Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (Journal)
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Gauging Academic Unit Perceptions of Library Services During a Transition in University Budget Models
No full textObjective – Beginning in Fiscal Year 2023, a university initiated a multi-year transition to an incentive-based budget model, under which the University Libraries budget would eventually be dependent upon yearly contributions from colleges. Such a change could result in the colleges having a more profound interest in library services and resources. In anticipation of any changes in thoughts and perceptions on existing University Libraries services, researchers crafted a survey for administrators, faculty, and staff focused on academic units related to the health sciences. The collected information would inform library budget decisions with the goal of optimizing support for research and educational interests.
Methods – An acquisitions and collection management librarian, electronic resources librarian, two health science liaisons, and a staff member reviewed and considered distributing validated surveys to health science faculty, staff, and administrators. Ultimately, researchers concluded that a local survey would allow the University Libraries to address health science community needs and gauge use of library services. In late October 2022, the researchers obtained Institutional Review Board approval and distributed the online survey from mid-November to mid-December 2022.
Results – This survey collected 112 responses from health science administrators, faculty, and staff. Many faculty and staff members had used University Libraries services for more than 16 years. By contrast, most administrators started using the library within the past six years. Cost-share agreements intrigued participants as mechanisms for maintaining existing subscriptions or paying for new databases and e-journals. Most participants supported improving immediate access to full-text articles instead of relying on interlibrary loans. Participants desired to build upon existing knowledge of Open Access publishing. Results revealed inefficiencies in how the library communicates changes in collections (e.g., journals, books) and services.
Conclusion – A report of the study findings sent to library administration fulfilled the research aim to inform budget decision making. With the possibility of reduced funds under the new internal budgeting model to both academic programs and the library, the study supports consideration of internal cost-sharing agreements. Findings exposed the lack of awareness of the library’s efforts at decision making transparency, which requires exploration of alternative communication methods. Research findings also revealed awareness of Open Educational Resources and Open Access publishing as areas that deserve heightened promotional efforts from librarians. Finally, this local survey and methodology provides a template for potential use at other institutions
For Optimal Inclusivity in the Research Process, Researchers Should Reflect Early and Often on How to Create Welcoming Research Environments
No full textA Review of:
Muir, R., & Coe, M. (2023). ‘Out of sight, but not out of mind’: A collaborative reflective case study on including participants with invisible disabilities in LIS research. Journal of Australian Library and Information Association, 72(1), 26–45. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2023.2168115
Objective – To reflect on what it means to include people with invisible disabilities as research participants in research projects.
Design – Collaborative, reflective case study using interviews.
Setting – Doctoral-granting institution in Australia.
Subjects – 2 LIS professionals who were also pursuing doctorates (practitioner-researchers) interviewed each other, each participant fulfilling the role of both interviewer and interviewee.
Methods – The researchers did a reflective case study, each reflecting on their own past experiences of including people with invisible disabilities (PwID) as research participants in projects for their doctoral theses. They then interviewed each other and engaged in collaborative discussions. Each interviewer audio recorded and transcribed their own interview, which they also coded individually. The researchers then reviewed the individual coding together and subsequently created a single collaborative codebook that described the emerging themes. The researchers used NVivo software in the development of both the initial codes and final codebook.
Main Results – The authors discuss four broad themes that emerged from their coding: “ethical approval for research,” “creating welcoming research environments,” “disclosure of invisible disabilities,” and “use of data.” Key topics in the discussion include questioning assumptions about research subject vulnerability, the value of being sensitive to individual participant voices, the difference between formal disclosure of invisible disabilities (ID) and disclosure that emerges organically throughout the course of an interview, and how research designs that do not consider PwID can create limitations on the use of data from PwID.
Conclusion – The article authors noted that researchers should expect that those who participate in their research studies may be PwID, whether or not it is disclosed or explicitly relevant to the project. Thus, they suggest that when researchers shape the research design of their projects, they should thoughtfully engage in questioning their own values regarding inclusivity and not rely exclusively on ethics boards to support ethical and welcoming research environments. Thoughtful engagement might include researching what is involved in creating a safe space by considering such elements as lighting, seating arrangements, colors, and accessibility to restrooms and parking areas. In addition, the authors suggest that researchers should ensure flexibility and responsiveness within the research design and approach the project with full awareness of the impact ID may have on the research processes and the data. They indicate that researchers should remain open to acknowledging their own knowledge gaps, as well as educating others when opportunities arise. Additionally, they suggest that creating welcoming environments for research participants with ID is best done from the very beginning of a project, when it can be integral to the study design and should remain present throughout the course of the research process
Analysis of Library School Syllabi Reveals Poor Design and Limited Content about Disability and Accessibility
No full textA Review of:Pionke, J. (2023). What are library graduate students learning about disability and accessibility? A syllabus analysis. Urban Library Journal, 29(1). https://academicworks.cuny.edu/ulj/vol29/iss1/2/
Objective – To analyze the disability and accessibility content of library sciences courses. As well as to determine the importance of teaching students about this topic throughout programs covered in the study.
Design – Qualitative study involving the data analysis of syllabi.
Setting – Selected library graduate school curriculum programs in the United States.
Subjects – In total, 77 syllabi drawn from 49 institutions taken from the American Library Association listing of accredited library school graduate programs.
Methods – The author used keyword searches to identify courses offered between 2017–2020 that contained content on disability and accessibility. Syllabi were available for 77 of the 145 identified courses. The author analyzed the sample set (n=77) for both content and structure.
Main Results – Poor citation structure, disability accommodation statements, assessment, and a focus on digital accessibility were among the main findings highlighted. The author identified four major categories to explain and understand the content found on the syllabi; these descriptors were further broken down into sub-categories to explain the findings of each topic content area. Highlights of the results are:
disability and accessibility topics and all related terms were ranked according to number of times they appeared, e.g. digital content, usability, web/internet, coding (22); instruction and information literacy (16); and specific demographics etc. (10);
the organization and sequencing of when course content was presented - at the beginning, middle and end of the semester;
citation currency– Two hundred syllabi were analyzed. One hundred and forty-one syllabi had fairly current citation dates falling between 2009-2018. Forty-eight had no dates and eleven had dates that were outdated (2008 or earlier);
assignments – which measured the learning outcome of the said topic were reported in the following way: nothing assigned (67); 1 or more assignments (11); undetermined (3).
Conclusion –The study underlies that a well-crafted syllabus effectively communicates the goals of the course – the importance of the topic structure about disability and accessibility in library schools’ curricula. The author identified numerous design flaws that impact how the content relays information about the course’s pedagogy. The data suggest the need for the following improvements on the syllabi: professional topic presentation, variety of formats in texts and materials and their access, citation currency and poor structure, assignments and organization sequencing of course content, a number of assessment focused observations on vague assignments or lack of examples provided, and the inclusion of disability statements. Some of the higher order concerns were: the ableist language contained, outdated language, and the lack of stated university-related disability resources for students. All of the aforementioned present an accessibility barrier for disabled students and may affect the general perception about the topic. The author recommends that stronger guidelines for LIS educators would be advantageous to students, encourage disability awareness and the best DEI practices. Further to this, libraries should implement and adapt a strategic plan that would help overcome accessibility barriers for patron delivery services. There must be an increased emphasis on teaching about accessibility that expands beyond forms of digital media. Providing equitable library services in all areas for the disabled populations in the physical library spaces is needed.
Academic Libraries Can Develop AI Chatbots for Virtual Reference Services with Minimal Technical Knowledge and Limited Resources
No full textA Review of:
Rodriguez, S., & Mune, C. (2022). Uncoding library chatbots: Deploying a new virtual reference tool at the San Jose State University Library. Reference Services Review, 50(3), 392-405. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-05-2022-0020
Objective – To describe the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to support virtual reference services at an academic library.
Design – Case study.
Setting – A public university library in the United States.
Subjects – 1,682 chatbot-user interactions.
Methods – A university librarian and two graduate student interns researched and developed an AI chatbot to meet virtual reference needs. Developed using chatbot development software, Dialogflow, the chatbot was populated with questions, keywords, and other training phrases entered during user inquiries, text-based responses to inquiries, and intents (i.e., programmed mappings between user inquiries and chatbot responses). The chatbot utilized natural language processing and AI training for basic circulation and reference questions, and included interactive elements and embeddable widgets supported by Kommunicate (i.e., a bot support platform for chat widgets). The chatbot was enabled after live reference hours were over. User interactions with the chatbot were collected across 18 months since its launch. The authors used analytics from Kommunicate and Dialogflow to examine user interactions.
Main Results – User interactions increased gradually since the launch of the chatbot. The chatbot logged approximately 44 monthly interactions during the spring 2021 term, which increased to approximately 137 monthly interactions during the spring 2022 term. The authors identified the most common reasons for users to engage the chatbot, using the chatbot’s triggered intents from user inquiries. These reasons included information about hours for the library building and live reference services, finding library resources (e.g., peer-reviewed articles, books), getting help from a librarian, locating databases and research guides, information about borrowing library items (e.g., laptops, books), and reporting issues with library resources.
Conclusion – Libraries can successfully develop and train AI chatbots with minimal technical expertise and resources. The authors offered user experience considerations from their experience with the project, including editing library FAQs to be concise and easy to understand, testing and ensuring chatbot text and elements are accessible, and continuous maintenance of chatbot content. Kommunicate, Dialogflow, Google Analytics, and Crazy Egg (i.e., a web usage analytics tool) could not provide more in-depth user data (e.g., user clicks, scroll maps, heat maps), with plans to further explore other usage analysis software to collect the data. The authors noted that only 10% of users engaged the chatbot beyond the initial welcome prompt, requiring more research and user testing on how to facilitate user engagement
Public Libraries Encouraged to Meet the Health Information Needs of Tribal Women in Bangladesh
No full textA Review of:
Yesmin, S., Abdul Karim, M., & Atikuzzaman, M. (2023). Community engagement of public libraries for ensuring tribal women’s health literacy in Bangladesh. IFLA Journal, 49(4), 678–693. https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352231198260
Objective – To investigate public libraries’ existing community engagement practices, explore their willingness to provide health information services to tribal communities in Bangladesh, and examine tribal women’s health information-seeking behavior and interest in obtaining health information from public libraries.
Design – A cross-sectional study using online interviews and structured questionnaires.
Setting – Public libraries and tribal communities in tribal regions of Bangladesh.
Subjects – Public librarians (n=11) and tribal women (n=276) from three tribal districts in Bangladesh (Bandarban, Khagrachari, and Mymensingh).
Methods – Interviews were conducted with librarians via Zoom in January 2023. Survey questionnaires were distributed to a convenience sample of 300 tribal women from February to March 2023. Data was analyzed in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), using univariate and bi-variate measures.
Main Results – All of the libraries provided print materials (books, newspapers, and periodicals) for reading and lending and offered photocopying and Internet browsing services. Other forms of resources such as microfiches and digital materials, inter-library loan services, and facilities for people with disabilities were not widely available. Most libraries (72.8%) did not provide any specific program (e.g., health-related outreach program) for tribal community engagement, although they all recognized the urgency and value of such programs. Lack of funding and bureaucratic complexities were identified as the top two barriers. Out of the 276 tribal women responding to the survey, close to two-thirds of the respondents indicated they were either moderately or very interested in receiving health information. The top three health topics the respondents sought information on were vaccinations, symptoms of disease, and nutrition. The primary health information sources for the respondents were doctors at nearby community clinics or government hospitals, and none of the respondents sought health information from public libraries. Most respondents acknowledged the importance of being informed about health issues and found it difficult to locate health information on the Internet. High costs and lack of awareness regarding health issues represented the main challenges the respondents encountered when seeking health information. Among the demographic variables, respondents’ religion and age were negatively correlated with their interest in health information, while their education status was positively correlated with it.
Conclusion – Public libraries in tribal areas in Bangladesh lacked health information services but recognized the importance of providing them. Tribal women expressed interest in receiving health information, encouraging public libraries to develop and implement related services and programs. Public libraries may consider adding new job titles such as consumer health librarians and partner with other stakeholders for better community engagement. The government of Bangladesh should substantially invest in public libraries as community hubs and minimize bureaucratic hurdles that prevent public libraries from initiating new services. Professional library organizations in Bangladesh may also draw ideas from the study in establishing professional guidelines for health information services and community outreach programs
Librarians’ Perceptions of Tribalism/Ethnicity and Favouritism Practices and the Perceptions’ Effect on Job Satisfaction and Service Delivery in Federal University Libraries in Southern Nigeria
No full textObjective – This study examined librarians’ perceptions of tribalism/ethnicity and favouritism practices and the perceived effect on job satisfaction and service delivery in federal university libraries in Southern Nigeria. The study was aimed at observing whether or not librarians perceive that their senior library managers engage in tribalism/ethnicity and favouritism practices; discerning the extent to which they are perceived to be engaging in tribalism/ethnicity and favouritism practices; ascertaining how the perceived tribalism/ethnicity and favouritism practices can affect job satisfaction of librarians and service delivery by librarians in federal university libraries in Southern Nigeria.
Methods – This study used a descriptive survey research design. The total population for this study comprised 296 librarians who were below the rank of senior library manager from 18 federal university libraries in the southern region of Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The data collected for this study were analyzed using simple percentage/frequency counts and weighted mean.
Results – This study found that librarians in university libraries in Southern Nigeria believe that senior library managers engage in tribalism/ethnicity and favouritism practices and that the extent of these practices is very high. These librarians clearly have strong concerns that the practise of tribalism/ethnicity and favouritism in libraries can have negative effects on librarians’ job satisfaction and can lead to poor service delivery.
Conclusion – It is glaring from this study that tribalism and favouritism practices by senior library managers are perceived to be prevalent in university libraries in Southern Nigeria, significantly impacting librarians\u27 job satisfaction. This negative workplace dynamic can hinder effective service delivery, ultimately affecting user experience and the library\u27s role in education. Addressing these biases is crucial, as promoting fairness and inclusivity can enhance job satisfaction, improve staff morale, and lead to higher quality library services for all patrons.
A Survey of Knowledge and Use of Academic Library Services at a Pseudo-Satellite Location
No full textObjective – Following a rapid increase in student population over a five-year period, Cape Breton University leased additional teaching space from a nearby cinema chain but did not account for students’ library needs. The local nature of the venue, combined with issues in transit to the main campus, created “local-distance” students. These students were surveyed on awareness and use of library resources and services to inform future services.
Methods – Students whose classes were primarily located at the cinema chain were engaged in an anonymous survey regarding their knowledge and use of library services. These data were then analyzed for common themes and recommendations.
Results – There were notable gaps in student knowledge and use of library resources and services, perhaps owing to the primary source of information regarding these – namely, friends, professors, and the website. The need for further outreach and onsite library workers was highlighted, as was the importance of library as space.
Conclusion – While the library handled the new venue as well as possible, it is crucial for administrators involved in change management to remember that student learning involves more than individuals in a classroom seat
Social Prescribing in a Japanese Community Library Shows Positive Impacts on Participants
No full textA Review of:
Morimoto, Y., Koga, Y., Kenzaka, T., & Son, D. (2023). Social prescribing initiative at community library and its impact on residents and the community: A qualitative study. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 14, https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319231181877
Objective – To determine the impacts of social prescribing in community libraries when medical and social professionals participate.
Design – Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews
Setting – A community library operated by medical and social support staff in Toyooka City, Japan.
Subjects – 10 library participants of various ages, genders, occupations, and levels of involvement.
Methods – Two of the authors in this study conducted semi-structured interviews with the users, volunteers, and staff of a community library to solicit their experiences in participating in this initiative. Using an interview guide, data was collected from study participants at the community library site or at a local college, and interviews took place in Japanese, but data was later translated to English post-transcription and analysis. This analysis was completed using the Steps for Coding and Theorization method (or SCAT) (Otani, 2008) for qualitative analysis.
Main Results – The authors’ analysis of interview data revealed 11 major categories that participants spoke of the community library offering them, such as “a place to stay, attractive space design, diverse accessibility, choosability of various roles, consultation function, social support, empowerment, mutual trust, formation of connections across generations/attributes, co-creation, and social impact”.
Conclusion – Embedding primary care medical providers and staff who recommend or provide social supports in community libraries can reduce barriers to access in both domains and improve the local community overall. This study has implications for all libraries that welcome users to partake in supplemental services and events. However, public libraries should take special note of this study’s findings as they could be inspired to incorporate community members, primary care providers, and social supports into their service provision