Culture shock in the library: Implications for information literacy instruction

A tremendous amount has been written on culture shock experienced by people who leave their own cultures for another. This essay defines and describes culture shock and clash in general, discusses the literature related to different aspects of culture shock as it relates to international students, describes other related library literature, describes the research of several experts in other fields, and discusses some implications, applications, and solutions.     

Research agenda for social and collaborative information seeking

Scholars in diverse fields of inquiry have identified the need to expand individual-based information seeking and behavior models and systems to incorporate social as well as collaborative dimensions. However, the research areas of Social Information Seeking (SIS) and Collaborative Information Seeking (CIS) have been largely disconnected from one another despite a few notable attempts to study them under one umbrella. Researchers in these communities have recently realized the value of bringing SIS and CIS together for two main reasons: often it is impossible to separate social and collaborative dimensions in a project; and by considering these two aspects of information seeking, we may be able to support human information behavior in ways not previously possible. A brief synthesis of work in the domains of SIS and CIS is presented here. Then, an integrated view is presented to consider Social and Collaborative Information Seeking (SCIS) as an intersection and extension of SIS and CIS. Benefits of this approach are discussed and the integrated view is used as the basis to present a research agenda that outlines opportunities and challenges unique to SCIS.     

信息能力平等、信息公平与公共图书馆制度

主体的信息能力平等是实现信息平等的基本条件，从而也是实现信息公平的基本条件。公共图书馆制度为人们实现信息能力平等提供了制度保障。     

Current status of information literacy instruction practices in medical libraries of Pakistan

Objectives:

The research explored the current practices of information literacy (IL) instruction in medical libraries of Pakistan.

Methods:

A semi-structured questionnaire was mailed to the head librarians of all 114 academic medical libraries in Pakistan. It investigated the types of IL instruction provided, topics covered, methods of delivery and assessment, level of integration in the curriculum, and level of collaboration with teaching staff.

Results:

The study revealed that 74% of the respondents had offered some types of IL instruction in their institutions during the previous year, ranging from library orientation to research-level skills. IL instruction is typically only offered to new students or first-time library users or on demand. A majority of the respondents developed IL instruction programs without faculty involvement. Librarians were primarily responsible for offering IL instruction in medical institutions. Face-to-face instruction in computer labs or lecture halls and individual instruction at reference desks were identified as the most common IL instruction delivery methods. The data indicated that oral feedback, written feedback, and searching in a computer lab were the most popular assessment methods that medical librarians used.

Conclusion:

IL instruction activities in medical libraries of Pakistan are in their infancy. Medical librarians also lack systematic approaches to IL instruction.

Implications:

Medical librarians need to develop educational partnerships with faculty for integrating IL instruction into the mainstream curriculum.     

Assessing information literacy instruction in interdisciplinary first year project-based courses with STEM students

Broad and discipline-specific information literacy competencies must be mastered by science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students. This study assessed changes in student perceptions of their competency in information literacy after continuous efforts in course curriculum. Data were gathered in 2015–2016 from first year interdisciplinary project-based courses with STEM students to assess changes in information literacy competencies. Analyses suggested there was a significant increase in students' perception of their familiarity with library resources, search strategies, citation use, and ability to evaluate source quality. There was no change in their perception of their ability to evaluate the variety of source and source relevance and a decrease in their perception of the ethical use of information. With faculty-librarian partnership and integrated instruction in a first year course, students showed the largest perceived increases in foundational information literacy skills but struggled with information literacy abilities. This study provides a baseline of information literacy competencies of first year students and provides recommendations for continuing education.     

The effects of inquiry-based information literacy instruction on memory and comprehension: A longitudinal study

How information literacy instruction affects students' learning has been a concern for many librarians and teachers. This study examines the effects of six-year integrated information literacy instruction on elementary students' memory and comprehension of subject content through inquiry learning and also focuses on the moderating factor of students' academic achievement levels. The subjects were 75 students participating in the study from the time when they entered elementary school. The school adopted information literacy instruction and integrated it into various subject areas using the framework of inquiry learning, for example, the Super3 and Big6 models. A total of 11 inquiry learning projects were implemented from Grade 1 through Grade 6. The results showed that inquiry-based integrated information literacy instruction helps students memorize facts and apply new concepts in the subject content. In general, the progress level in comprehension was higher than in memory learning for the six-year integrated information literacy instruction. Regardless of students' prior academic achievement levels, if they devoted their efforts to inquiry processes, their fact memorization and conceptual understanding of subject content improved. Low-achieving students displayed the most progression in both memory and comprehension learning, compared to their medium- and high-achieving peers. This study underscores the importance of information literacy instruction in students' learning.     

Students perceptions on the long-range value of information literacy instruction through a learning community

Whereas academic library participation in learning communities has become visible in recent years, the literature is still lacking research studies providing assessment data. This article offers the first perspective from students on the value of information literacy instruction through a learning community and the impact that instruction has on academic careers. A qualitative research method of focus group interviews was employed to solicit opinions from students who completed during a three-year period the University of Hawaii at Manoa's (UHM) Libraries, Scholarship, and Technology (LIS 100) learning community course. The findings indicate learning communities provide a valuable context for learning both affective and cognitive information literacy skills necessary in an undergraduate education.     

A two-phased model for library instruction.

This article describes two methods of library orientation and instruction: self-paced audiotapes and computer-assisted instruction (CAI). The tapes are used to orient the user to the libraries' physical facilities, policies, services, and tools, while CAI is used to provide detailed library information in an interactive mode.     

Integrating information literacy into the education of public health professionals: roles for librarians and the library

Objective: The paper reviews the core competencies for public health professionals presented in the Institute of Medicine''s (IOM''s) report, Who Will Keep the Public Healthy: Educating Public Health Professionals for the 21st Century; describes improving information literacy (IL) as a mechanism for integrating the core competencies in public health education; and showcases IL as an opportunity for solidifying partnerships between academic librarians and public health educators.Methods: The IOM competencies, along with explicit examples of library support from a literature review of current IL trends in the health sciences, are analyzed.Results: Librarians can play a fundamental role in implementing the IOM''s core competencies in shaping public health education for the twenty-first century. A partnership between public health educators and librarians through a transdisciplinary approach is recommended.Conclusions: IL skills and competencies integrated into public health curricula through a collaborative partnership between public health educators and librarians can help integrate the IOM''s core competencies and improve public health education.

Highlights

• Exploring and solidifying transdisciplinary partnerships with public health educators and librarians through curriculum-integrated information literacy (IL) is one avenue to continue successful education of public health professionals.

Implications

• Librarians can be considered public health collaborators essential to the twenty-first century education of health professionals.
• Future research is required to effectively evaluate the best practices of curriculum-integrated IL into public health education.
• Transdisciplinary research is advantageous for achieving the shared goal of educating public health professionals.

     

基于数据挖掘技术的信息服务研究及系统模型设计

数据挖掘技术是近年来出现的一种全新的信息技术,文章介绍了数据挖掘技术的主要任务,探讨了数据挖掘技术在图书馆信息服务中的应用,并提出基于数据挖掘技术的图书馆信息服务系统模型设计.     

基于数据挖掘技术的图书馆信息服务研究及系统模型设计

数据挖掘技术是近年来出现的一种全新的信息技术,文章介绍了数据挖掘技术的主要任务,探讨了数据挖掘技术在图书馆信息服务中的应用,并提出基于数据挖掘技术的图书馆信息服务系统模型设计。     

重新定义图书馆与图书资讯学

本文讨论图书馆、图书资讯服务与图书资讯学的新意义。     

高校图书馆为企业自主创新提供信息保障研究

本文分析了我国企业自主创新过程中不同阶段的信息需求和信息渠道,论述了高校图书馆向企业提供信息服务的主要因素,最后提出高校图书馆为企业自主创新提供信息保障的思路.     

图书馆项目制信息服务研究

项目制信息服务以项目为对象,在项目的各个阶段开展有针对性的信息服务,形成系统的信息。文章介绍了在项目不同阶段信息服务的主要内容,分析了项目制信息服务的优势和面临的问题,并认为基于项目的信息服务使图书馆的信息服务方式、服务效果及图书馆自身的角色地位都有明显的改变。     

Information literacy instruction in four Vietnamese university libraries

This case study explored the perceptions of academic stakeholders about the development and delivery of information literacy (IL) programs in four universities, and identified elements necessary to establishing IL credit courses in Vietnamese higher education. The following research questions framed this study: 1) How do library administrators, instruction librarians, and faculty perceive the current implementation of information literacy instruction (ILI) programs for undergraduates studies in universities libraries in Vietnam? 2) What are the challenges to including IL as a credit course in the curriculum as perceived by library administrators, instruction librarians, and faculty? Respondents were purposefully recruited from four universities, including library administrators, instruction librarians, and faculty. Three online surveys were distributed to 537 individuals through Survey Monkey with 149 replies and a final receipt of 133 completed surveys. Interview and focus group data collection included 23 face-to-face interviews and nine focus groups. Findings showed IL is considered the domain of librarians and has not influenced Vietnamese campus culture. IL activities at four university libraries take the form of lectures, workshops, and basic IL skills modules. Few ILI activities are subject discipline-related. Respondents reported challenges to an ILI credit course revolve around the lasting impact of teacher-centered instruction and rote learning, misperceptions about the effect of IL on student learning outcomes, degree of support of IL by academic stakeholders, degree of faculty–librarian collaboration, and scarcity of resources. Recommendations are given for academic librarians in Vietnam implementing ILI programs and considering developing IL credit courses.     

Bibliographic instruction in the hospital library

The nature of bibliographic instruction in this hospital library continues to evolve. As the library makes easy-to-master, menu-driven tools for online searching available to end users, the demand for this service and the accompanying training increases. The demand for formal sessions covering research techniques is also increasing. Upon request, the library offered an extended research orientation to the housestaff in Obstetrics and Gynecology in May of 1993. An introduction to the use of CD-ROM was included to highlight its usefulness for citation verification, author searches, and for periodic current awareness searches on a particular topic. The UMH Library staff strive to offer the most current and comprehensive facilities and services to their users. These include automated access to the library's book, journal, and audiovisual holdings using the Data Trek system; online bibliographic searching by library staff and end users using CD Plus MEDLINE on CD-ROM and Grateful MED software; participation in clinical rounds to provide research support for clinical care; and several types of bibliographic instruction. In addition to the informal teaching of library research techniques that the library staff offers on a daily basis, the Library at Union Memorial Hospital is pleased to be able to provide a formalized and evolving bibliographic instruction program.