Demonstrating Value in Federal Medical Center Libraries

Abstract

Librarians in the federal sector, like librarians in other medical center libraries, increasingly find it necessary to prove their worth to administrators of their facilities in order to keep their libraries open. The Federal Libraries Section of the Medical Library Association developed a survey for use by federal librarians to help them quantify the value of library reference services provided. Using this survey, these librarians gathered statistics to show the library’s effect on patient care, education, and administrative questions.     

Hostile Media Perceptions in the Age of Social Media: Following Politicians,Emotions, and Perceptions of Media Bias

This study explores sadness-based message choices among comedy, game show, and sad drama that correspond to the three perceived goals of sadness regulation—optimization, distraction, and embracement, respectively. Results from an experiment showed that some sad participants selected sad drama with the expectation of realizing that their situations were not the worst possible, of creating new meanings and values, and finally of regaining a sense of control over the event and life in general. Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of these cognitive gains and growth distinct from pleasurable experience from the use of entertainment messages.     

Book review

Douglas, S. J. (1994). Where the girls are: Growing up female with the mass mediay. New York: Times Books. 340 pages.

Lang, A. (Ed.). (1994). Measuring psychological responses to media messages. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. 244 pages.

Cosby, C. O. (1994). Television's imageable influences: The self‐perceptions of young African Americans. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. 172 pages.

Kern‐Foxworth, M. (1994). Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and Rastus: Blacks in advertising, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. 205 pages.

Fiske, J. (1994). Media matters: Everyday culture and political change. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. 253 pages.

Johnson, L. L. (1994). Toward competition in cable television. Cambridge, MA & Washington, DC: MIT Press & AEI Press. 214 pages.

Krattenmaker, T. G., & Powe, L. A., Jr. (1994). Regulating broadcast programming. Cambridge, MA & Washington, DC: MIT Press & AEI Press. 369 pages.

Moores, S. (1993). Interpreting audiences: The ethnography of media consumption. London: Sage. 140 pages.     

The Proof is in the Project: Integrating the Framework for Information Literacy in Developmental Education Through Project-Based Learning

ABSTRACT

Reading and library faculty collaborated in the revision of the developmental reading curriculum at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in an effort to strengthen students’ reading and information literacy skills through project-based learning. This article describes how the new curriculum addresses the challenging concepts defined in the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education in an effort to prepare students more effectively for college-level courses. The results of this new curriculum included stronger posttest scores and student success data.     

Service-Learning's Impact on Developmental Reading/Writing and Student Life Skills Courses

Designed to investigate the impact of service-learning on developmental-level students' success and retention, this study reports the results of pre-and postcourse surveys with service-learning and nonservice-learning sections of developmental courses at Miami-Dade College. Knowledge gained, course pass rates, and both in-class and semester-to-semester retention are reported.     

IMPACTS OF 2‐YEAR AND 4‐YEAR COLLEGES ON LEARNING ORIENTATIONS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

This investigation compared the impacts of 2‐year and 4‐year colleges on learning orientations. Controlling for precollege learning orientations, academic aptitude, age, work, place of residence, and enrollment status, this study found no significant differences between 2‐ and 4‐year students in freshman‐year effects on enjoyment of diversity and intellectual challenge, learning for self‐understanding, internal locus of attribution for academic success, and preference for higher order cognitive activities. The findings are consistent with other recent evidence casting doubt on major differences in the net educational effects of 2‐ and 4‐year colleges.     

Choice? Factors That Influence Women’s Decision Making for Childbirth

This article reports the findings from a mixed-methods study on factors that influence women’s decisions about birth, with the view that women’s decision making about birth can affect the use of cesarean surgery. Data was collected from focus groups and structured postpartum interviews and was analyzed using the Consensual Qualitative Research method. The findings relate specifically to the factors reported as influential in making decisions about birth including how the women categorized, prioritized, and/or favored certain types of knowledge about modes of birth. Four major information categories were identified but only stories about birth and/or attending a birth appeared to have a lasting effect on birth choices. These findings have implications for prenatal and perinatal education and nursing practice.     

Early childhood education on‐line: Challenges and rewards

Abstract

This paper describes our collaborative experiences in the process of developing, designing, and facilitating an online graduate level course in early childhood education. Data collection strategies included: pre/post course questionnaires, informal conversations with students, and university course evaluations. This information described the experiences of novice computer users as they engaged in their content area (early childhood education) and also developed expertise in navigating the computer environment.