Student Library Use Research Articles

Data Ethics in Library Learning Analytics

Introduction: This study examines data handling and data ethics in library learning analytics research projects involving the use of data about students as library patrons, alongside a baseline evaluation of the benefits of library learning analytics to libraries practicing it. Methods: Citations were gathered via citation chain aggregation from the original Value of Academic Libraries report, then winnowed to projects with English-language artifacts documenting them, collection and/or analysis of library data about students, and a research question about the contribution of student library use to student success. Results and Discussion: Much of this research is reaching publication despite not employing best practices nor documenting respect for human-subjects research ethics, library-specific privacy and confidentiality ethics, and student data-privacy expectations. Very few projects create direct benefits to libraries. This result would not be possible without gaps or lapses in editorial processes, peer review, and upstream research guidance and ethics reviews. Conclusion: Ethics reforms are required at all stages of research and publication to prevent further unethical exploitation of patron data.

University Students’ Library Experience and Its Impact on Their GPA During the Pandemic

This article reports the results of a biennial student library use survey distributed in Spring 2021 at a large urban research university. Responses reveal library visits were significantly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Patterns of student needs and the impact of library use on academic achievements were explored, including comparisons to previous biennial survey data. There was a negative correlation with students’ GPA and physical library use, and a positive correlation with online library use and GPA. User service librarians, library administrators and academic librarians interested in demonstrating the library value on students’ academic success would benefit from this article.

Teachers' Attitudes Toward Library Use

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to explore attitudes of high school teachers toward the use of the school library by students to complete research projects. Public high school teachers were surveyed (N=81) about their attitudes toward student use of the school library. Statistical analyses revealed no significant differences among teaching disciplines nor between genders. Tests also revealed no correlation between survey responses and time teaching. Interviews were conducted to further explore attitudes toward student library use. Interview results suggested that teachers considered the library useful in the completion of research projects but were reluctant to require students to the library. The results suggested that strategies are necessary to mitigate reluctance to include school library resources as a component of assigned research projects.

Interpreting Library Chat Reference Service Transactions

ABSTRACTThis paper discusses live chat instances as patron participatory learning interactions in a medium-sized non-Western university library. Widespread and popular in the regional commercial sector, it is not so in local academic libraries whose library websites were visited. Rather, chat is used primarily as a service for general university enquiries. For this paper, library live chat scripts covering a five-year period from February 2013 to February 2018 were examined, a literature review done, and insights derived from those scripts. Findings contribute towards context-specific understanding of university student library use habits.

The Experience of International Students at Cross-Border University Libraries

This article describes the results of a small research study investigating international student library use and perceptions in a cross-border setting. The graduate degree program at the center of this study is a binational joint degree M.A. program in Canadian-American studies that takes place simultaneously at Brock University in Canada and at the State University of New York at Buffalo in the United States. The students’ library use was explored as were their perceptions of the two different university library systems. Results indicate that students in such joint degree programs do make use of cross-border university libraries and that they see benefits in doing so. This suggests that these library settings offer librarians a unique but viable way of working with international students, and that cross-border university libraries are worthy of both mention and further study in librarianship.

Picture the Music: Performing Arts Library Planning with Photo Elicitation

ABSTRACTPhoto elicitation, a form of ethnographic journaling, provided insights into university music and dance student needs in library and campus spaces and services. In this case study, subjects took a photo for each of 20 prompts related to their daily lives as students and performing artists, then discussed their own photos in a one-hour individual interview. Researchers qualitatively analyzed the gathered data. This article reports findings related to discovering and obtaining music and dance works, study spaces and sound levels, forces of habit and the implications for student library use, and library-related findings regarding practice rooms and classrooms.

The Relationship between International Student Library Use and Information Needs

This study examines how international student library use relates to their information needs and the factors influencing their information needs. The collected quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentages) and inferential statistics (ordinal regression). The regression analysis confirms that demographics, human capital, and library use variables play significant roles in predicting international student information needs. Demographic variables such as age, human capital data such as education level, databases, interlibrary loan, e-journals, library reserve, ready reference, online subject guides, browsing the Internet, email and print materials are significant predictors of international student information needs, but this study indicates that gender, library catalog, and remote access to the library offerings make no difference. The findings will help library directors, managers and librarians to reflect on the factors’ influences and to use the results to break down international students into smaller groups and evaluate, develop and enhance services and resources to satisfy their increasing information needs.

Student library use: a study of faculty perceptions in a Malaysian university

Purpose – The purpose of the paper was to examine the importance faculty members place on student library use and their self‐perceived role in motivating students to use the library.Design/methodology/approach – A modified and Arabised version of Baker's (1996) instrument was administered to all full‐time faculty teaching Islamic Studies disciplines at International Islamic University Malaysia.Findings – The respondents consider student library use, making library‐based assignments and librarians'role as important. They are not fully satisfied with the students' library use skills, availability of information resources, and the value given to the library by university management. They expect librarians to provide, in addition to assisting students and faculty, a comfortable academic environment in the library.Research limitations/implications – This study was carried out with faculty members of Islamic Studies disciplines at one university. Further studies on similar and more general populations must be c...

Assessing the Effects of Library Instruction

The current study sought to measure the influence of a one-hour library training/orientation session on college students' library use and library skill development. Data analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in student library use while there was no statistically significant increase in library skill development. Some issues, however, limited the utility of the findings. This paper also critiques the study's design with the intention of helping future researchers plan for occurrences that may limit the accuracy of their findings.

Check the citation: library instruction and student paper bibliographies

This article investigates the potential value of bibliometric analysis of student research paper bibliographies to assess student behavior in terms of skills and resources addressed in instruction sessions. References from 109 freshman English papers were analyzed to determine the type of work cited, the origin of the citation, and the characteristics of cited journal titles. It is suggested that student paper bibliographies provide a flexible, non-invasive, time-efficient assessment forum for the documentation of student library use.

Faculty perceptions towards student library use in a large urban community college

This article reports the results of a multi-methodological investigation which examined the perceptions of full-time and part-time faculty in a large multi-campus community college towards making student assignments include some type of library use.

Assignments to promote student library use.

1Associate Professor and Director of Nursing, Kent State University, Ashtabula, Ohio 2Assistant to the Library Director, Kent State University, Ashtabula, Ohio

Business Students and the Academic Library:

Business students comprise a significant proportion of the Library's reference workload at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). A literature review on business students and their use of libraries provided limited, dated material which indicated that business students are infrequent users of libraries and possessed minimal research skills. CSULB business faculty were surveyed to determine attitudes on student library use and learning. Students were surveyed to determine library attitudes, use, and skills. While library use has increased dramatically over the years, skills needed for independent research have not. Suggested solutions include the targeting of core business courses for instruction and increasing involvement of the faculty.