“I’m Really Confident I Can Find the Exact IKEA Pillow”: A Qualitative Look at the Search Self-Efficacy of Graduating MLIS Students

Abstract

There is limited qualitative research on the information-seeking self-efficacy (SE) of library and information science (LIS) graduate students. This study examines graduating LIS students’ experiences with information seeking, including experiences in the LIS program that led to increased levels of information-seeking SE and specific recollections of moments when SE increased. Many students identified similar factors as key to developing SE, including education-related assignments, library work experience, LIS internships, and specific LIS coursework. Because of the small sample size, further research would help to identify additional factors that promote LIS students’ information-seeking SE.     

Student voices: Re-conceptualising and re-positioning Australian library and information science education for the twenty-first century

This paper reports on the preliminary research findings of the sub-study group of a larger undertaking, the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) priority project Re-conceptualising and Re-positioning Australian Library and Information Science Education for the Twenty-first Century. It examines student experiences of library and information science (LIS) education across both the tertiary and vocational education sectors in Australia. The student sub-study group’s task was to provide the student/recent graduate perspective on LIS education in Australia. The research considered four major themes to find out how students and recent graduates felt about LIS education in Australia. The themes were: learning opportunities; learner attributes; learning experiences; and learner outcomes. In the second half of 2010, self-administered anonymous web questionnaires and focus groups were used to explore issues such as student demographics, socio-economic backgrounds, past experiences, expectations and rationale behind course choices. In addition the destinations of graduates were explored. Key findings suggest there are various pathways that students take to achieve a LIS qualification in Australia; students are generally optimistic about the future of the LIS profession, and consider that technology will continue to play a key role in future career options; they stress the importance of practical workplace experiences as part of course structure; their satisfaction levels with current courses are high and students feel confident they have been provided with the skills required to begin their professional life.     

Factors that Increase the Probability of a Successful Academic Library Job Search

Finding a position in an academic library can be challenging for recent Library and Information Science (LIS) graduates. While LIS students are often encouraged to seek out experience, network, and improve upon their technology skills in hopes of better improving their odds in the job market, little research exists to support this anecdotal advice. This study quantifies the academic and work experiences of recent LIS graduates in order to provide a better understanding of what factors most significantly influence the outcome of their academic library job searches. The survey results demonstrate that the job outlook is most positive for candidates who applied early, obtained academic library experience (preferably employment), participated in professional conferences, and gained familiarity with committee work.     

Effectiveness of fieldwork at an information desk: A prototype for academic library-library school collaboration

This article presents a model of how academnic libraries and schools of library and information studies (LIS) may collaborate to provide useful educational experiences to LIS students and reliable reference service to library users. LIS students staff an information desk for s fieldwork component of a basic reference course. Research shows that the students provide accurate services at the desk.     

The Profile of a Modern Filipino Librarian: An Examination of Perceived Competencies

ABSTRACT

This research created a profile of a modern LIS professional by discussing the competencies and skills essential in successfully conducting one's duties. Through a series of focus group discussions and interviews, the researcher identified essential competencies modern LIS professionals should possess. Aside from traditional skills such as cataloging and classification; indexing and abstracting; and library management, non-traditional competencies such as communication skills, advocacy skills, teaching skills, and technological skills were revealed to be vital competencies. These were identified and further supported by discussions of actual library work experiences. In the end, a profile was created it was concluded that a modern LIS professional should be pro-active; an effective communicator; well-informed; adaptable; and should advocate causes relevant to the practice of librarianship.     

Auto-hermeneutics: A phenomenological approach to information experience

The need for methodologically rigorous approaches to the study of human experience in LIS has emerged in recent years. Auto-hermeneutics is a research approach that offers a systematic way to study one’s own experiences with information, allowing investigators to explore yet-undocumented contexts, setting precedents for further work in these areas and ultimately deepening our understanding of information experiences. This articulation of auto-hermeneutics is based on the phenomenological method of Heidegger and draws principles from systematic self-observation and interpretative phenomenological analysis. Similarities and differences among auto-hermeneutics and other automethodologies are discussed, along with guidelines for assessing auto-hermeneutic research. Finally, an example of an auto-hermeneutic study illustrates the unique contributions this approach affords.     

中美图情科研机构研究领域比较研究

科研机构在科学研究和技术创新过程中发挥着重要作用,对不同国家科研机构的研究领域进行分析有助于促进相互学习并提高合作的可能性。本文利用自组织映射(SOM)人工神经网络方法对87所中美图书馆学情报学(LIS)科研机构在技术维度的图书情报学领域研究进行可视化比较分析。研究发现,中美图情科研机构都与本国同行具有更相似的研究领域。根据其研究领域的相似性,共识别出八组国际潜在合作机构和七组国内潜在合作机构,最后分析了中美图情机构的热点与特色研究领域。该研究发现有助于更好地了解中美图情机构在技术维度的图书情报学研究领域的相似性与差异,为相关科研机构寻找潜在的合作对象,跟踪国外热点研究领域,发现自身研究的不足提供决策支持。图1。表6。参考文献42。附录1。     

Perceived self-efficacy of library and information science professionals regarding their information retrieval skills

This research investigated self-efficacy perceptions of Israeli library and information science (LIS) professionals regarding their information retrieval skills, examining the judgments that participants make about their own searching abilities. The study was based on Bandura's four sources of self-efficacy information: (a) past performance or mastery experiences; (b) vicarious observation of others' experiences; (c) verbal or social feedback; and, (d) affective states. An online survey presenting the Information Retrieval Self-Efficacy Scale was distributed among three existing Israeli LIS discussion groups. The questionnaire was completed by 201 LIS professionals. Findings show that participants reported a high level of self-efficacy regarding information retrieval and all four sources of self-efficacy information influenced the construction of self-efficacy beliefs. Correlations between self-efficacy perceptions and several socio-demographic variables were investigated. The data analysis revealed that men and women are impacted differently by self-efficacy information; women reported a higher score for affective states and men are more prone to frustration. Also, a significant relation was found between age and years of experience, as well as the sources that exerted more influence on participants. Older and more experienced participants reported being more impacted by their mastery experiences and their affective states. Participants in the middle of their careers reported a greater influence of social feedback on their self-perception of self-efficacy.     

图书馆学情报学中的电子政务研究

为探索电子政务研究与图书馆学情报学的关系,调查我国图书馆学情报学专业硕士与博士培养单位电子政务相关研究方向的设置情况,并对我国图书馆学情报学核心期刊中电子政务的相关论文进行文献计量分析。主要分析论文的作者和机构、基金资助、研究热点与主题分布情况,发现电子政务是图书馆学情报学的重要研究领域。目前,作为交叉学科领域的电子政务研究主题正呈现出学科分化的趋势;今后,图书馆学情报学专业的电子政务研究应当更加聚焦于本专业的核心研究课题。     

ͼ���鱨ѧ�ļ����о��߳�

介绍１９９４年之后中国图书情报学领域出现的以数字化、网络化为特征的技术研究高潮的现实条件、基础理论、研究状况和技术研究进展,并在此基础上对技术研究未来的特征和趋势进行预测。     

Diversity in the Classroom

Summary

Graduate schools of library and information science (LIS) are rediscovering civic engagement. Examples illustrate how LIS students further diversity efforts through service-based learning experiences. LIS students involved in the American Library Association's Spectrum Initiative helped plan the leadership institute and the longitudinal study of scholars. Students prepared pathfinders for faculty at tribal community colleges and tribal schools. LIS students helped develop and operate “If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything,” a national reading program for schools serving Native children. LIS students helped create a virtual tour of the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI).     

图书馆学专业毕业生就业核心竞争力

从就业竞争力与就业核心竞争力的概念分析入手,提出一套针对图书馆学专业毕业生的就业核心竞争力策略,主张学科内通过生态位错位构建、全程职业生涯构建,学科外通过综合信息素质培养等举措来提升竞争力;针对教学实践,借鉴国外的优秀经验,倡导在宏观上从“大学科”视角研讨图书馆学教育问题;在微观上从职业应用角度来设置课程体系,以此作为图书馆学专业毕业生就业核心竞争力的提升保障。     

A Critical Phenomenology of Whiteness in Academic Libraries

This exploratory qualitative study examines how whiteness functions in the field of library and information science (LIS) within higher education institutions. Utilizing a critical phenomenological approach, three questions guided the inquiry: (1) How is whiteness embodied by academic librarians, (2) What perceptions do academic librarians hold that contribute to the maintenance or disruption of habits of whiteness in libraries, and (3) How and where is whiteness embedded within academic library settings and the field of LIS?The aim was to begin understanding whiteness in libraries as an experientially-grounded and systemically reproduced phenomena. Four academic librarians participated in semi-structured interviews that explored participant identity and experiences with race, specifically whiteness, in their professional lives. Data were analyzed using a cyclical coding approach resulting in six themes. This research may contribute to a better understanding of the way libraries function as racial projects and can assist librarians in seeing the importance of adopting critical reflexivity as a tool for recognizing and disrupting systemic habits of white normativity in libraries.     

Scholarly productivity of U.S. LIS faculty

One aspect of faculty effectiveness can be measured through research productivity, and publication and citation rates can serve as an indicator of that productivity. This study, the fourth in a series to examine LIS faculty and program productivity as measured by publication and citation, uses the same methodology as the previous investigations. A consistent data instrument (the Social Science Citation Index) provided publication and citation data for LIS faculty, covering the years 1999 to 2004. Tables show the faculty and programs with the highest publication and citation rates, both overall and per capita, as well as a cumulative ranking of LIS programs based on faculty research productivity. This study, in conjunction with the three previous, documents an increase in LIS research productivity, suggesting an increase in faculty effectiveness.     

Librarians and information scientists in the blogosphere: An exploratory analysis

Blogging, though a relatively new phenomenon, has already gained greatly in popularity, and blogs have become an essential information channel in the Web 2.0 information world. Research into 30 topic-oriented blogs dealing with librarianship and information science, focusing specifically on tagging and folksonomies, was conducted over a period of two months. The purpose of the analysis was to describe and classify the LIS blogosphere, with the purpose of understanding the tagging patterns of librarian and information scientist bloggers and the nature of the folksonomies they form. Findings indicate that professional LIS blogs reflect the most up-to-date interests of LIS professionals as well as bloggers' personal lives and experiences. Content analysis reveals that the tag schemes generated by users contain their own internal logic and order.     

Prepare to be unprepared? LIS curriculum and academic liaison preparation

This research explored the ways in which current liaison librarians feel their LIS programs prepared them for their role, focusing on two research questions: To what extent do librarians working as liaisons in academic institutions in the US and Canada feel their LIS programs prepared them for their liaison role? How much of the preparation of librarians to be liaisons can be attributed to their programs' curriculum, especially in terms of where in the curriculum the liaison role is addressed? Results of a survey of 366 liaisons demonstrate that across a variety of contexts, most respondents feel their programs prepared them to be liaisons, but those who completed the academic library track more often than expected indicated feeling prepared. A majority of participants indicated non-curriculum experiences, such as assistantships, paid employment, and internships in academic libraries, as useful in their preparation, with one exception: those who completed online programs less often than expected indicated non-curricular experiences as useful in preparation for their current liaison role. Overall, the most useful courses cited included specialized courses, reference, instruction, and collection management, suggesting some preparation from core courses, but additional preparation coming from elective courses not always taken by or available to everyone.     

2005～2010年图书情报教育改革国际研究综述

围绕LIS教育所处的环境、面临的挑战及应对思路,对2005年以来国际图情教育改革的研究成果进行总结,发现近几年来该领域的研究主题主要集中在以下几个方面:iSchool及其评价、LIS教育模式及其变革、LIS课程体系建设、LIS教学方法的研究及各国LIS教育进展和国际合作的研究。研究者多由LIS领域的教学科研人员组成;观察、问卷调查和网络调查、访谈等实证方法广为应用;新的理论和研究工具被引入该领域的研究,开辟了新的研究思路。2005至2010年间,LIS教育领域的研究成果数量众多,国内外研究人员在很多问题的基本观点上表现出一定的共性。     

【已撤销】混合方法研究在图书情报学中的应用

混合方法研究是为提高研究质量而在同一研究中融合定性和定量两种方法的研究类别,它在图书情报学中的应用,目前国内还没有相关的文献报道,国外这方面的报道也不是很多。为弄清该方法在图书情报学中的应用情况,笔者对四种国际上有代表性的图书情报学类期刊上发表的465篇学术论文进行分析统计,结果显示只有22篇论文（5%）使用混合方法研究。混合方法研究所表现出来的种种优势表明它的使用将对图书情报学研究大有帮助。     

Knowledge structure of library and information science in South Korea

This article analyzes the knowledge structure of library and information science (LIS) in South Korea based on analysis of the theories presented in scholarly research articles. A content analysis of 654 LIS articles that appeared in two major journals since 1970 revealed overall theory use in LIS, such as growth and distribution of theory use by subfield, origin of theory, degree of theory use, and development of theory. The 654 articles analyzed used about eighty theories. The largest percentage of theories originated in LIS, followed by social science, sciences, and humanities. The degree of theory use indicates 2.10 in the 5 point ratio scale of the “Five Degrees of Theory Use Model.” The proposed theory use model provides an analytical tool to delineate degrees of theory use in LIS. In short, the results of knowledge structure analysis in LIS research show that LIS in South Korea needs much more development in various fields.     

国内外后现代主义哲学与图书情报学研究的述与思

指出国内外图书情报学与后现代主义哲学的研究集中在以下方面：对图书情报学学科环境的观照;后代主义哲学对认识图书情报学认识与存在关系的指导;对图书情报学研究现状和实践现状的解释。在此基础上提出后现代主义哲学的理论和方法对其技术地位现状、多种理论声音现状、认识与存在、理论体系和学科环境的一种解释。