Librarians and statistics: thoughts on a tentative relationship

Librarians are not trained as original researchers during library school. As a result, librarians as authors may succumb to common statistical misconceptions and use errors, thus it is important for librarians to know how to recognize them. A quick discussion of what a researcher should be aware to avoid poor methods and inaccurate use of statistics is included. A review of statistics and research methods courses currently offered in library and information science programs helps determine if the lack of training observed in earlier studies has changed. A list of recommendations for authors and reviewers of LIS literature is presented

‘Where to start?’: Considerations for faculty and librarians in delivering information literacy instruction for graduate students.

It is often assumed that incoming graduate students are information literate, yet many of them lack the skills needed to effectively organize and critically evaluate research. Supporting students in acquiring information literacy skills is a critical role for universities, as it improves the quality of student research and enhances their opportunities for lifelong learning. The literature in this area has focused on the partnership between librarians and course instructors, which has been shown to produce the most effective library instruction: however, additional research is needed concerning the collaborative approach to teaching information literacy to graduate students. The current study used action research to gather information on students’ perceptions of a blend of two methods of library instruction, a web-based tutorial and an in-class library instruction session. While few students indicated engagement with the online tutorial, most students appreciated the in-class session. Recommendations for information literacy instruction and further research are included

Visual Imagery Styles of Architecture Students in the Context of Library Instruction

Within the context of library instruction, this study examined visual imagery styles of first year architecture students at the point of standard library instruction sessions.  There are two types of mental imagery used by individuals, object and spatial.  Object imaging involves forming colorful, pictorial representations of objects.  Spatial imaging forms schematics of parts in relation to one another.  The Object Spatial Imagery Questionnaire was administered to the students and the scores on the imagery scales were assessed.  Elements of spatial and object imagery in the library instruction session were identified.  The goal of the study was to determine if there were distinctive visualization characteristics among the architecture students; and if those characteristics might have future implications for designing effective library instruction

Becoming the Change We Seek

One of the first goals of the recently formed Academic Division of the Special Libraries Association was to develop an open access refereed journal focused on the practical side of academic librarianship.   In accordance with our belief in the benefits of open access (free of price and access barriors), PAL applies the Creative Commons Attribution License (CCAL) to all works  published.   Readers are encouraged to become part of the change we seek in scholarly publishing and communication

Assessing Information Literacy Comprehension in First-Year Students

Instruction librarians focus on teaching information literacy skills to students in a variety of settings. However, most college professors only allow the librarian one 50 minute BI session per class to convey this in-depth amount of information each semester. During a library session, active learning technology can be utilized to encourage student participation and hands-on learning. Often, librarians seek other avenues to embed their knowledge to students beyond the BI session, e.g., Blackboard, wikis, tutorials, and subject guides. In this study, the authors use Interwrite Personal Response Systems (clickers) over two semesters to encourage student engagement during a BI session in a course originally designed for at-risk freshmen, then redesigned for any first-year student. The authors implement pre/posttests the second semester using the university’s course management system (Blackboard). The authors explain how this two-semester project integrated information literacy skills into a first-year curriculum, while serving as an instrumental assessment measure for student learning.

Reading Between the Lines: Extending the Reach of a University Common Reading Program via the Academic Library

oai:pal-ojs-tamu.tdl.org:article/893In 2000, Northern Kentucky University began their successful Book Connection program, a common reading program targeting the freshmen population at the university. Throughout the past decade, the faculty and staff at the W.Frank Steely Library have discovered a number of ways to work collaboratively with the Office of First-Year Programs and other freshmen instructors to enhance and enrich the Book Connnection program. Through the creation of customized research guides for the selected book, themed library orientation sessions, creative displays, faculty workshop collaborations, acquisition of supplemental library materials and financial sponsorships, the academic library has become a partner in this thriving venture

Making the Cut: Do Faculty Want to Be Involved in Library Database Cancellations? * WINNER OF THE 2012 PRACTICAL ACADEMIC LIBRARIANSHIP AWARD *

    Because of the recent economic crisis, a number of academic libraries have faced the possibility of having to cancel database subscriptions.  As a major user group of academic libraries, faculty have a history of being involved in collection decisions, but it is unclear to what extent they want to be involved in cancellations.  Also, while the library literature outlines a variety of processes that libraries have used to involve faculty in their serials cancellation decisions, very little is said about eliminating databases.  This study examines whether the strategies outlined for involving faculty in serials cancellations are applicable to database cancellations.  We surveyed 167 faculty members at Towson University to determine what their preferences are for involvement in database cancellations and if those preferences are a function of engagement with the library and/or discipline of study. * WINNER OF THE 2012 PRACTICAL ACADEMIC LIBRARIANSHIP AWARD