scholarship is the chapter on “Digital Frontiers and Electronic Challenges for Academic Archives.” Archivists and records managers have made great strides in the last ten years developing methodologies for dealing with digital records and born-digital electronic records appraised as having continuing value. Purcell nicely summarizes the challenges of electronic records and carefully reviews efforts to develop long-term storage and delivery mechanisms. At the center of this work are institutional repositories based on the Open Archives Information Systems (OAIS) model. Purcell gives just treatment to this new methodology that holds the promise of making archival preservation of born-digital electronic records possible and practical. With Academic Archives, Purcell has thrown a very wide net into the waters of academe in the hopes of catching everything that is an academic archives and an academic archivist. For the most part he has succeeded. The work is well-structured and comprehensive. New and veteran archivists and librarians will learn something from this book. Each chapter begins with a good summary, and bulleted sidebars of major points appear throughout. His references are extensive, although a few are close to being outdated. I wish Purcell had spent less time with the fundamentals and more on developing and refining his bigger ideas, such as visionary leadership and the challenges academic archivists face in the new information age. Less attention on the former and more on the latter would have strengthened the book’s thesis. But then again, I am an old veteran looking to learn new ideas and truly hoping to remain relevant until retirement.

Experiences of the Student Population at an Urban University: How Do They Use a Joint Library?

Abstract: The King Library in San Jose, California, is a unique combination of academic and public library. It serves the diverse populations of the City of San Jose and San Jose State University (SJSU). This article provides analysis of data collected in a study on the concept of “library as place” and SJSU students’ sense of belonging toward the King Library building. This study involved a mixed quantitative-qualitative research approach. In total, 744 students were surveyed. The results show that SJSU students use the library and it is relevant to their needs. Ideas for improvement and creation of services are offered.

Student-Selected Journals: An Emerging Resource

Abstract: This longitudinal study investigates the journal selections of 367 graduate students as they worked to fulfill a commonly assigned, criteria-based literature search on educational topics. The criteria called for evidence-based studies, published within the current ten years of course enrollment, within peer-reviewed journals. Student references were evaluated, but investigation revealed that students succeeded only partially in meeting the criteria. Two hundred ninety-nine journal titles used most commonly have resulted in a list that identified peer review status and research content characteristics for each title. The findings suggest new opportunities to improve library resources, instruction, and student achievement.

Abraham Lincoln, Management Guru! Lessons for Library Leadership on Resilience, True Grit, and Bouncing Forward

Abstract: This has been a big year for Abraham Lincoln. Museums, libraries, and re-enactors all over the nation continued to celebrate the Civil War sesquicentennial. Stephen Spielberg made a movie simply entitled Lincoln, Daniel Day Lewis won the Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of Lincoln in that movie, and a recent article by Nancy Koehn in the New York Times entitled “Lincoln’s School of Management,” discussed his leadership qualities and drew a Twitter of comments hailing Lincoln as a prototype management guru. 1 As Koehn’s article points out, many CEOs and Presidents have drawn inspiration from President Lincoln. But what are the lessons we lesser mortals might gain from studying him? Very few of us are destined to be challenged by the larger issues of the country as Lincoln was – slavery, property rights, homesteading, and of course, the Civil War. Koehn’s article and other Lincoln-inspired writings offer a slew of reasons why Lincoln’s life and work offer meaningful lessons for today’s leaders and managers. Take a look at Spielberg’s Lincoln for instance – a movie tells a story. It is not offered to the public as a factual record of events. Artistic license is a given. And yet, some of the most stirring parts of the movie come from hearing Lincoln’s own words – his speeches, diaries, letters (and those of others), ably documented by Doris Kearns Goodwin and other prominent historians. It makes us long – not for a demagogue (we have seen and continue to see, plenty of those) – but a true leader who passionately articulates her