Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (Journal)
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Though Virtual Reference Services Have Increased, They Face Challenges and Opportunities in the Wake of COVID-19
No full textA Review of:
Gerbig, M., Holmes, K., Lu, M., & Tang, H. (2021). From bricks and mortar to bits and bytes: Examining the changing state of reference services at the University of Toronto Libraries during COVID-19. Partnership, 16(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.21083/partnership.v16i1.6450
Abstract
Objective – To compare data about the provision of reference services at the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to identify obstacles and opportunities facing UTL reference services in the future.
Design – Survey questionnaire.
Setting – A large public research university in Ontario, Canada.
Subjects – Thirty-nine libraries across the three campuses of UTL.
Methods – A Microsoft Forms survey comprised of 37 questions was distributed in August and September 2020.
Main Results – Twenty-four libraries responded to the survey, for a response rate of approximately 62%. UTL’s chat service saw a 200% increase in September 2020 compared to September 2019 (since UTL participates in chat as part of the Ontario Council of University Libraries Scholars Portal, some traffic may have been from non-UT users). The option to book a reference appointment with a librarian was available at most of the libraries before the pandemic, and remained available during the pandemic. The survey results suggested that the shift to remote learning resulted in a significant expansion of virtual reference appointments; 75% of libraries reported offering virtual reference, compared to 17% before the pandemic.
Consultations and in-depth reference questions rose during the pandemic, with a quarter of responding libraries reporting an increase. Librarians became a larger share of the staff providing reference services during the pandemic, whereas the number of libraries using library technicians or student assistants to staff their reference services decreased. There were changes to formal reference service hours as well, with half of responding libraries reporting a reduction; however, most noted that they continued to answer reference questions over email at other times.
In response to the survey question asking for general comments about reference services, some respondents described worries about whether students taking only online classes would engage with online reference services, and whether overstressed faculty members would refer their students to librarians. Several respondents noted positive outcomes in moving towards a primarily online reference model, including more options to connect with students and an uptick in reference requests.
Conclusion – The authors note several challenges and opportunities for libraries in shifting to a remote reference model. Challenges include confusion on the part of users about where to go for help and increased workload for librarians. Opportunities include the chance to explore how virtual technologies can be used to make reference services more easily available to library users even after physical spaces have opened back up
What Do Reference Librarians Do Now?
No full textObjective - The primary purpose of this study was to better understand the nature of “reference” and reference transactions.
Methods - This study looked at four years’ of reference transaction (RT) data recorded at a small, state-owned university.
Results - The data clearly indicates that the overall number of RT continues to decline. It also reveals that, despite the use of student mentors, librarians are still involved with a majority of RT, regardless of whether or not they require the expertise of a librarian to resolve.
Conclusion - Continuing to be involved with RT which do not require the knowledge or training of a librarian (e.g., directional) can have a diminutive effect on the perceived role, work, and value of librarians. As such, it is suggested that these sorts of questions be addressed by student mentors or staff members. In turn, this will allow librarians to focus on those questions and activities which do require their unique knowledge and skills. Along similar lines, it is also suggested that librarians explore and identify new, non-traditional ways of applying their expertise to student success initiatives and the overall academic life of the institution. With the merger of three libraries, data from this study has been and continues to be used to make informed decisions about the provision of reference services in a new, integrated library environment
Library Instruction for Graduate Nursing Students: A Scoping Review
No full textObjective – The number of graduate nursing programs in the U.S. has increased significantly in recent years. This scoping review seeks to examine the range of literature discussing librarian instruction for graduate nursing students to identity the types of studies being published, the characteristics of instructional sessions, knowledge gaps which may exist, and the evidence available for a subsequent systematic review evaluating instructional effectiveness.
Methods – Guidelines established by the PRISMA statement for scoping reviews (PRISMA-Scr) were used to conduct this review. Concepts for library instruction and graduate nursing students were searched in six databases as well as Google Scholar. The two authors used titles/abstracts and when necessary, full-text to independently screen identified studies. Conflicting screening decisions were resolved by discussion.
Results – Data was extracted from 20 sources. Thirteen of the sources were descriptions of classes or programs, one was a program evaluation, two were mixed methods studies that looked at library use and program support respectively but did not assess instruction, two were surveys of students’ feelings and attitudes about instruction, and two were quasi-experimental studies which included pre-post instruction quizzes. The most popular format for library instruction was online (synchronous or asynchronous) instruction. Most sources did not include information about the timing or duration of instruction. In addition, most sources did not reference instructional theory although a few mentioned aspects of instructional theory such as active learning. Only one source mentioned using a specific model to develop instructional content. While several sources mentioned assessment of student learning, only four studies included the results of assessment.
Conclusions – Sources reporting on instruction for graduate nursing students consisted primarily of descriptions of programs or instructional sessions. Many of the descriptive studies lacked essential information such as specifics of format, timing, and duration which would aid replication at other institutions. Only four sources were research studies that evaluated instructional effectiveness
Print Book Circulation Longevity Dropping at a Small Canadian University Library
No full textA Review of:
Belvadi, M. (2021). Longevity of print book use at a small public university: A 30-year longitudinal study. Insights, 34(1), 26. http://doi.org/10.1629/uksg.562
Abstract
Objective – To inform future collecting decisions by ascertaining the circulation longevity of print books within an academic library.
Design – Longitudinal data analysis of two circulation datasets.
Setting – Library catalogue of a small public university in Canada.
Subjects – 10,002 print books acquired between 1991 and 1996 with a first circulation year between 1991 and 2000 (part 1); 4,060 print books acquired and with a first circulation year between 2008 and 2011 (part 2A); 35,860 print books acquired since 1991 with a first circulation year between 2008 and 2011 (parts 2B).
Methods – The researcher established two datasets by selecting books with viable circulation data from the institution’s holdings. Using each book’s Library of Congress classification number, the researcher mapped each book to three other categorization schemes. The first scheme, Becher-Biglan typology, categorizes books as belonging to either applied or hard and pure or soft fields of study. The second scheme, called in the paper “major subjects,” uses a traditional broad subject categorization (e.g. arts, sciences, health, etc.), and the third scheme categorizes books by the academic programs at the researcher’s institution. The researcher then analyzed the circulation data through the lens of these three categorization schemes.
Main Results – Part 1, which considered the collection’s older circulated books, found that books had an average circulation longevity of 10 years. About 14% of books circulated for only one year, and about 24% of books circulated for less than five years. Among the newer books considered in Part 2, 37% circulated for just one year and 64% had a circulation longevity of four years.
Conclusion – Books in applied and hard fields generally have greater longevity compared to pure and soft fields. Books in professional and STEM fields generally have greater longevity than books in the humanities and arts, contrary to conventional library wisdom. Print book circulation longevity appears to be dropping. Subscription and on-demand acquisitions options may prove to be a more efficacious use of resources than ‘just-in-case’ print collecting
Information Services in Evidence Based Medical Education: A Review of Implementation Trends
No full textObjective – Evidence based medical education requires supportive information services to facilitate access to the needed educational evidence. Information services designed specifically for evidence based medical education are limited or locally developed for educational units. For librarians to have an opportunity to cooperate efficiently with medical educators in evidence based medical education, they require an empirical prototype for transmission of clinical evidence at the right place and the right time. Therefore, there is a need to recognize types of information services which support evidence based medical education. The purpose of this review is to identify implementation trends of evidence based educational information services.
Methods – We found related studies by implementing search strategies in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, LISTA, and Google Scholar with keywords like: evidence based medical education, information services, and library services. We used reference-checking and citation-checking of related articles for completing the process of locating relevant articles. After employing inclusion and exclusion criteria, we selected 11 articles for inclusion in the review and analyzed them using a narrative review technique.
Results – After analyzing the results of the included studies, we identified two elements categorized as program development and five elements categorized as implementation trend. Prerequisites of program and the process of designing were essential parts of program development of information services. Schedule and type of access, how to receive educational-clinical questions, information services types, responding time, and providing evidence based outputs were the elements of the implementation process of educational supported information services.
Conclusion – Designing an evidence based educational information service strongly depends on the information needs of learners at each educational level. Schedule and type of access to information service, time of responding to the received query, and preparation of evidence based output are essential factors in designing practical educational-developed information services
If You Build it, Will They (Really) Come? Student Perceptions of Proximity and Other Factors Affecting Use of an Academic Library Curriculum Collection
No full textObjective – This study investigated student perceptions of an undergraduate university library’s curriculum collection, before and after a move to a new library building. The objective was to identify how factors such as proximity to program classrooms and faculty offices, flexible seating, accessibility, and other physical improvements to the space housing the collection impacted students’ perceptions.
Methods – This longitudinal study conducted between 2016 and 2017 used a combination of methods to examine whether library use of a specialized academic library collection was impacted by a significant space improvement and change in location. A cohort of education students was surveyed before and after the construction of a new building that housed both the library and their department and co-located the curriculum collection with departmental teaching spaces. The students were surveyed about their use of the space and resources. The researchers then compared the survey results to circulation data. The researchers ground this study in Lefebvre’s spatial triad theory, applying it to library design and collection use (Lefebvre, 1992).
Results – Researchers identified proximity to classrooms and general convenience as the dominant factors influencing students’ use of the collection. Survey results showed an increased awareness of the collection and an increase in use of the collection for completion of assignments and practicum work. Circulation data confirmed that between 2016-2019, there was a steady increase in use of the curriculum collection.
Conclusion – Students’ responses revealed that physical characteristics of the space were less important than proximity, the major factor that impacted their use of the curriculum collection. This revelation confirms Lefebvre’s idea that spatial practice, i.e., how users access and use the space, is more significant and identifiable to students than the design and physical characteristics of the space
Libraries’ Contributions to the Quality of UK University Research Environments Were Not Acknowledged in REF 2014, but Could Be Made More Visible in REF 2021
No full textA Review of:
Walker, D. (2020). Libraries and the REF: How do librarians contribute to research excellence? Insights, 33(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.1629/uksg.497
Abstract
Objective – To measure the extent to which libraries’ contributions to United Kingdom (UK) university research excellence were referenced in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 unit-level research environment statements, and to make recommendations to libraries for increasing their visibility in the research setting.
Design – Content analysis of an existing corpus.
Setting – Evaluation of research environments conducted as part of the UK REF 2014 assessment.
Subjects – 1,891 unit-level research environment statements submitted for REF 2014.
Methods – Each unit-level research environment statement was categorized in terms of how extensively it referenced library or librarian contributions: no mention, brief mention, or substantive mention. The frequency and percentage of each level of mention are reported overall and by disciplinary panel.
Main Results – Across all panels, only 25.8% of the statements included substantive references to the library or librarians; most of these were lists of electronic and physical collections, but they also included discussions of the research support services offered by librarians. There were disciplinary differences in the extent of the references to libraries, from 7.2% containing substantive references in a panel examining science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) units to 44.0% containing substantive references in the panel examining arts and humanities units.
Conclusion – In REF 2014, libraries and librarians were rarely discussed in unit-level research environment statements. While this lack of representation may be due to shortcomings of the library’s relationship with the university’s research office, librarians could use a number of approaches to becoming more visible in the REF 2021 research environment statements. Specifically, they could highlight their roles in: ensuring discoverability and accessibility of information resources to researchers; improving research practices through teaching informational and organizational skills, providing direct support to research students and staff, and providing research data management services; managing the research information systems that capture and make discoverable the university’s non-article research outputs; providing support in relation to the responsible use of bibliometrics and other measures of article quality and impact; further developing article impact by training researchers to use social media to their advantage; developing open research initiatives; and assisting with the REF submission process
Most Canadian Universities and Colleges Outside of Quebec Rely on Fair Dealing Rather than Access Copyright
No full textA Review of:
Henderson, S., McGreal, R., & Vladimirschi, V. (2018). Access Copyright and fair dealing guidelines in higher educational institutions in Canada: A survey. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, 13(2), 1-37. https://doi.org/10.21083/partnership.v13i2.4147
Abstract
Objective – To investigate the interpretations of fair dealing applied across Canadian post-secondary educational institutions outside of Quebec and to determine whether such institutions have a licence with Access Copyright.
Design – Descriptive/quantitative study.
Setting – Canadian post-secondary education sector, excluding Quebec.
Subjects – A total of 159 Canadian post-secondary institutions outside of Quebec, including 75 universities and 84 colleges.
Methods – A list of Canadian post-secondary educational institutions outside of Quebec was compiled. Data from participants relating to the research objective—reliance on an Access Copyright licence or use and interpretation of fair dealing—was collected via internet searches or, if unavailable online, via direct telephone communication with participants.
Main Results – A majority of Canadian post-secondary educational institutions outside of Quebec, approximately 78% (124 institutions), did not have a licence with Access Copyright. The smaller the institution, the likelier it was to have an Access Copyright licence. This was in part linked to the fact that smaller institutions typically do not have staff specializing in copyright; savings from terminating Access Copyright licences (charged on a per student basis) would not justify the creation of such positions. Regarding fair dealing, 18% of study participants based their approach on the Supreme Court of Canada’s six-factor test (29 institutions), while 53% applied the fair dealing guidelines created by Universities Canada (85 institutions).
Conclusion – Most of the institutions studied did not have Access Copyright licences and were relying on fair dealing instead, suggesting a bellwether for the copyright climate in the Canadian higher education sector towards fair dealing. Institutions may benefit from a future national consensus regarding interpretations of fair dealing concepts
Beyond Reference Data: A Qualitative Analysis of Nursing Library Chats to Improve Research Health Science Services
No full textObjective - The objective of this study was to analyze trends in academic library reference chat transcripts with nursing themes, in order to improve all library services and resources based on the findings.
Methods - In Fall 2018, health science liaison librarians performed a qualitative study by analyzing 60 nursing chat transcripts from LibraryH3lp. These chats were tagged, anonymized, coded, and then analyzed in Atlas TI to identify patterns and trends.
Results - Chat analysis showed that librarians staffing chat are meeting the research needs of nursing patrons by helping them find full-text articles and suggesting the appropriate library databases. In order to further improve these virtual services, workshops were offered to Library and Information Science (LIS) interns and staff who answer reference chats. Nursing online tutorials and research guides were also improved based on the results.
Conclusion - This study will help academic libraries improve and expand services into the virtual realm, to support library employees and patrons during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Virtual reference chat is not going away; in the current academic environment it is needed more than ever. Using these library chats as the basis for additional chat staff training can reduce staff anxiety and prepare them to better serve patrons