School Librarians Conducting Research across Cultures and Countries

Abstract

In an increasingly multicultural world it is essential that school library studies are not solely focused on Western, middle class subjects. However, school librarians who have been trained in cross-cultural practice may not feel as confident in engaging in cross-cultural research. Researchers should be thoughtful as they design their research project and consider at each step in the process whether the study is accessible to all, regardless of cultural background. Furthermore, they may wish to consider the consultation of study participants as they design their research project. They may also consider knowledge paradigms, study context, power issues, and the role of the researcher vs. the research participant. Finally, researchers must keep in mind specific considerations that are specific to research that occurs with children or within schools. Finally, researchers should be aware that new laws regarding how educators question children about family beliefs or values are up for debate in many American states.