Inside the library: Academic librarians’ knowing in practice

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 254-263
Author(s):  
Ola Pilerot ◽  
Jenny Lindberg
Keyword(s):  
Professional Practice ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Practice Theory ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Information Use ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Informal Information ◽  
Professional Field

There is a dearth of studies on librarians’ information practices, in particular their information use. At the same time the professional field of librarianship is infused with an imperative dictating that the work of librarians should be evidence based. This paper presents an ethnographic study of academic librarians’ information use in professional practice. On the basis of the analysis, which is rooted in practice theory, it is concluded that in the academic library under investigation, information use is an ongoing practice shaped in and by the specific areas in which the work is carried out. Rather than primarily relying on evidence in terms of formal research results, the librarians in the study relate to and make use of a multitude of both formal and informal information sources.

scholarly journals McClure and Samuels’ Study on Information Sources Used for Decision Making and the Connection to Organizational Climate Still Resonates Today

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
Denise Koufogiannakis
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Organizational Climate ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Information Use ◽  
Democratic Governance ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Sources Of Information

A Review of: McClure, C. R., & Samuels, A. R. (1985). Factors affecting the use of information for academic library decision making. College & Research Libraries, 46(6), 483-498. Abstract Objective - To investigate the use of information sources for decision making within academic libraries; specifically looking at what sources of information are used, whether information use is related to organizational climate, and what organizational factors lead to optimal information use in decision making. Design - Cross-sectional survey on a random sample of libraries. Setting - 18 medium to moderately large academic libraries from across the United States. Subjects - 356 academic librarians holding a variety of positions and levels of responsibility within their organizations. Methods - A questionnaire was mailed to participants in order to measure relationships between four main variables: information acquisition, information dissemination, information evaluation, and library climate. All instruments were validated and tested for reliability. Participants were given 10 library decision situations to consider, together with a list of potential information sources to inform the decision, and then choose which information source they would use primarily in each situation. Participants’ perception of their library climate was measured with five scales covering innovation, support, freedom, democratic governance, and esprit. Main Results - The study found that academic librarians prefer internal sources of information, such as interpersonal communication with library staff, and library committees, for making decisions. However, paraprofessional staff members were not seen as meaningful sources of information within this grouping. The participants rarely chose to consult external information sources, such as other professionals outside of the library, or library users. Information sources such as conducting research, continuing education, past experience, or personal opinion were not found to be important to the participants’ decision making. Written documents such as articles, books, and brochures were also seldom used. Democratic governance was the organizational climate dimension found to be most closely linked to information dissemination. Conclusion - The authors conclude that the study suggests that academic librarians are not using a full complement of information sources to assist with their decision making, and that the “information that is used tends to be ‘opinion-based’ rather than empirically based” (p. 495). Proximity of information plays a role, with information that is closer and easier to obtain being used more frequently. The authors strongly stress, with concern, that, “current academic library decision-making processes encourage ineffective activities since they preclude or limit clientele input, empirical research, and additional environmental input” (p. 495).

scholarly journals Academic Library Instruction, Evidence-Based Practice, and Social Workers: An Exploratory Survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly Pendell ◽  
Ericka Kimball
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Library Instruction ◽  
Exploratory Survey ◽  
Other Information ◽  
Information Landscape

When social work students graduate and move into their professional practice, they also move into a vastly different information landscape than that of the academic environment. In order to better understand the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) and information sources in practice, the authors performed a national survey of social workers. This survey provides a snapshot of how frequently social workers employ EBP, their use of research articles and other information resources, and their prior library instruction. The researchers make recommendations for increased consideration of

scholarly journals Educated professionals of sustainability and the dimensions of practices

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janne J. Salovaara ◽  
Katriina Soini
Keyword(s):  
Professional Practice ◽  
Social Practice ◽  
Practice Theory ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Sustainability Education ◽  
University Education ◽  
Social Practice Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Professional Field ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to expand the competence-led structuring and understanding of sustainability education by analysing the practices of professional individuals who have completed university education geared to the development of sustainability change-makers. Design/methodology/approach The research scope was initially on examining professional practices following the boundary work theory. Social practice theory was used as a methodological approach in conducting and analysing thematic interviews with 19 sustainability-focused master’s programme alumni. The interviews were analysed against the theoretical framework while also noting findings that fell outside of this framework. Findings A framework for understanding materials, competences and meanings of practices connected to the professional field of sustainability was introduced. The framework suggests that in the practices of sustainability-educated professionals, meanings emerge as a top priority and are conveyed using position-based materials and various complexes of competency. Research limitations/implications The authors suggest that boundary theory informs well the emergence of the professional field of sustainability, and the utilisation of a practice theory furthers the understanding of sustainability professionalism and its education. Practical implications The authors’ suggest that practice theory could thus provide deeper insights on how sustainability science alumni use their education after graduation, how they practice their profession and in return offer applicable reflections to sustainability education. Originality/value Research using practice theory in reflection on sustainability education and the professional practice of sustainability has not been widely conducted and in the authors’ opinion brings value to the education and practice of sustainability and to the research of sustainability education.

Extended and experimenting: library learning commons service strategy and sustainability

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 265-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Gunter King
Keyword(s):  
Planning Process ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Historical Review ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Engagement ◽  
Learning Commons ◽  
Library Research ◽  
The Commons

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to share a compelling example of a library’s willingness to develop and design itself as an open-ended process. Design/methodology/approach – The case study provides a historical review of the library’s founding design, and an overview of the process and approach to redesign. The study contextualizes the library within current academic library research and literature. Findings – This paper explores the research, engagement and planning process behind the library’s exploration of new models and service configurations. The project was an engaged, inclusive, transparent, library-led process. The commons reestablishes the library as the “nerve center” of the campus. Originality/value – The paper offers an update to a 1969 report, and later book by Robert Taylor on the Harold F. Johnson Library at Hampshire College, designed as a prototype of an academic library. This paper will be of value to academic librarians, administrators, and historians.

scholarly journals Tilt testing remains a valuable asset

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Sutton ◽  
Artur Fedorowski ◽  
Brian Olshansky ◽  
J Gert van Dijk ◽  
Haruhiko Abe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Practice ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Tilt Test ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Tilt Testing ◽  
Head Up Tilt ◽  
Pressure Adaptation ◽  
Neuroendocrine Responses ◽  
Head Up Tilt Test ◽  
Study Heart Rate

Abstract Head-up tilt test (TT) has been used for >50 years to study heart rate/blood pressure adaptation to positional changes, to model responses to haemorrhage, to assess orthostatic hypotension, and to evaluate haemodynamic and neuroendocrine responses in congestive heart failure, autonomic dysfunction, and hypertension. During these studies, some subjects experienced syncope due to vasovagal reflex. As a result, tilt testing was incorporated into clinical assessment of syncope when the origin was unknown. Subsequently, clinical experience supports the diagnostic value of TT. This is highlighted in evidence-based professional practice guidelines, which provide advice for TT methodology and interpretation, while concurrently identifying its limitations. Thus, TT remains a valuable clinical asset, one that has added importantly to the appreciation of pathophysiology of syncope/collapse and, thereby, has improved care of syncopal patients.

scholarly journals Leadership Competencies for Academic Librarians: The Importance of Development and Fund-raising

2002 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D. Winston ◽  
Lisa Dunkley
Keyword(s):  
Effective Leadership ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Academic Development ◽  
Leadership Competencies ◽  
Fund Raising ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Leadership Qualities ◽  
Educational Preparation ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
Funding Sources

Private-sector research has addressed the issue of leadership competencies as a part of defining the nature of effective leadership, the leadership qualities and areas of knowledge needed by those who contribute to organizational success, and the educational preparation needed by leaders. The societal, organizational, and competitive changes affecting academic libraries point to the need for effective leadership and the identification of leadership competencies for academic librarians. This article presents a rationale for the identification of an important component of such a statement of leadership competencies in the context of the knowledge and skills associated with development and fund-raising. This issue is key for professionals who play an important role in ensuring the value and viability of their employing organizations, as well as in articulating the relevance of academic library and information services to an array of potential funding sources. The research presented here describes the areas of expertise, experience, and skills associated with academic development positions in colleges and universities as a basis for identifying leadership competencies that are relevant to academic librarians and administrators.

scholarly journals How Canadian librarians practice and assess individualized research consultations in academic libraries

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karine Fournier ◽  
Lindsey Sikora
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Assessment Methods ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reference Services ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Evaluation And Assessment

Purpose Though we live in a digital era, libraries offer significant hours of in-person reference services, in combination with online reference services. Nevertheless, an increase in requests for in-person, individualized research consultations (IRCs) over the last few years has been observed. IRCs between librarians and students are common practice in academic institutions. While these sessions can be deemed useful for patrons, as they are tailored to their specific needs, however, they can also be time consuming for the librarians. Therefore, it is important to evaluate this service, and assess its impact in order to ensure that the users are getting the most out of their sessions. The purpose of this paper is to gather information on the evaluation and assessment tools that Canadian institutions are using to obtain feedback, measure their impact and improve their consultation services. Design/methodology/approach A bilingual (French and English) web-based questionnaire was issued, with a generic definition of IRCs provided. The questionnaire included general demographics and background information on IRC practices among Canadian academic librarians, followed by reflective questions on the assessment process of such practices. The questionnaire was sent to Canadian academic librarians via e-mail, using professional librarian associations’ listservs, and Twitter was used for dissemination as well. Findings Major findings of the survey concluded that the disciplines of health sciences and medicine, as well as the arts and humanities are the heaviest users of the IRC service model. On average, these sessions are one hour in length, provided by librarians who often require advanced preparation time to adequately help the user, with infrequent follow-up appointments. It was not surprising that a lack of assessment methods for IRCs was identified among Canadian academic libraries. Most libraries have either no assessment in place for IRCs, or they rely heavily on informal feedback from users, comments from faculty members and so on. A small portion of libraries use usage statistics to assess their IRCs service, but other means of assessment are practically non-existent. Research limitations/implications The survey conducted was only distributed to Canadian academic libraries. Institutions across the USA and other countries that also perform IRCs may have methods for evaluating and assessing these sessions which the authors did not gather; therefore, the evidence is biased. As well, each discipline approaches IRCs very differently; therefore, it is challenging to compare the evaluation and assessment methods between each discipline. Furthermore, the study’s population is unknown, as the authors did not know the exact number of librarians or library staff providing IRCs by appointment in academic Canadian institution. While the response rate was reasonably good, it is impossible to know if the sample is representative of the population. Also, it needs to be acknowledged that the study is exploratory in nature as this is the first study solely dedicated at examining academic librarians’ IRC practices. Further research is needed. As future research is needed to evaluate and assess IRCs with an evidence-based approach, the authors will be conducting a pre-test and post-test to assess the impact of IRC on students’ search techniques. Originality/value Evidence-based practice for IRCs is limited. Very few studies have been conducted examining the evaluation and assessment methods of these sessions; therefore, it was believed that a “lay of the land,” so to speak, was needed. The study is exploratory in nature, as this is the first study solely dedicated at examining the evaluation and assessment methods of academic librarians’ IRC practices.

scholarly journals Academic Librarians Have Concerns about Their Role as Teachers

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Virginia Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Professional Identity ◽  
Teacher Identity ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Significant Feature ◽  
Structured Interviews

A Review of: Walter, Scott. “Librarians as Teachers: A Qualitative Inquiry into Professional Identity.” College and Research Libraries 69.1 (2008): 51-71. Objective – This study explores how academic librarians are introduced to teaching, the degree to which they think of themselves as teachers, the ways in which being a teacher has become a significant feature of their professional identity, and the factors that may influence academic librarians to adopt a “teacher identity.” Design – A literature review extended by qualitative semi-structured interviews. Setting – The research took place at an American university with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching designation of “Doctoral/Research — Extensive.” Subjects – Six academic librarians. Methods – The main feature of the article is an extensive literature review around the themes of LIS, teaching, and qualitative research methodologies. The literature review is supplemented by qualitative research consisting of semi-structured interviews of between 45 and 90 minutes each, which were conducted during spring 2004 with six librarians (five women and one man), whose length of professional service ranged from 2 to 32 years. All of the participants worked at the same institution. The data collected were reviewed throughout the process using field memos and a research log. The data were analyzed using a coding process where discrete ideas that emerged from the data were used to identify a small number of themes. The initial conclusions in the study were validated through member checking during the writing phase. “Member checking involves sharing draft study findings with the participants, to inquire whether their viewpoints were faithfully interpreted, whether there are gross errors of fact, and whether the account makes sense to participants with different perspectives” (Centre for Health Evidence). Main Results – Five themes around teaching and teacher identity as they pertain to academic librarians emerged from the data. The first theme was the centrality of teaching. Each participant sought out a position where the teaching role was valued. The role of teacher spilled over into the other roles of the librarian, i.e., reference service, collection development, etc. The next theme was the importance of collegial and administrative support, which is critical to the ability to focus on work as a teacher. The stress of multiple demands emerged as a theme, as time dedicated to teaching was often at the expense of something else. Another theme was the problems with professional education around teaching. Instruction course offerings in library schools were reported to be meagre, and some were badly planned and executed. The fifth theme involved stereotypes and misperceptions. Studies have shown that the academic library profession has been poorly understood by students and faculty. Study participants believed that many of their campus colleagues were either unaware of what they did, or were misinformed by popular culture stereotypes of librarians. Conclusions – The small sample size precluded the making of any definite conclusions based on the study results. Other limitations of the study include the relatively short amount of time spent in the interview process and the narrow range of librarians chosen to participate. The author notes that a subject pool more representative of academic librarians’ full range of opinions regarding the importance of teaching as a professional responsibility would have resulted in more complex themes emerging. While the author is aware of the study’s limitations, he feels there is value in the qualitative research design, in giving voice to individual librarians, and in the provision of insight into some of the research questions found in the literature of learning to teach and of teacher identity. Given the limitations, Walter makes three conclusions about his findings. He points out the lack of a formal introduction to teaching in many library programs which has been explored by other studies and concludes that his study “suggests that continuing lack of attention to this issue results in a difficult introduction into the profession for new academic librarians” (64). Regarding continuing and professional education, Walter concludes that “this study suggests that there are a number of important questions about the content and conduct of these opportunities for instruction librarians that have not been explored in the literature” (64). Finally, Walter concludes that “this study suggests that there is an important connection between research on student perceptions of academic librarians, the study of teacher identity, and the future of the profession” (64).

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