scholarly journals Engineering Faculty Indicate High Levels of Awareness and Use of the Library but Tend to Consult Google and Google Scholar First for Research Resources

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Sullo
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Web Search ◽  
The United States ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Google Scholar ◽  
Survey Questionnaire ◽  
State University ◽  
Engineering Faculty ◽  
Data Archiving ◽  
Library Resources

A Review of: Zhang, L. (2015). Use of library services by engineering faculty at Mississippi State University, a large land grant institution. Science & Technology Libraries, 34(3), 272-286. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0194262X.2015.1090941 Objective – To investigate the engineering faculty’s information-seeking behaviour, experiences, awareness, and use of the university library. Design – Web-based survey questionnaire. Setting – The main campus of a state university in the United States of America. Subjects – 119 faculty members within 8 engineering departments. Methods – An email invitation to participate in a 16-item electronic survey questionnaire, with questions related to library use, was sent in the spring of 2015 to 119 engineering faculty members. Faculty were given 24 days to complete the survey, and a reminder email was sent 10 days after the original survey invitation. Main Results – Thirty-eight faculty members responded to the survey, representing a response rate of 32%. Overall, faculty had a high level of use and awareness of both online and physical library resources and services, although their awareness of certain scholarly communication services, such as data archiving and copyright advisory, was significantly lower. Faculty tend to turn to Google and Google Scholar when searching for information rather than turning to library databases. Faculty do not use social media to keep up with library news and updates. The library website, as well as liaison librarians, were cited as the primary sources for this type of information. Conclusions – The researcher concludes that librarians need to do a better job of marketing library resources, such as discipline-specific databases, as well as other library search tools. Because faculty use web search engines as a significant source of information, the author proposes further research on this behaviour, and suggests more action to educate faculty on different search tools, their limitations, and effective use. As faculty indicated a general lack of interest in integrating information literacy into their classes, the researcher notes that librarians need to find ways to persuade faculty that this type of integrated instruction is beneficial for students’ learning and research needs. Faculty were aware of the library liaison program, so this baseline relationship between faculty and librarian can serve as an opportunity to build upon current liaison services and responsibilities.

scholarly journals The Form of Search Tool Chosen by Undergraduate Students Influences Research Practices and the Type and Quality of Information Selected

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Michelle Dalton
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Relative Proportion ◽  
The United States ◽  
Google Scholar ◽  
Search Process ◽  
Journal Articles ◽  
Academic Journal ◽  
Research Practices ◽  
Discovery Service ◽  
Library Resources

A Review of: Asher, A. D., Duke, L. M., & Wilson, S. (2012). Paths of discovery: Comparing the search effectiveness of EBSCO Discovery Service, Summon, Google Scholar, and conventional library resources. College & Research Libraries, 74(5), p. 464-488. Objectives – To explore the effectiveness of different search tools (EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS), Summon, Google Scholar and traditional library resources) in supporting the typical research queries faced by undergraduate students and gain an understanding of student research practices. Design – Mixed methods approach using quantitative data collected from grading of students’ selected resources combined with qualitative data from a search process interview with students. Setting – Two university libraries in the United States of America (Bucknell University (BU) and Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU)). Subjects – Eighty-seven undergraduate students across a range of disciplines. Methods – Participants were assigned to one of five test groups and required to find two resources for each of four standardised research queries using a specified tool: EDS; Summon; Google Scholar; Library catalogue/databases; or “no tool” where no specific tool was specified and participants were free to choose. The resources submitted by students for each of the four queries were rated on a scale of 0-3 by four librarians using a rubric, to produce average ratings for each tool. The interview comprised two parts: the search task, followed by a reflective interview based on open-ended questions relating to search practices and habits. The search process interview was recorded using Camtasia screen capture and audio software, and the URLs used by participants were also recorded. Main Results – Quantitative results indicated that students who used EDS selected slightly higher quality sources on average (scoring 2.54 out of 3), compared to all other groups. Those who used EDS also completed the queries in less time (747 seconds) than those using Summon (1,209 seconds), Google Scholar (968 seconds), library databases (963 seconds) or where no tool was specified (1,081 seconds). Academic journal articles also represented the relatively highest proportion of resources for this group (73.8% of resources chosen), whilst newspaper articles were chosen most frequently by those using Summon (20.6% of resources chosen). The qualitative findings suggest that students may over-rely on the top results provided by search systems, rather than using critical analysis and evaluation. Conclusion – Although EDS performed slightly better overall, in some cases the tools produced relatively similar results, and none of the tools performed particularly poorly. Indeed the reasonably strong performance of both Google Scholar and traditional library tools/databases in some aspects (such as the relative proportion of books and journal articles chosen by students), may raise questions regarding the potential benefit of acquiring a new discovery product, given the possibly significant costs involved. As the study finds that most students do not go beyond simple searches and the first page of results, regardless of the tool they are using, this suggests that discovery services do not substantially lessen the need for information literacy instruction, although it may provide some opportunity to redirect teaching time away from retrieval and towards higher-order skills such as evaluating information and critical thinking.

scholarly journals University Engineering Faculty Depend on Scholarly Journals, Web Resources, and Face-to-Face Consultations to Help Them with Research

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
Laura Newton Miller
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
The United States ◽  
Electronic Book ◽  
Scholarly Journals ◽  
Engineering Faculty ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Book Collections ◽  
Purposive Sample

Objective – To study the information-seeking behaviour of engineering faculty. Design – Online survey; Purposive sample. Setting – Engineering departments of 20 large public universities in various regions of the United States. Subjects – 903 engineering faculty members (including 35% professors; 24% associate professors, 23% assistant professors, and 17% ranked as adjunct faculty, instructors, lecturers, professors emeriti and “other”). Methods – 4905 researchers were sent an email invitation to complete a 12-item survey with open and closed questions. Email addresses were gathered from university websites. Main Results – 96% of those surveyed find access to online scholarly journals (current and backfiles) as very important or important. 71% believe access to the physical book collection is very important or important. 56% feel that access to electronic book collections is very important or important. (Further analysis revealed a difference between newer and older faculty- 62% of newer faculty and 52% of faculty in field for 16 or more years think electronic book collections are important). Print subscriptions to journals are important to only 37% of respondents, and providing space to conduct research is important to only 36% of those surveyed. Besides attending conferences and scanning journals, face-to-face discussion with students and colleagues was a key resource for faculty for keeping current in the engineering field. 81% seek information at least weekly to prepare for lectures, about 74% at least monthly to conduct research or write publications, and 77% at least monthly to remain current in their field. 73% visited the physical library fewer than five times in the past year, but researchers were surprised that almost half (47%) rated assistance from library staff as important or very important. 70% see interlibrary loan services as important or very important. Conclusion – Engineering faculty rely on scholarly journals, Internet, and other electronic resources for their research. They depend on face-to-face consultations with students and colleagues. The physical space of the library is less important.

Research in Second Language Studies at Michigan State University

2013 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 272-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solène Inceoglu ◽  
Le Anne Spino
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Michigan State University ◽  
State University ◽  
New Faculty ◽  
Core Faculty ◽  
Language Studies ◽  
Wide Range

Since its inception seven years ago, Michigan State University's vibrant Second Language Studies (SLS) Program has grown quickly under the direction of Dr. Susan Gass. Thus far, twelve students have graduated from the program and now hold academic positions in various universities in the United States and elsewhere. In 2011, the department welcomed two new faculty members, Dr. Aline Godfroid and Dr. Bill VanPatten, making a total of eleven core faculty members, and in Spring 2012, Dr. Rod Ellis joined the department as affiliated faculty. The program currently includes 30 doctoral students working on a wide range of research topics.

scholarly journals Information-Seeking Behavior of Multicultural Students: A Case Study at San Jose State University

1997 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 348-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengxiong Liu ◽  
Bernice Redfern
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
The United States ◽  
Asian Students ◽  
State University ◽  
San Jose ◽  
Multicultural Students ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
San Jose State University ◽  
First Time

In 1995 a survey was conducted on the campus of San Jose State University where, for the first time, so-called minorities made up 50.7 percent of the total student population. Asian students compose the largest group among other ethnic groups. The study shows that students who use English as their primary language are usually more successful in using the library than those who use English as a second language. Length of stay in the United States also affects how often students use the library, as well as their behavior in asking reference questions. The survey found that Asian students are hindered by a fear of asking stupid questions, a belief that their English is not good enough, an inability to understand answers well, and a lack of familiarity with the library reference desk.

scholarly journals Health Information Use After Graduation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Betsy Williams ◽  
Barbara Harvey ◽  
Christopher Kierkus
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Training ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Health Science ◽  
State University ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
Professional Workplace

This study aimed to determine which information resources Grand Valley State University (GVSU) alumni from four health science programs utilize in clinical practice. It also explored alumni opinions of their educational experiences at GVSU in relation to information literacy and library resources. A survey was administered to alumni who had graduated with a degree in athletic training (BS), nursing (BS, MS, DNP), physical therapy (MPT and DPT), or physician assistant studies (MPAS). We received 451 valid responses (12.8% response rate). The survey focused on specific resources used in the professional workplace, GVSU preparation for information literacy in the workplace, alumni confidence in information literacy skills, and additional preparation that could have been helpful after graduation. Survey responses are reported by discipline and degree earned. Insights from this study will inform liaison librarian conversations with faculty members and decisions regarding resource acquisition to help students transition from the academic environment to professional practice.

scholarly journals There is No Association Between Subject Liaisons’ Perception of Their Work and Faculty Satisfaction with Their Liaisons

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Shen
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Faculty Satisfaction ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Collection Development ◽  
Library Instruction ◽  
Survey Questionnaire ◽  
Contact List ◽  
Copyright Information ◽  
Frequency Of Contact

Objective – To determine the relationship between librarians’ self-assessment of their liaison responsibilities and faculty’s satisfaction with their liaison’s performance, and the factors influencing these perceptions. Design – Web-based survey questionnaire. Setting – The survey was conducted over the Internet through email invitations. Subjects – 354 librarians and 140 faculty members from selected universities and colleges in the United States. Methods – 602 colleges and universities were selected based on institution size, degrees offered, and financial status using U.S. Department of Education’s 2008 institution data. Each institution was randomly assigned one of three subject designations: chemistry, psychology, or English. A randomly selected faculty member from the designated subject department and their corresponding subject liaison librarian (“liaison”) were contacted for the survey. Institution websites were used to locate faculty and liaisons. If a list of liaisons could not be found, then a librarian from the website’s available contact list was randomly selected instead. The chosen individuals were invited via email in April 2010 to participate in the online survey. Before the survey closed in mid-May, up to two follow-up emails were sent to those who had neither responded nor asked to be removed from the contact list. The survey questionnaire was delivered through the Lime Survey platform and consisted of 53 items in 15 questions. Main Results – The survey had an overall response rate 41.0%: 58.8% from librarians and 23.3% from faculty. Three hundred and four of the 354 librarians surveyed (85.9%) were self-identified liaisons, although researchers were unable to identify 61 of them through their library websites. Most liaisons surveyed had responsibilities in the areas of collection development (96.1%), instruction (87.2%), and reference (82.6%). They provided an average of eight types of liaison services, some of which fall under these categories. The liaisons worked with an average of four academic departments (M=4.12, SD=2.98) and spent approximately 10 hours per week (M=10.36, SD=9.68) on their subject responsibilities. The majority of liaisons felt they were successful (62.5%) or very successful (13.8%) in their liaison services and were either satisfied (50.7%) or very satisfied (12.2%) with the liaison relationship with their departments. E-mail (97.2%) was the liaisons’ most frequently cited communication channel. The frequency of contact with their departments had the highest correlation (gamma = -0.567, p < 0.05) with liaisons’ perception of their own performances. Of the 140 faculty surveyed, 104 indicated that their library had liaisons and 66.3% of them had had some contact with the liaison within the previous 6 months. Faculty who knew their liaison by name (gamma = 0.668, p < 0.05) or who had recent contact with the liaison (gamma = -0.48) were more satisfied with the liaison services than those who did not. Faculty who received more services from their liaisons (gamma = 0.521) also indicated greater satisfaction than those who received fewer services. Faculty assigned higher importance than liaisons did to three liaison services: faculty participation in collection development, new publication notices, and copyright information. On the other hand, liaisons ranked the importance of information literacy-related services, including in-class library instruction sessions and integration of library instruction into the curriculum, much higher than did faculty. Furthermore, 66 pairs of liaisons and their corresponding subject faculty completed the surveys. Forty-nine of the faculty members out of those matched pairs knew their liaisons and were more satisfied with the liaison services than those who did not. However, no other relationships, such as correlations between faculty satisfaction of their liaisons and liaisons’ assessment of their own performance, could be found between responses of these matched faculty and liaison pairs. Conclusion – This study highlighted the disparity between faculty’s and librarians’ perceptions of library liaison programs. Most notably, there were no statistically significant relationships between liaisons’ perception and satisfaction of their work and their faculty members’ satisfaction of the liaison services. Faculty and liaisons also differed in their assigned importance to various types of liaison services. Moreover, while faculty’s satisfaction with liaison services correlated with the frequency of their contact with and the number of services received from their liaisons, their satisfaction did not translate into approval of the library. No statistically significant relationship could be found between faculty’s familiarity or interaction with their liaisons and their satisfaction with their libraries overall.

Information needs, perceptions and quests of law faculty in the digital era

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 659-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atul Ashokbhai Bhatt
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Collection Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
User Community ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Law Faculty ◽  
Optimum Utilization ◽  
Library Resources

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the law faculty members’ information needs and seeking behaviour to provide library resources and services in a better way. Libraries play a very important role in supporting legal education and legal research. The past decade has brought about a sea of change in the relationship between library and user. Information technology enabled new products and services, and the availability of online information resources has changed the provision of services in legal academic institutions. In this context, library professionals working in a legal academic library are required to have a sound knowledge of the information needs, perceptions and information-seeking behaviour of legal academicians and users to ensure solid collection development, to provide effective library services and to satisfy the needs of library users. Librarians are professionally committed to update a core, qualitative and need-based collection for the optimum utilization of the resources for the greater satisfaction of the user community. Design/methodology/approach – This study used questionnaire-based survey methods. A questionnaire was designed and administered to the law faculty to investigate the information-seeking behaviour at the Institute of Law, Nirma University (ILNU). The study is limited to faculty members of ILNU. Data were collected through the surveys based on a well-structured questionnaire and personal interviews. An in-depth literature search on topics related to the research work was also carried out. Findings – The results of this research showed that law faculty members used a range of information sources to pursue their teaching, research and academic work. When they use print resources, many respondents preferred books/reference books, law reports, statutes and journals. The study also revealed that a number of respondents preferred to use Information and Communication Technology-based library resources in comparison to print resources, with most of them stating that they have very good computing skills. This use may be due to availability, advancement and promotion of legal e-resources. HeinOnline is the most preferred online database, followed by Westlaw India and Manupatra. It is also noted that most of the faculty members have reported that Internet-based items are preferred over conventional documents for teaching and that the Internet has expedited the research process; thus, overall dependency on Internet access has increased. Practical implications – The findings of the paper will help library and information science practitioners working in academic law libraries to address the key factors which influence users’ intention to seek information and to intensify their performance to meet user needs and perceptions. Results will also be useful to them in collection development. Originality/value – The paper is relevant and useful to those who are interested to know the trends of information needs and determine the information-seeking behaviour and users’ perceptions for library resources of legal professionals. This study is also useful to librarians who are professionally committed to update a core, qualitative and need-based collection for the optimum utilization of the resources for the greater satisfaction of the user community.

scholarly journals The Reflective Learner: Perspectives of Engineering Faculty Engaged In Learning through Service

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 29-46
Author(s):  
Bowa George Tucker ◽  
David O. Kazmer ◽  
Angela R. Bielefeldt ◽  
Kurt Paterson ◽  
Olga Pierrakos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracurricular Activities ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
The United States ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Engineering Faculty ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
The Past ◽  
Service Activity ◽  
Personal Skills ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

Over the past decade, Learning through Service (LTS) has proliferated in higher education as an effective teaching and learning method.  LTS is an umbrella term that includes both curricular and extracurricular activities, recognizing that there are many models that exist currently for how faculty members use opportunities for students to learn while providing service to a community.  Reflection by the students on their service activity provides rich opportunities for students to add meaning to their learning through engagement with community.  While, many colleges and universities in the United States have increased the use of LTS in engineering programs, there has been limited study to evaluate engineering faculty perception of the purpose of reflection in support of facilitating and assessing the expected learning outcomes.  In this research, twenty-six interviews were conducted with engineering LTS practitioners to explore how and why engineering faculty incorporate reflection in LTS efforts.  The findings reveal that majority of engineering LTS faculty practitioners engage students in reflection to enhance the professional development skills of their students, with fewer of the faculty using reflection to develop students’ personal skills.

scholarly journals A Survey of Music Faculty in the United States Reveals Mixed Perspectives on YouTube and Library Resources

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 185-187
Author(s):  
Brittany Richardson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Video Sharing ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Music Faculty

A Review of: Dougan, K. (2016). Music, YouTube, and academic libraries. Notes, 72(3), 491-508. https://doi.org/10.1353/not.2016.0009 Abstract Objective – To evaluate how music faculty members perceive and use video sharing sites like YouTube in teaching and research. Design – Survey Questionnaire. Setting – 197 music departments, colleges, schools, and conservatories in the United States. Subjects – 9,744 music faculty members. Methods – Schools were primarily selected based on National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) membership and the employment of a music librarian with a Music Library Association (MLA) membership. Out of faculty members contacted, 2,156 (22.5%) responded to the email survey. Participants were asked their rank and subspecialties. Closed-ended questions, ranked on scales of 1 to 5, evaluated perceptions of video sharing website use in classroom instruction and as assigned listening; permissibility as a cited source; quality, copyright, and metadata; use when items are commercially unavailable; use over library collections; comparative ease of use; and convenience. An open-ended question asked for additional thoughts or concerns on video sharing sites and music scholarship. The author partnered with the University of Illinois’ Applied Technology for Learning in the Arts and Sciences (ATLAS) survey office on the construction, distribution, and analysis of the survey data through SPSS. The open-ended question was coded for themes. Main Results – Key findings from closed-ended questions indicated faculty: used YouTube in the classroom (2.30 mean) more often than as assigned listening (2.08 mean); sometimes allowed YouTube as a cited source (2.35 mean); were concerned with the quality of YouTube recordings (3.58 mean) and accuracy of metadata (3.29 mean); and were more likely to use YouTube than library resources (2.62 mean), finding it easier to use (2.38 mean) and more convenient (1.83 mean). The author conducted further analysis of results for the nine most reported subdisciplines. Ethnomusicology and jazz faculty indicated a greater likelihood of using YouTube, while musicology and theory/composition faculty were more likely to use library resources than others. There was little significant difference among faculty responses based on performance subspecialities (e.g. voice, strings, etc.). Overall, open-ended faculty comments on streaming video sites were negative (19.3%), positive (19.3%), or a mixture of both (34.1%). Themes included: less use in faculty scholarship; a need to teach students how to effectively use YouTube for both finding and creating content; the value of YouTube as an audio vs. video source; concerns about quality, copyright, data, and reliability; and benefits like easy access and large amounts of content. Conclusion – Some faculty expressed concern that students did not use more library music resources or know how to locate quality resources. The study suggested librarians and faculty could collaborate on solutions to educate students. Librarians might offer instructional content on effective searching and evaluation of YouTube. Open-ended responses showed further exploration is needed to determine faculty expectations of library “discovery and delivery” (p. 505) and role as the purchaser of recordings. Conversations between librarians and faculty members may help clarify expectations and uncover ways to improve library resources and services to better meet evolving needs. Finally, the author recommended additional exploration is needed to evaluate YouTube’s impact on library collection development.

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