Starting in summer 2011, two librarians at Wesleyan University annually interviewed and directed usability studies with undergraduate students to determine how students interact with academic e-books. In 2014, the librarians used a campuswide quantitative survey to supplement these longitudinal qualitative findings. While students are increasingly…

Why is it important to prove that school libraries add value to the school program? The National Center for Education Statistics reports that 20 percent of U.S. public schools lack a full or part-time certified librarian (NCES 2013). In California the ratio of certified school librarians to students is 1:7,374 (California Department of Education…

How do college students "really" conduct research for classroom assignments? In 2008, five large Illinois universities were awarded a Library Services and Technology Act Grant to try to answer that question. The resulting ongoing study has already yielded some eye-opening results. The findings suggest changes ranging from simple…

This article presents the results of a study into the provision of Internet training for adult public library clients. The study, which was completed in 2008, forms part of a larger investigation into the characteristics, preferences and needs of adult public library clients in New South Wales. The aim of this section of the investigation is to…

This research was conducted to investigate the relationships between conceptions and practice of information literacy in academic libraries. To create a structure for the investigation, the research adopted the framework of Argyris and Schon (1974) in which professional practice is examined via theories of action, namely espoused theories and…

This qualitative study examines current community college library practices in developmental education. Based on semistructured telephone interviews with 27 librarians across the United States, analysis of the results shows that there are librarians who proactively integrate basic library skills into developmental education and academic success…

Addresses the two-fold question concerning imposition of instruction on a library user when he/she only wants answer to information need--whether attempted instruction is infringement on the rights of the user, and whether attempted instruction detracts from the librarian's effectiveness in fulfilling information need. Twenty references are…

Master's students in library science and students in a library technician program were asked to read scripts of reference interviews in which the amount of bibliographic instruction and the "maleness" or "femaleness" of questions were varied. They were then asked to make a judgment about the competence of the reference…

Discussion of occupational mistakes focuses on a study of mistakes in reference performance of librarians, paraprofessionals, and student assistants at an academic library. Topics discussed include technical and judgment errors, redefining the reference process, normative errors, instructional goals of the reference staff, and suggestions for…

Summarizes a study of the use of reference service at Sterling Memorial Library, the central research library of Yale University. (PF)

This discussion of online public access catalog (OPAC) user assistance includes results of focused-group interviews of 70 OPAC users at six libraries. Importance of printed materials, library staff assistance, users' problems relearning OPAC searching, computer-assisted instruction, multiple-dialog modes, informative system error messages, and…

Reports on interviews with six librarians and one faculty member about their views on what the future holds for the undergraduate library and what it needs to do in order to remain a vital and relevant part of the campus community. Topics include digitization, expanded hours of service, and bibliographic instruction. (LRW)

Describes techniques for providing individualized library instruction for international students as exemplified by the program at Western Carolina University (North Carolina). Discusses four steps: identifying new students; meeting them and giving written invitations for instruction; interviewing; and giving library tours and instruction tailored…

This report presents an American Library Association (ALA) Book Fellow's observations of schools and libraries in Sweden's Vasterbotten County in the fall of 1988. The narrative report discusses Sweden's cultural policy, comprehensive library service, library classification system, databases, audiovisual services, and education policy, as well as…

Most institutions of higher education have a mission that specifically addresses three areas: instruction, research, and service. The repertoire of activities and the complexity of the goals of the University Library mirror the goals of the institution, the academic units, and the faculty. The clients of the library are the students, the faculty,…